Galatians 4.12-14
“Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.”
Paul desired for the Galatians to become like him in his faith and life in Christ. He wanted them to be delivered from false teaching; to know the truth in Jesus; to be set free by the gospel; to be called to God and sent by God; to be free from bondage to the law.
Paul also emphasizes that he had become as they were. In other words, Paul — a Jew — had come to the Gentiles in Galatia and fully embraced them. He did not let Jewish customs or the restrictions of the law become a barrier. Paul adjusted and acclimated to the Galatians; he did not arrogantly insist on the Galatians acclimating to him. This was the principle he taught to the Corinthians:
“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
Authentic Christianity is culturally flexible. A Christian energized by the truth of the gospel is flexible and adaptable with everything apart from the gospel. They are not tied to their own culture and custom. They can fully engage the people they are seeking to reach, and they can adopt the ways of those people and love them. One of the marks of legalism is that it is inflexible. Paul, on the other hand, is a model of someone who connects with and enters into the lives of the people he is seeking to reach.
Paul invested the time to know them personally, and he lived with them, ate with them, worshiped with them, and walked with them. Even though it was very different from his own, Paul got to know their world and lived in it. He entered into and experienced as much of their life as he could … all without changing the gospel.
This is precisely what God has done for us through Christ. The amazing truth of the Christian gospel is that through the person of Jesus, the God of the universe took on human form and entered into our world.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1.14)
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:14,17-18)
God created our world, but he has also lived in it. He knows through personal experience what life in our world is like. He is not a disconnected deity who operates at a distance. He is a God who cares and connects. He is a God who engages and understands. He has become like us, except without sin. Therefore, we can come to Jesus knowing that he understands.
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
