Messing Up The Way!

Running or walking on uneven surfaces can be hazardous or at the least a hindrance to progress if caution is not exercised. As I walk around our town I encounter sidewalks and roads in various conditions. Yesterday I chose to walk a well maintained walking and biking trail which recently even had a section paved. I appreciated the smooth level surface. Walking there I was able to focus most on some thoughts I was developing rather than where my feet were being placed.

As John the Baptist was preparing THE WAY for Jesus, he was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy of filling in the valleys and bringing low the mountains to create a LEVEL WAY on which to travel. ( Luke 3:4-6; Isaiah 40:3-5). Jesus came as THE WAY ( John 14:6) and many began to follow Him while others tried to impede the journey.

Saul (later to be called Paul) set his focus on persecuting and hindering those who belonged to “THE WAY”. ( Acts 9:1-2) Eventually Paul began his own journey with “THE WAY” ( Acts 24:14) and committed himself to leading others into it. Among those he taught were many in Galatia. They had accepted the message. However, after Paul had left, others came in hindering their progress and to Paul’s astonishment some of these brethren had turned to a different gospel that was actually no gospel at all. (read Galatians 1:6-9)

Paul admonished the brethren of Galatia…
“YOU WERE RUNNING WELL. WHO HINDERED YOU from obeying the truth?” ( Galatians 5:7 ESV)

Why have I been drawing attention to such ideas as a path or WAY? The word translated “hindered” (ESV) in this verse is an interesting one. It is from “enkopto” which (according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of N.T. Words) literally means “to cut into” (“en”, in, and “kopto”, to cut). We can imagine the difficulty in running a racing when someone cuts in on us. However, this word was one used to describe the impeding of a person’s progress by either breaking up the road or placing an obstacle in the way of the traveler. Thus the word became used for unnecessarily detaining another. In this passage, W. E. Vine points to the significance of Paul’s statement as being “who broke up the road along which you were traveling so well?”

Paul had taught and brought the Galatians into THE WAY of God; a life in Christ. They had begun the Christian race very well. Then they had allowed some to come in and dig up THE WAY on which they were traveling and lead them another direction. We also must guard against allowing others to do that to us today. There are many who teach error regarding Christ or with regard to THE WAY in which we ought to live. To be detoured either of those directions will hinder or completely halt the spiritual progress God desires for us. May we continue to diligently study so that we will not be hindered from continuing our journey in THE WAY of righteousness with Christ.

Have a great day REMAINING STEADFAST ON THE HEAVENWARD ROAD!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Steadfastness