The Apostle Paul wrote;

Gal 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? 

Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 

Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 

Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 

Oftentimes, when offering the truth unto someone, we can sometimes be apprehensive to give them truths that we feel might hurt their feelings. And even though they might ask us our opinion, we still sometimes feel that they cannot handle the truth based upon the fact that it might reveal unto them something that they might not want to hear, even though it could be for their own good.

The Apostle Paul reproved [reprimanded] the Galatian Saints about their “foolish” thinking, and their “walk” that was not according to true godliness, rather, as most religionist are, it was according to their own flesh. And Paul gave them the remedy according to godly edifying concerning their ungodly ailment concerning their flesh and their carnal mind. Paul knew that their flesh would take offense to the teaching of the ‘spiritual mind’ and of having a selfless heart. With that, Paul asked them as seen in Galatians 4:16, ‘Am I now your enemy, because I tell you the truth?’

The Galatian Saints thought they were living godly lives; but actually they were taking heed unto another sanctification holiness doctrine, which was not of the Holy Spirit doctrine of the grace of God. Paul taught them that they had “begun in the Spirit,” but now they were trying to make themselves “perfect” by their ‘flesh effort.’ This is so common among the religionist of Christendom today. This is not according to God’s design for the genuine “perfecting of the Saints” to take place.

As we see in Ephesians chapter 4 the perfecting of the Saints is established only through the edification that comes by God's word of truth alone. God desires that the Saints would “grow up into him in all things,” and that is by the Spiritual understandings that be of God alone. Unfortunately, the Galatians desired not to “obey the truth” as we see in Galatians chapter 3 verse 1

Galatians 3:1 (KJV) O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched [seduced] you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 

Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

Therefore, part of maturing Spiritually consists of “reproof, correction, and instruction and righteousness” (2Tim. 3:16) as we see in the verses below. And, part of maturing spiritually also consists of corrective thinking within the believer by the “doctrine” that we learn from Paul. And to perfect their thinking according to true Godliness, one must also displace the way of fleshly thinking. We must be transformed by the renewing of his mind by the word of God alone. A man cannot ‘place’ God's wisdom on top of his own erroneous thinking, this is not how godly edification works in the sight of God. The perfecting of the Saints is what God desires for the members of “His body.” Along the way to the perfecting of the Saints, the Saints will find that his flesh will get offended by the Spiritual truth of God's word. This was the case with the Galatian Saints as well. They did not like the reproof and correction given unto them, Paul said they were also “so foolish,” this was because they assumed they could make themselves perfect on their own without the power of God's word … which had already saved their souls from the debt and penalty of sin against them.

The Galatians were trying to live a sanctified life by “the law of Moses,” thus disobeying the doctrine which is according to godliness that Paul was teaching unto them concerning their inward man only. It is clear that they had never had fully accepted the teaching from Paul as their apostle, and as the one that labored for Christ’s sake unto them. They were trying to make themselves perfect by their flesh, and not by the word of God that Paul delivered to them.

2Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Tim 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly [inwardly] furnished unto all good works.

And so, as we can see God's word is profitable unto the son that loves reproof, and correction, and desires instruction and righteousness. And when we understand the words reproof, and correction, we understand those are words that many might take offense unto, because it says that their thinking, or their ways are not according to truth. And the perfecting of the man of God is done based upon his willingness to be educated by God's word of truth alone, without the wisdom of man, and that means even his own wisdom ought to be displaced by God's word alone. And just as the Lord told the Pharisees that they were “of” their father the devil, this was a harsh reality of truth whether they wanted to hear it or not, we are given these truths to enlighten us about our ungodly life and thinking. And Paul tells us in Romans chapter 13:12 to “cast off the works of darkness,” and put on the armor of light, in other words; we are adorning the works of darkness whether we know it or not.

2 Tim.2:25] In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; ²⁶And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Moreover, the Galatian Saints did not think that they were being “so foolish,” and did not think that they were living “after the flesh,” but this was the truth whether they wanted to hear it or not. We too are exhorted to give the “Word of Truth” unto those who have ‘infirmities.’ And for the most part, many do not understand that they are ‘opposing’ themselves, and are in the “snare of the devil,” and need acknowledging of the truth. But this is the way God has designed those in error to come into the knowledge of his truth, they must first acknowledge that they are in error, and they must receive the corrective doctrine to save themselves from walking in an ‘untruth,’ and being caught in “the snare of the devil.” This was the Galatian Saints ailment, they had taken heed unto another truth, and they themselves “changed the truth of God into a lie.” And by doing so, they despised the contrary wisdom based upon their own stance for the truth.

Finally, the Galatian Saints took offense to being corrected, they had become bewitched by another form of truth, Paul called it “another gospel” here in “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: ⁷ Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6-7 (KJV). And we ourselves find it difficult to witness to those who have given themselves unto another truth, and another gospel, which is not another. And sound doctrine being preached unto those who have found themselves caught in today's snare of religion will be opposed to receiving the word of God in truth. And this was the case with the apostles, and our Lord Jesus Christ, they were all persecuted and killed as ‘liars’ in the sight of the men who were teaching in the temples as the ‘mouthpiece’ of God. They passed themselves off as the Priests of God, and that they spoke for God. Today, there are many that claim they are preaching God’s word in truth, but they are preaching “another gospel” that goes after the lusts of the flesh, and it is not according to the “doctrine which is according to godliness,” which is after the spiritual mind and the selfless heart of the faithful believer in Christ.

2 Tim.4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering [patience] and doctrine.

³For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

⁴And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto [religious] fables.

Adapted from Rod Jones