THE HINDRANCES IN OUR RACE

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Galatians 5:1-9 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”

As believers, we are running a spiritual race, one that is filled with obstacles, distractions, and challenges designed to slow us down or lead us off course. In Galatians 5:1-9, the Apostle Paul warns the Galatian believers about the things that hinder them in their Christian living. He draws attention to the need for perseverance, discernment, and faith in Christ alone, emphasizing that while the race is not easy, it is necessary to stay focused on the truth and avoid the many pitfalls along the way.

Galatians 5:1 opens with a powerful reminder: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Our race as Christians is one of freedom in Christ, but it is not without difficulty. We face constant attempts to entangle us, divert us, and lead us away from the true gospel.

In Matthew 24:3-5, when the disciples asked Jesus for signs of His coming, the first warning He gave was about deception. Jesus said, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Deception is one of the greatest hindrances in our race. False teachers, false doctrines, and those who twist the truth are some of the most dangerous obstacles because they can lead even the most sincere believer astray.

Matthew 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

Matthew 24:24 adds that “if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” False prophets and false Christs will even perform miracles to convince people of their lies. This emphasizes the critical importance of knowing the truth, which is why Paul instructs us to “stand fast” in the freedom Christ has given.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, Paul explains why some people are easily deceived by miracles: they do not love the truth. These people are drawn to signs and wonders instead of grounding themselves in God’s Word. When people prioritize supernatural experiences over the truth, they open themselves to deception.

The miracles themselves are not the problem; it is the hearts that choose miracles over the Word of God. If we do not value the truth, we become susceptible to the enemy’s tricks. This is why the Bible warns us not to chase after signs but to root ourselves in the truth of the gospel.

In Galatians 5:1-9, Paul uses the word hindered to describe the obstacles the Galatians were facing. The Greek word used here is “engkopto,” which means “to cut in” or “to impede”. This paints a vivid picture of how hindrances in the Christian race work. These are not simply obstacles in our path, but forces that actively grab us, slow us down, or attempt to lead us onto a different course.

Just as the Galatians experienced these hindrances after Paul left, we too experience spiritual attacks and distractions in our own journey. These can come from false teachings, deceptive leaders, or worldly influences.

Galatians 5:1-2 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.”

In Galatians 5:1-2, Paul addresses one of the main issues that arose after he left the Galatians: legalism. Judaizers and other false teachers had infiltrated the church, telling believers that Jesus was not enough. They added requirements from the Law of Moses—like circumcision, keeping the Sabbath, and observing Jewish feasts—saying that these were necessary for salvation. In modern terms, this is akin to saying, “Faith in Christ alone is not enough; you must also follow these additional rules and practices.”

Paul warns them that by returning to works, they would nullify the grace of Christ. Galatians 5:4 explains that if they seek justification through the law, Christ will be of no benefit to them. This is a severe warning against trying to earn salvation through good works or religious rituals.

Paul’s frustration is clear in Galatians 4:9-11, where he expresses disappointment that the Galatians had turned back to these “weak and beggarly elements” after experiencing the freedom of the gospel.

Galatians 5:6-7 “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”

Galatians 5:6 underscores the central message: works do not count for anything when compared to faith in Christ. In Christ, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value—what matters is faith working through love.

This applies to us today. We can be easily distracted by legalism, trying to “earn” God’s favor through religious rituals or good deeds. But Paul reminds us that our salvation and our race are rooted in faith, not works.

In Galatians 5:7, Paul poses the question: “Who hindered you from obeying the truth?” This is a question we must ask ourselves regularly. Who or what is keeping us from living out the truth of the gospel? It might be false teachers, bad theology, or even our own desire for external validation.

Romans 16:17-18 “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

Paul continues his warning in Romans 16:17-18, where he cautions against those who use fair speeches and good words to deceive others. Deception often comes dressed in appealing packages, and these false teachers use smooth words to lead believers away from the truth.

Colossians 2:13-19 further warns, “Let no man beguile you of your reward.”Many will try to deceive us, causing us to lose our heavenly reward. This underscores the importance of knowing the truth. The enemy will exploit ignorance and confusion, which is why it is vital to be deeply rooted in the Word of God. If we do not understand the truth about important doctrines—like the mark of the Beast or the identity of the Antichrist—we are vulnerable to deception.

A powerful example of deception is found in Joshua 9:3-18, where the Gibeonites tricked Israel into making a covenant with them by pretending to be from a distant land. Joshua and the leaders of Israel did not consult the Lord and were deceived into making a peace treaty with the Gibeonites, which they could not break later.

This story reminds us of the importance of consulting God’s Word before making decisions. Like Joshua, many pastors and believers today form alliances and make decisions based on relationships, emotions, or appearances, rather than testing everything by the truth of Scripture.

How many of us have been deceived because we wanted to avoid conflict or because a situation seemed good on the surface? We must stay focused on Christ and test everything by the Word of God.

In the end, the most important thing we can do is stay focused on Jesus. In Nehemiah 4:14, Nehemiah encourages the people, reminding them that “God is great and terrible” and that He will fight for them. Our strength in this race does not come from ourselves but from God, who has already won the victory.

To stay in the race and overcome hindrances:

Know the truth: Be grounded in the Word of God.

Discern false teaching: Test everything by Scripture, not by appearances.

Avoid legalism: Faith in Christ alone is sufficient for salvation.

Consult God in all things: Do not be led astray by emotional decisions or alliances.

By doing these things, we can run our race with perseverance and avoid the many obstacles that seek to slow us down or divert us from the path of truth.