Portray Christ Crucified

I came across John Piper's comments on Galatians 3:1 in his book Reading the Bible Supernaturally. I want share a few observations. Here's the verse:

Galatians 3:1
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.

The are two main verbs in this verse "bewitch" and "portrayed. Strong's Lexicon defines "bewitch" as

βασκαίνω -- I give the evil eye to, fascinate, bewitch, overpower. (Strong's Lexicon)

The Galatian's rejection of the gospel was so surprising that Paul compared their falling away as the Galatians being bewitched or hypnotized. What they were rejecting was spelled out in the following paragraph: they rejected salvation by grace alone. They started to believe that even though they were saved by faith, their continued salvation demanded a righteousness earned by acts of the flesh, which was exemplified by circumcision. They were rejecting the core of the Gospel.

The Galatians surprised Paul because he worked hard at portraying Christ through his preaching and writing. Portray is a powerful word. It is defined in Thayer's Expanded Definition as

προγράφω -- to depict or portray openly ..., before whose eyes was portrayed the picture of Jesus Christ crucified (the attentive contemplation of which picture ought to have been a preventive against that bewitchment), i. e. who were taught most definitely and plainly concerning the meritorious efficacy of the death of Christ, Galatians 3:1. Since the simple γράφειν is often used of painters, and προγράφειν certainly signifies also to write before the eyes of all who can read (...), I see no reason why προγράφειν may not mean to depict (paint, portray) before the eyes; ...

(https://www.studylight.org/lexicons/eng/greek/4270.html)

Two signficant preachers expand upon the application of this verse.

Martin Luther quotes Galatians 3:1c and then comments
"Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you." As if he said, no painter with his colors can so lively set out Christ unto you as I have painted Him by my preaching; yet you remain most miserably bewitched. What did I then paint? Even Christ Himself. How was that that done? In this way, that He is crucified in you or among you."
(Commentary on Galatians: Modern-English Version, p. 128)

John Piper:
This “portrayal” came with words, not pictures. But it was so real, and so vivid, that Paul said it was an appeal to their eyes—“before your eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed." They saw the peculiar glory of Christ in the preaching of the gospel. (Reading the Bible Supernaturally)

In 1 Corinthians 2:2, Paul wrote:

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.(ESV)

The goal of Paul in his preaching and writing is to make Christ and his cruxification known to his audience. To get the message across, Paul took time to make Christ's life and death on the cross vivid and real. U. S. Presidents hire artists to paint their Presidentail portrait. The goal of the painter is to make the president known to the viewers. However, painters take license, planning, and effort to portray the personality of the president and the perception of the president by the public. A portrait is more than a mere photograph. The painter wants the viewer to interact with the painting in order to clarify the viewers' inderstanding of the person of the president and the meaning of his presidency. The want the viewer to grok the president.

Paul realized that portraying Christ as crucified was necessary to keep the Galatians from heresy. Paul continued in the rest of his letters to carefully explain the beauty of Christ and the work he accomplished on the Cross.

In the modern day, if our preaching does not exalt Christ through portraying Him crucified before eyes, we have diminished the office of preacher. Our preaching needs to be carefully crafted with this intention in mind. As receivers of the Word, we must demand better if the preachers are not preaching with proclaiming Christ alone as their goal. Heresy is a misunderstanding of who Christ is. Preaching is the main weapon to combat heresy.

Spiritual Disciplines and a Godly family

The Question
A prominent christian leader was asked by a young man how did you get such a great and obedient wife and daughter. The leader replied that the questioner should pursue the spiritual disclipines such as prayer, phone fasts, media fasts, reading the word, etc. This sounded reasonable at the time, but as I mulled over the answer, I became dissatisfied with it. The answer fundamentally misunderstands the purpose of spiritual disciplines and of marriage. This blog post is my response to the answer. I have a few caveats before I start.

First, it was an off-the-cuff answer to a random question from an audience member after a speech. The spiritual leader's answer had to be short and to the point. I am not sure I could have done any better. Although, I am sure he was asked this type of question all the time.

Second, as far I as know the leader was not a trained pastor nor did he claimed to be one. What gave his views on the Christian life import was the success of his ministry and marriage. We should double-check anyone who gives this type of advice, but especially leaders who head parchurch ministries or political movements

Third, I am not bashing spiritual disciplines, on the contrary,I strongly encourage them but spiritual disciplines can be practiced with wrong motives or expectations.

In this blog I will state a short answer to the question, a long answer to the question, and my objection to the leader's view of spiritual gifts.

Short Answer
My short answer would be I thank God for my wife and family. Proverbs 19:14 states that a "prudent wife is a gift from the Lord." A godly wife is a undeserved blessing. You cannot earn a godly wife. A godly wife is not a reward for a life that zealously practices the spiritual gifts or a life given over to sacrificial service to a ministry. If you are single, pray for a godly wife. Use godliness and prudence as qualities you look for in a wife. If you are married, then realize God placed you in this marriage. Praise God for your marriage. Pray for wisdom in how to seek God in your marriage and how to love your wife more.

Long Answer
My long answer would be that the questioner was asking the wrong question. The question should be, "How do I love God through loving my wife more?". The purpose of marriage is not to make the spouses comfortable and happy. The purpose of marriage is to glorify God in their interactions with each other and with God.

Ephesians 5:22–33
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (ESV)

Where people go awry in understanding this passage is that they tie the commands together. They make the command to the wife and the command to the husband dependent on one another. For example, if my husband loves me, I will respect him. Or likewise, if my wife is respectful, I will love her. However, the command to respect their husbands is not just when the husband is loving her; but at all times. Likewise, the husband is to love his wife all the time, not just when she is being respectful. God gives no promise to husbands and wives if they are obedient that their spouses will be come godly. Peter intimates in 1 Peter 3:1 that God may graciously use the humble behavior of the wife to win over her husband, but this is far from a promise. God wants the spouses to love each other sacrifically and unconditionally as Christ loved the church.

To illustrate my point I turn to the Old Testament. There are two examples of godly men having ungodly wives in the Old Testament: Hosea and Job. Hosea's wife was a prostitute who kept cheating on him. Job's wife, urged Job to curse God and die (Job 2:9) after Satan took away their possessions,children, and Job's health. Furthermore, there is an example in the Old Testament where a very foolish and ungodly man had a prudent wife. In 1 Samuel 25, Nabal refused to pay David for David's protection of Nabal's herds. Abigail had to step in to save Nabal's employees and possessions. Nabal was saved from David's retribution, but God struck him dead shortly thereafter. Job, Hosea, and Nabal may be rare examples, but they highlight my thesis that God does not promise a godly wife to a godly man. These examples reinforce the truth that God is sovereign overall and specifically sovereign in your marriage.

Who knows if the aforementioned spiritual leader intentionally implied that the practice of spiritual disciplines would cause God to make one's spouse godly or one's marriage happy. He may not have meant that implication, but his answer leads to that inference. Scripture shows us God designed marriage to glorify Himself. Our pursuit of God involves our treatment of our spouses in our marriage.

Spiritual Disciplines

1 Peter 3:7
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (ESV)

Note prayer is a spiritual discipline. The efficacy of a husband's prayers is dependent on how he treats his wife. There is an interdependency between one's overall obedience and the practice of the spiritual disciplines. The practice of spirtiual gifts is not a deal with God that if I practice these habits, then God will make my life comfortable and provide me with a godly wife and family. On the other hand, God may use spiritual disciplines faithfully practiced to help bring believers through difficult times in the life.

The practice of spiritual disciplines is a grateful response to God for what God has already done for us in Christ's death and resurrection. Godly living will help you escape the snares of foolish living. For example, debauchery does not lead to happiness, pornography does not lead to a fulfulling sexual relationship with one's spouse, and greed does not lead to the joy of abundant giving. Spiritual disciplines are biblically informed habits to guide you into a deeper and more profound relationship with God. A married couple practicing the spiritual disciplines together with the right attitudes will pave a way to deeper relationship with God and with each other.