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"Brethren, I urge you to become like me..."

Text: Galatians 4:12a

A VERY PERSONAL APPEAL

The apostle Paul personally founded the Galatian churches. This enabled him to make this very personal appeal to them.

Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became
like you. You have not injured me at all.

Galatians 4:12

1. “Brethren”

a) In the strict linguistic sense this word may be translated “brothers”.

b) It became “a generic word” and thus includes the womenfolk.

c) This term represented a closeness of relationship.

2. “I urge you to become like me”

a) Paul was delivered from a ritualistic form of religion.

b) He had kept a very strict religious outlook (Philippians 3:5-6).

c) He had counted everything but loss that he might win Christ (Philippians 3:7).

d) Ever since he came to genuine faith in Jesus he sought to cultivate his knowledge of God (Philippians 3:8).

e) He had sought to live a powerful and dynamic faith-life (Philippians 3:9-11).

f) He urged the Galatians to “become like (him)”.

3. “For I became like you”

a) Paul had accepted the Gentiles without trying to make them like Jews.

b) He did not adopt a Jewish lifestyle when he ministered among the Gentile Galatians.

c) This phrase however does not mean that he approved of their idolatrous practices.

4. “You have not injured me at all”

a) Paul wanted the Galatians to know that despite the tension that existed they had not injured him at all.

b) He did not hold any grudges against anyone.

c) His relationship with them had not been affected adversely.

d) He still thought of them fondly as “brethren”.

e) He wanted them to know that they did not have to stay far away from him fearing that they had wounded or injured him beyond any chance of redemption.

f) Paul exercised great graciousness and understanding in helping the Galatians to think through their predicament of being drawn into a ritualistic form of Christianity.