“It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you,” (Gal. 4:18)

Paul has had reason to brag on them in the past and when they were following the teachings of Jesus and the Holy Spirit they were being made much of. Not because they were special but because they obeyed God. Paul was excited when they accepted Jesus and put him on. That was reason to celebrate and rejoice.

At Westgate, we sing “Shout Hallelujah” when someone is buried into Christ and rises to walk the new life. It is a time of celebration. We make much of them in their new found relationship with God and with us. It is for a good purpose. We are told that the angels in heaven rejoice when someone comes to the Father and we are happy to do it too.

How Paul wishes he could brag on them now. How he wishes the false teachers had not been able to lead the Galatian saints astray. How sad it is when we see it happen today. As much as we might wish like Paul that there weren’t any false teachers today they are here and they work hard at leading the elect to follow untruths.

So many educated men and women are teaching that there is no God. They are doing it in our schools and on television. They write books and give lectures. They are false teachers because of the lie they teach. There is a God.

Others who believe that there is a God teach that it really doesn’t matter what you believe or do since God is so loving He will take you to heaven in spite of your life or lifestyle. They are false teachers because of the lie they teach. God will not save those who are disobedient to grace.

Others teach that there is a God but a sinner does not have to obey his commands to be saved. They teach that all a person has to do is just believe in Jesus and ask him to save them. They are false teachers because of the lie they teach. God has always required obedience to His word and His word says that only faith that leads to a new birth brings salvation. “He that believes AND is baptized shall be saved.”  Not my words, Jesus’s words. Nowhere in the Biblical text is salvation promised to those who pray the sinner’s prayer without acting out the gospel. God saves those who are baptized and adds them to the church.

Task for Today: Please read the Bible for what you must do to be saved. Don’t listen to preachers nor pay attention to their books. That includes me. Read the words of Jesus, he talks about the subject. Do what he says and you will not have to worry about false teachers.