Our Christian life is often depicted as running a race. How have you been running? You may have begun well, but what about now? Are you still running? Apostle Paul was concerned with the way the Galatian believers have been running their Christian race. Apostle Paul wrote to them, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Gal 5:7). They had been running well, Apostle Paul said. They had been obeying the truth. They had been doing the right thing in God's sight. They had been praying. They had been serving. They had been evangelizing. They had been loving one another in Christian love. They had been living clean and pure lives bearing a good testimony for Christ. There was no falsehood in them. They had been running well. But, something drastic happened along the way: “…who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” Somebody came with a teaching that hindered them from running well. This teaching must be unbiblical because it prevented them from running well the race that God called them to. Such is the result of the teaching that they received. If they run well, it is good biblical teaching. If not, it is clear that something is wrong with the teaching. They had been hindered from obeying the truth.

The opposite of truth is falsehood. Somebody came along and spread falsehood. When believers gullibly follow the falsehood, their race will be hindered. The word “hinder” means to cut in, to obstruct and interfere. As a result of this hindrance, you are pulled back. You have been moving forward and then suddenly something pull you back. Someone cut into your path. As a result you cannot continue running the way you are supposed to, or in the direction that you want. And this is serious because you are no longer moving in the way or direction God has designed for you. You are now running a different path. There is a great contrast between truth and falsehood. Obeying the truth is running in the direction God has shown us. Nothing must hinder us, or pull us back, from running God’s race and obeying His truth.

The Galatian believers once learnt from Apostle Paul the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. They were justified by faith alone. But another teacher came along and taught them: “No, faith alone is not good enough, you need faith plus works.” As a result, they wavered and believed in the falsehood. They began to think that God will only accept them when they do enough good works.

They had received baptism, but they were also turning to circumcision. They believed the redemptive work of Christ, but to them it was not enough and so they tried to keep the law and be good before God in order to be saved. They were trying to earn God's approval by their deeds. Therefore Apostle Paul rebuked them, “Now you are not running well. You did not obey the truth. Why? Who did this to hinder you? Certainly it is not God. God has called you to run well by trusting in Him by faith. Now you are trying to run the race yourself by keeping the law. You have veered off the race. You are not moving in the direction God is showing. You are moving away from His direction. This is not good. You have been disobedient. God called you to obey the truth. But now you are in error.”

Apostle Paul wrote in the next verse:“This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.” The word “persuasion” means to convince you to agree. In other words, Paul is asking them, “Who has convinced you to agree to falsehood and to disobey the truth?” Any persuasion, position, or teaching that leads one away from the truth of Jesus Christ is not of God. God and His Word alone determine how He ought to be approached. God has determined it. There is no other way to be justified and be saved other than by His only begotten Son. Therefore, anyone who teaches otherwise is teaching a false doctrine. Such a persuasion is not the persuasion of God.

It is important that we be discerning and careful with any teaching we hear. It must always be checked against the Holy Scripture. We are not to be respecter of persons with regard to the truth. Just because one has a doctoral degree in theology or is a pastor of a mega church does not mean that whatever he teaches will always be the truth. Be like the Christians in Berea. They searched the Scriptures to ensure that what the Apostles taught them was according to God's Word. Do not be deceived by flattery or words that make you feel good. The moment you relax and say never mind, it seems logical and reasonable even though unbiblical, you are allowing yourself to be persuaded to go in a different direction. It is certainly not God's direction. And the moment you allow that to happen, you are not running well already. You have veered off from the direction that you are supposed to run in. Dear friends, do not let that happen to you. If it has happened, come back immediately, repent now and obey the truth again. May God help us. Amen.