When someone is trying to deceive you, lie to you, how does it work? Usually, he/she takes a kernel of truth and elaborates on it to build the lie, to make the lie believable. A lie is most successful when it has some truth in it or is juxtaposed to a truth. Let’s look at the metaphor of a fruit stand.
During the fall months, fresh produce markets have on full display a selection of apples and oranges each in their own respective crates. If you ask the vendor for a bushel of apples, you will not be given a bushel of oranges just because they are in proximity to each other. Any amount of arguing would not convince you that an apple is an orange. The truth is obvious!
Then why do we so readily allow deceiving, manipulative hawkers of untruths in our own lives to convince us that we are something that we know for sure that we’re not? The truth is obvious!
In Galatians 3:3-5, we are challenged to guard ourselves against others questioning our spiritual veracity or authenticity. Paul asks us if we are being so foolish as to believe the world’s version of things instead of God’s. He is comparing spiritual apples to material oranges. He asks us if we look to the material to make ourselves feel perfect. Such a question isn’t even sane thinking! Godly, omnipotent power shows its operative self in uniquely personal ways. Deceivers will try to rob you of this spiritual power, so beware!
Do you look to the material world to gauge your own spiritual veracity?
Are you so foolish? Although you began with the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by human effort?