JEFF TURNER

Imagine hearing from a pastor you respect that he is troubled about your spiritual condition. That kind of message would be serious. This is what happened to the believers in Galatia. Paul wrote to them with deep concern about their walk with Christ.

In Galatians 4, Paul called them his little children and said he was suffering as if in childbirth until Christ was formed in them. He even admitted that he had doubts about them and wished he could be with them and speak in a different tone. Paul was not being harsh for no reason. A faithful pastor cannot ignore the spiritual state of the people under his care. His role is not to flatter or simply make people feel at ease. Just as a shepherd protects sheep from danger and leads them to safe places, a pastor must protect believers from false teaching and harmful choices.

When Paul spoke of labour pains, he was describing deep inner struggle. He felt anguish as he waited to see Christ fully shaped in their lives. His care was not distant or cold. In his letter to the Corinthians, he wrote about feeling pain when others fell into sin. It is also true that among those in the churches, there were some whose salvation Paul questioned. A pastor must remind people that it is possible to be mistaken about their standing with God. Self-examination is necessary.

When someone shows signs of doubt or spiritual confusion, loving confrontation is needed. A shepherd who never warns the sheep is not protecting them.

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”

2 Corinthians 13:5