Thoughts on Galatians 4:21

Paul is asking those who are following the Judaizers teachings and thus putting themselves in submission to the law if they even listen to and understand the book from which they draw their laws. This should hit close to home for a lot of Christians today. If asked of Christians today the question would go something like: “Tell me, you who call yourselves Christians, do you even read your Bibles?” This question should be asked of two types of people.

First Christian leaders should be asked this question. Sometimes Christian leaders today come up with some pretty insane ideas of what Scripture says. They either completely ignore certain portions of Scripture because it’s uncomfortable or doesn’t seem to back up their position or they mutilate a portion of Scripture to make it say what they want. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy he tells him, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” ALL Scripture is profitable and from God and ALL Scripture should be taught. If we ignore the parts we don’t like, God’s message to us is not complete and we will not have a full understanding of Him or of what He expects from us. Christian leaders also mutilate some sections of Scripture to make it say what they want it to say. I am still a fairly immature Christian but even I have seen this over and over again by men uncomfortable with the doctrines of grace. Some today even go so far as to deny the virgin birth, the inerrancy of Scripture, and the exclusivity of the Gospel. All I can say about them has already been said: “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” We should be asking these men, “Tell me, you who call yourselves Christians, do you even read your Bibles?”

Secondly, Christians in non-leadership positions should be asked this question. This was the group that Paul was addressing. Even though leaders and teachers will be judged more strictly (James 3:1), it is up to all Christians to examine what they are being taught to make sure it lines up with what Scripture teaches. There is only one way to do that: know what Scripture teaches. How do we know what Scripture teaches? By praying for God to give us understanding before we read, reading our Bibles daily and meditating on what we have read. The Christians in Berea are a good example for us today: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11).