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"Beware lest you be consumed by one another!"

Text: Galatians 5:15b

THE DANGERS THAT LURK

Christianity was never just a religion to the apostle Paul. Believing in Jesus was never just a creed with religious practices attached. Christianity was a whole way of life! And life itself holds many dangers that lurk nearby waiting for an opportunity to hurt and to destroy. Liberty should therefore be used with great wisdom.

But if you bite and devour one another,
beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Galatians 5:15

1. The sins that lurk

a) They may be found within the heart of the individual.

b) They may be found even in the midst of the church community.

c) The presence of sin and evil will always pose a threat.

i) To the individual

ii) To the church

2. “If you bite and devour one another”

a) Paul did not mince words when he described the situation in the Galatian churches.

b) The consequences of the false teachers were devastating.

i) There was no love.

ii) There was hardly any service.

iii) Instead factions arose.

iv) These bit and tore at each other.

v) They were almost devouring each other.

3. “Beware lest you be consumed by one another”

a) The church community was in danger.

b) The social fabric was in danger of being destroyed.

c) The false teachers couldn’t care less about what happened to the churches.

d) They were just focused on getting people to obey them.

e) Wherein was the danger exactly?

Three may be highlighted:

i) Pride

ii) Hate

iii) Evil