Sue J Love
Loyal
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
- 5,195
Galatians 4:8-20 NKJV
“8But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.
“12Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. 13You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
“17They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you."
Going Backwards
The context of this had to do with the Judaizers who were trying to convince the Christians that they had to be more like Jews, and that they had to hold to some of the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, circumcision, dietary, and/or Sabbath laws as part of faith which saves. So Paul was letting them know that they were not to yield to the teachings of the Judaizers. For those of us who are in Christ, by faith in Him, we are not under the Old Covenant. But we are under the New Covenant God has with his people Israel, with all who believe in Jesus Christ as our Messiah. We are not to go backwards.
And this kind of thing is still prevalent today within the gatherings of “the church.” But what is most concerning today is that so many preachers are preaching to the people what is them trying to get the people to reject the message of the gospel, taught by Jesus Christ, and to go backwards, and to accept something less, something not of God, not required of God which will allow them to remain in the flesh, still living in sin, not walking in obedience to the Lord, but while claiming that they are saved and on their way to heaven because they made a profession of faith in Jesus with their lips.
Different Topic, Same Subject
So, although one situation is dealing with Judaizers convincing Christians to be more like Jews and to hold to some of the Old Covenant liturgical laws, and the other is dealing with some pastors today who are convincing their audience that faith in Jesus Christ does not require that they must deny self, die to sin, and obey God’s commands, as necessary components of believing faith, yet in both situations we have people in positions of prominence and authority within the gatherings of the church who are lying to the people, and who are trying to get them to not obey God and his New Covenant.
For the weak and beggarly elements so many are turning back to today is this idea that they can control their own lives, that they can do whatever pleases them, that they can walk in sin, in sexual immorality, in lying, cheating, and stealing, and as long as they profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior, then they are saved and heaven is their eternal destiny. Yet some pastors insist that they must attend weekly gatherings of these “institutional churches” (not of God), which are partnered with the government and with the ungodly, or else they are regarded as not in genuine fellowship with God.
Have I Become Your Enemy?
So, if you are someone who believes God, who believes the Scriptures, who believes the gospel message taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles, in the correct biblical context, you may find yourself in a position as an outcast, and as someone to be ignored and rejected because you teach what they now call “works salvation.” And if you are attending one of these “institutional churches,” because you don’t know that so many of them are being guided by marketing schemes, and not by Christ, you might find yourself being persecuted because you believe God and you trust his Word.
For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) God’s will. For those who didn’t obey will be told by God, “I never knew you, depart from me” (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
To Be Like Him
Based off Scripture
An Original Work / March 16, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Crucified you are with Jesus.
To be like Him, oh, you’ll be,
Because He died at Calv’ry,
So from sin you’d be free.
Oh, what joy He brings into your life,
Giving life with Him endlessly.
Oh, what plans He has for your life.
Share the gospel faithfully.
Show the people He loves them.
Now His witness you’ll be.
Tell the world of sin about Jesus,
How He died for them on a tree.
Purifying hearts, He saves them,
Who believe on Christ, God’s Son.
Turning now from their idols,
New lives they have begun.
Jesus saves from sin; we’re forgiven.
Over sin, the vict’ry He won!
When He comes again to take us
To be with Him evermore,
There will be no more crying.
Gladness will be in store.
Heavens joys will now overtake us:
We’ll be with our Lord evermore.
Reading of this writing on Video:
Don’t Go Backwards!
An Original Work / June 21, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
“8But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.
“12Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. 13You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
“17They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you."
Going Backwards
The context of this had to do with the Judaizers who were trying to convince the Christians that they had to be more like Jews, and that they had to hold to some of the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, circumcision, dietary, and/or Sabbath laws as part of faith which saves. So Paul was letting them know that they were not to yield to the teachings of the Judaizers. For those of us who are in Christ, by faith in Him, we are not under the Old Covenant. But we are under the New Covenant God has with his people Israel, with all who believe in Jesus Christ as our Messiah. We are not to go backwards.
And this kind of thing is still prevalent today within the gatherings of “the church.” But what is most concerning today is that so many preachers are preaching to the people what is them trying to get the people to reject the message of the gospel, taught by Jesus Christ, and to go backwards, and to accept something less, something not of God, not required of God which will allow them to remain in the flesh, still living in sin, not walking in obedience to the Lord, but while claiming that they are saved and on their way to heaven because they made a profession of faith in Jesus with their lips.
Different Topic, Same Subject
So, although one situation is dealing with Judaizers convincing Christians to be more like Jews and to hold to some of the Old Covenant liturgical laws, and the other is dealing with some pastors today who are convincing their audience that faith in Jesus Christ does not require that they must deny self, die to sin, and obey God’s commands, as necessary components of believing faith, yet in both situations we have people in positions of prominence and authority within the gatherings of the church who are lying to the people, and who are trying to get them to not obey God and his New Covenant.
For the weak and beggarly elements so many are turning back to today is this idea that they can control their own lives, that they can do whatever pleases them, that they can walk in sin, in sexual immorality, in lying, cheating, and stealing, and as long as they profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior, then they are saved and heaven is their eternal destiny. Yet some pastors insist that they must attend weekly gatherings of these “institutional churches” (not of God), which are partnered with the government and with the ungodly, or else they are regarded as not in genuine fellowship with God.
Have I Become Your Enemy?
So, if you are someone who believes God, who believes the Scriptures, who believes the gospel message taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles, in the correct biblical context, you may find yourself in a position as an outcast, and as someone to be ignored and rejected because you teach what they now call “works salvation.” And if you are attending one of these “institutional churches,” because you don’t know that so many of them are being guided by marketing schemes, and not by Christ, you might find yourself being persecuted because you believe God and you trust his Word.
For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) God’s will. For those who didn’t obey will be told by God, “I never knew you, depart from me” (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
To Be Like Him
Based off Scripture
An Original Work / March 16, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Crucified you are with Jesus.
To be like Him, oh, you’ll be,
Because He died at Calv’ry,
So from sin you’d be free.
Oh, what joy He brings into your life,
Giving life with Him endlessly.
Oh, what plans He has for your life.
Share the gospel faithfully.
Show the people He loves them.
Now His witness you’ll be.
Tell the world of sin about Jesus,
How He died for them on a tree.
Purifying hearts, He saves them,
Who believe on Christ, God’s Son.
Turning now from their idols,
New lives they have begun.
Jesus saves from sin; we’re forgiven.
Over sin, the vict’ry He won!
When He comes again to take us
To be with Him evermore,
There will be no more crying.
Gladness will be in store.
Heavens joys will now overtake us:
We’ll be with our Lord evermore.
Reading of this writing on Video:
Don’t Go Backwards!
An Original Work / June 21, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
