Wise Words from John Brown

The more I read John Brown's Exposition Of The Epistle Of Paul The Apostle To The Galatians, the more I love this commentary. He doesn't skip over any difficulties and digs deep, but it's so full of practical wisdom, especially in the introduction of different sections. For example, in Galatians 5, dealing with churches in danger of leaving the faith. They have not apostatized, but they are on the edge looking over. How do you deal with people in such a state? I'll quote Brown at length as an example of his wise insight in dealing with other men.

"The paths of error and vice are downward paths ; but the descent is sometimes so very gradual, especially at first, that it is often no easy matter to convince those who have entered them that they have left the level ground of truth and duty. To use another figure, the divergence from the straight road is often so very small that he who has abandoned it may easily for a time persuade himself that he is still prosecuting it. The lines of direction seem to be almost parallel ; yet at every step he takes they are diverging, and by and by it will become abundantly apparent, even to the individual himself, that the path he now treads and the path he formerly trode are different paths. It is quite possible he may still think that the path he has chosen is the preferable one ; but he can no longer indulge the delusive notion that he has not altered his course. 

Many a man has begun with doubting or denying some particular doctrine of revelation which seems beset with peculiar difficulties, such as the doctrine of original sin, and has ended with denying the Divine authority of the Bible altogether. Many a man has begun with venturing on what he was afraid was wrong, or at any rate was by no means quite sure was right, who has ended with disregarding all religious and moral obligations. Had these men understood the tendency of the first step, they might perhaps not have taken the second. Had they contemplated the termination of their career they might probably never have commenced it."

Error is dangerous. It's nothing to joke around about and many a man has shipwrecked his soul by listening to and courting falsehood. You can see the trajectory. Paul knew that if the Galatian churches kept listening, they would end up in apostasy. He wants to warn them because he can see where this is headed. So how does he deal with the situation?

"Nothing is more unfair than to charge a man with holding principles which he disavows, however justly deducible from his professed opinions. Such a mode of reasoning, however common, is obviously uncandid, and has a much greater tendency to irritate than to convince. To charge a man with crimes of which he knows he is not guilty, though the faults he has committed may naturally lead to the perpetration of these crimes, is certainly not the most likely way of reforming him. But it is a matter of the last importance that the tendency of a false principle, and of a criminal action, should be distinctly and fully laid before the mind of him who has adopted the one, or committed the other; and that he should be faithfully and affectionately warned against holding an opinion or indulging a practice the moral characters of which are very different from what he apprehends them to be, and which will in the ordinary course of things sink him in depths of error and guilt, from which at present he would perhaps recoil with terror. It is most unfortunate when a person just about to commence the downward road of apostasy falls in with a well meaning, it may be, but most mistaken friend, who flatters him in the opinion he has formed that there is nothing very dangerous or wrong in the course he is taking, who says "peace, peace," to him while there is no peace. A true friend will in these circumstances not thus help forward the delusion ; but, at the hazard of displeasing him whom he wishes to save, he will honestly, but at the same time kindly, tell him the truth, and, leading him to the brink of the precipice, bid him ponder ere he goes farther in the path which terminates so fearfully. "

You cannot charge someone of a crime they have not committed just because they are on a path that very well could lead to that destruction. Paul was rough with the Galatians, but he did not accuse them of something they had not yet done wrong, while at the same time, warns them of the consequences if they continue on in they legalistic path. Paul makes great points, but he is also dealing with human beings. You can't just be "bold for the truth" and stomp all over people you disagree with and falsely accuse and portray the in the worst possible light, and then think that you will be able to influence them to listen to you and give you a fair hearing. That's being foolish. Be strong. Be resolute. Never compromise, but have some wisdom in your dealing with people.