O foolish Galatians!
Who has bewitched you
that you
should not obey the
truth,
before whose eyes
Jesus Christ
was clearly portrayed
among you as crucified?
This only I want to
learn from you:
did you receive the
Spirit by the works of the law,
or by the hearing of
faith? Are you so foolish?
Having begun in this
Spirit, are you now being
made perfect by the
flash? Have you suffered
so many things in
vain -- if indeed it was in vain?
Galatians 3:1 -- 4
Paul after
completing his defense for his authority in regards to his ministry and doctrine, and this by a statement of facts, the apostle Paul proceeds to reprove the
Galatians. These Galatians had become
destitute of wisdom and understanding, and by this had turned away from the
truth as it is in Jesus Christ. How did
they come to this delusion or to become destitute of wisdom and understanding
and by this had turned away from the truth?
Paul represents them as diluted, by their seducing teachers. By this they were not to acting as they were, Christians, in other
words, to act unlike themselves and by this their folly in this of actuation
that they had come to have was shown in the fact that they did not adhere to
the Gospel which is the only way of justification and yet this is what they
profess to embrace. It is not enough, simply
just know the truth, and it is not enough to say that we believe it: we must
obey it, and continually and steadfastly abide by it. Looking back at our historical overview, we find this old Celtic
religious beliefs and lifestyle were still leading them to have troubles with
this Christian doctrine. Furthermore,
many Jewish Christian converts as well as other Jewish people had moved into
the Galatians area and brought with them the old Hebrew and Jewish laws and
were teaching that to be a true Christian one must follow those old Jewish
customs and rights and traditions. All
of this aggravated this folly of the Galatian Christians. One such aggravation was the right of circumcision
that the Hebrews had practiced all these years and now demanding that the
Gentile converts circumcised. It is not
that Jesus Christ was not preached to them as crucified and they did have the
doctrine of the cross, preached to them.
And they even had the Lord's supper administered among them, so that
they can understand both which preached Christ was crucified and the nature of
His sufferings in all of this had been clearly set forth to them. Paul asked him as we can see in verse two
whether or not they were made partakers of the Holy Spirit in this apparently
would include various miraculous gifts of the Spirit for Jesus Christ was
clearly portrayed among them and this could be by miraculous spiritual gifts
and furthermore, their hope in His graces.
The law of God did not become null and void it is by the administration of
His law, and only those works would be held to their good account if they were
performed by them in obedience to the administration of death in combination
that comes when one does not obey God's law.
The law that I hear speak about is not all those traditions, the various
rituals, that pertained to the Hebrew nation until Jesus Christ came, and then
was done away with by this new covenant set forth by Jesus Christ whereby only
the 10 Commandments was the law by which one would be judged. Circumcision was no longer mandatory for
people to show the world that they were a child of God, no, it would be the
circumcision of the heart edited by this circumcision that the world can see
Jesus Christ. It is not by any works,
outside of those works that God called a person to do, that would make them
Authentic Christians, for it is by hearing, and hearing the word of God, and
then in bracing that doctrine of the Faith that is in Christ alone for
justification. Which is it: Works, or
holding fast to the doctrine of faith in Christ alone for justification? Is it not by the last of these and not by
works? These Galatians had become very
unwise and allow themselves to be turned away from the Ministry and doctrine
which they had been so blessed by them their spiritual advantage. Paul calls upon them to judge whether or not
they were acting in a very weak and foolish manner, or not. Let us take a moment; are you acting
foolish? Are you depending upon your
works to determine your Christianity?
Did you not receive your faith so that you would convert to Christianity
by the Holy Spirit speaking to you by the word of God? Was it not this: hearing of the word of God
that shows you that you are justified in Christ and in Him alone? You may have suffered many things but are
you suffering those things in vain? Truth is more important than
expression. If you allow the truth to
guide you in this life may secure compliance by this, and then speak not only
quietly and temperately, but if necessary even vehemently, without any breach
of modesty, because his life protects them against contempt. We must do all we can to protect and to
pursue an upright life. One must take
care to maintain a good reputation and for some this may be somewhat hard
because of their past but do not let your past you take your present in your
future. Fear God, be true to His
written Word. Don't let anyone who
comes to the parents of wisdom bewitch you as happened with the Galatians. Do not become one who attempt to be made
perfect by doing things of the flesh.
Love God: live life!
I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
but now my
eye sees You,
therefore I abhor myself, and repent
in dust and
ashes.
Job 42: 5 -- 6
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoicing
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