Gospel (Galatians 3:1-6)

SCRIPTURE

Galatians 3:1-6
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

LANGUAGE

Vs 1  Foolish - not understanding, unwise, foolish
Vs 1  bewitched - to charm, to bewitch

COMMENT

So it appears that at least some (many?) of the Galatians just did not understand the gospel. I think this is true in the church today as well. We think we know it all. We think we have to do certain good things (while totally ignoring other things) to be saved. But this is not the gospel that was preached to them by Paul! Not only Paul, but many had seen the gospel lived out in the crucifixion of Jesus. And then there is the gift of the Spirit. They received the Holy Spirit, not by following a set of laws, but they received Him through faith. Did they think that would change over time? Here is this wonderful gift of faith, which you get to keep if you obey? No! Here is this wonderful gift of faith, and as you grow in it, you will grow in your obedience. It's called sanctification, and it comes through growing in faith and not through obedience.They had witnessed miracles. Did they think those miracles came because of their obedience? That quote about Abraham, it comes from the Old Testament. (Gen 15:6) It was Abraham's faith that earned his righteousness.

Yet this is what we want to believe, that somehow me and my obedience play a part in the process. I sometimes wonder way we think this way. I think it is just part of our human nature to think that we have to be a part of the process. It is why prosperity preachers are so popular. They even couch their version of works based Christianity into a version that turns faith into a work. "If you are not getting what you want from God, it is because you do not have enough faith!" As if mustard seed faith was not enough. As if we could believe, but not believe good enough. As if a woman could be a little bit pregnant.

This goes to be thoughts on repentance. We are told to repent of our sins and turn to Jesus. No. The repenting is to turn to Jesus, the sins then go away because we love Him and want to please Him. If we are going to say it at all, it should be that we turn (repent) to Jesus, then turn away from our sins. We turn not out of effort, but because they no longer appeal to us.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace