Contemplative Bible Reading

Galatians 5:10 (New Living Translation)

10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.

Paul is writing to a group of Christians in Galatia. Someone was entering the group and teaching things that were false and confusing. It appears that misinformation and disinformation are not new. Those things were with us some 2,000 years ago.

What were these false and confusing ideas? We don’t know all the details. The preceding sentences are about following an old law to be right with God. Those ideas are false. We don’t have to follow a law to be right with God. Jesus makes us right with God.

What I think is worse is that these teachings were confusing. The teachings were based on something good and right and true. They were based on the Law of Moses that many of the Jews in this group knew so well. Many of the Gentiles in this group also knew of those laws and lived by some of them.

Aha, misinformation. Teachings that contain some things we know are true. Then the confusing teacher adds a little and stretches a little and before you know it, BAM! We are in the wrong place with the wrong idea and the wrong life. No. No. No.

The Gospel is short and simple. Jesus brings us to God all clean and presentable. Beware of those who stretch that a bit here and there and everywhere and mix in a little of this and that and something else. Please God, help me in my unbelief.