Nip It In The Bud! - Gal 5:1-15

  In this week's teaching, chapter 5:1-15, Paul sees that there is danger brewing in the walk of the Galatians. Someone that Paul never calls by name, is trying to lead them in to another gospel;  that of becoming a proselyte. They were being told that they must become Jews in order to receive salvation. The NIV says that they have been "cut in on". The gospel that they were being presented was not from God, and like we said last week, Paul loves them enough to warn them about it.
  In the words of Barney Fife, Paul is encouraging them to "nip it in the bud!"  Stop it before it goes any further! He fears for them, lest they should walk in vein. Paul sees that danger in getting just a little off track, and is encouraging them to take care of it before it gets a foothold, because a 'little off track' here eventually becomes 'a lot off track' in the future.
  If Paul were writing to Messianic congregations today, would he have to warn us of the same things? How would Paul address those of us in the Messianic community who have renounced Messiah to simply become Jews? It is sad to look at various Messianic websites and see how we have disregarded some of Paul's most adamant warnings. Paul's words ring true when we see organizations shun entire books of the bible, or become steeped in arguments concerning God's name. What would Paul have to say to us? Better yet, what would Yeshua have to say?
  May we all seek diligently to know what our LORD requires of us. May we all pay attention to the warnings issued throughout the scriptures, and be willing to correct the mistakes that we may make along the way! The Messianic movement is still very young, and if problems are not "nipped in the bud" now, what will they become in the future?  Like Paul, we do not want to see any of us walk in vein.
 
May the Lord bless you and keep you,

Shabbat shalom!