You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
11 I am
afraid [phobeo] of you [humas], lest [mepos][-pos] I have bestowed [kopiao] upon [eis] you [humas] labour [kopiao] in vain [eike]. KJV-Interlinear
11 I fear
for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. NASB
The word for fear, ‘phobeo,’ means afraid, alarmed, frightened, concerned, disappointed. And that is exactly how Paul felt.
When Paul originally came to the Galatians years before, he taught them the gospel and they heard it, and they believed in Christ. And, they not only believed in Christ, but Paul taught them many other Christian doctrines, which they also learned and understood.
The great disappointment is, that other people came along, specifically Jewish people who believed in the old-school, and began in their teaching, adding to the faith in Christ concept, the practices and rituals of the Levitical doctrine, namely works, so as to make their faith more perfect, so to speak.
Paul was clear in his instruction. The Galatians knew and understood Paul’s instruction. But what was so disappointing is that their falling away from truth was seemingly so effortless and without thought.
If there ever was a time for blonde jokes, then they would apply here. Because the Galatians, knowing something with certainty, acted as though it went in one ear and right out the other.
But, that is the way of the world. Most people are not interested in truth. And, most people that are interested in truth, only approach it in a way of superficiality and pretense.
All of their thoughts and ideas, are for show, and not for substantive growth within themselves.
And, with the number of Bibles that are available in this world, with the number of methods of learning Bible doctrine and truth that are available in this world, and with the ease of being able to learn everything in the right way, then it is very disappointing when people who have truth at the very fingertips, choose to not see it, and they choose to do nothing about it for their own spiritual growth.
Doing nothing is sooo easy, and learning doctrine is sooo much trouble. After all, who in the world can possibly spend this huge amount of time, perhaps five or ten minutes a day, learning what God has provided for you?
And the unfortunate thing is, that so much is available, for so little effort, but the vast majority of people by their own choice, are missing out on the greatest life that they could have, but never will have.
