Galatians 5:7
You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
Truth to Learn
Get back in the race, pursuing the truth and serving God.
Behind the Words
The word translated “ran” is from the Greek word trechō, which means “to run.” This particular word is expressed in the imperfect tense, which indicates past continuous action or the commencement of action. Hence, this could have been translated as “You were running well” or “You started running well.”
“Hindered” is translated from engkoptō, which is a compound word made up of en, meaning “in” and koptō, meaning “to cut down” or “to strike.” This word is expressed in the aorist tense indicating a past action having taken place at a point in time (non-continuous). The imagery here is athletic. It is a picture of a person running in a race when he is cut down or tripped up by someone else in order to impede his progress.
The word translated “obeying” is peithō, the root meaning of which is “to persuade or convince by strength of logical argument.” Here it is expressed in the passive voice implying someone who has been convinced of a truth to the point of believing and obeying it. This could have been translated as “Who hindered you from being persuaded by the truth.”
Meaning Explained
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul pictures the Christian life as a race:
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. (1Corinthians 9:24)
Here, he tells the Galatian Christians that they began running the race quite well. But knowing that they have turned from the simple truth of the gospel to a set of legalistic practices, he asks them, “Who tripped you?” Like so many Christians, the Galatians had a good start at the Christian race, but somewhere along the line they were taught false doctrine which tripped them up.
Too many churches today are teaching convenient truths instead of the true doctrines of the Bible. Some preachers are afraid of offending (often for fear that the offering will be insufficient or attendance will fall off if they get too personal). Others, not wanting to get too deep into doctrine, are teaching social truths because they are easier to sell. The result is that we are not running the race well. Instead, we are left sitting by the wayside licking our wounds or standing around socializing instead of doing the work of building the body of Christ.
In this Christian race Paul never quit and he encouraged the Philippians to do the same.
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13, 14)
Application
The Christian life is a constant challenge. Let us recommit to pursuing the truth, spreading the gospel message, and building up the body of Christ until that day when God calls us home!
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2008 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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