Bewitched - Gospel Freedom in Galatians - October 31 Readings: Galatians 3:1-6

 

 

Gospel Freedom in Galatians  

Background: What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it. 

Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world. 

Galatians is a powerful argument for a gospel free from the works of the law. 

As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage. 

Today's Reading:  Galatians 1-6  Focus Passage - Galatians 3:1-6

You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh? 4 Did you experience so much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? 5 So then, does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law? Or is it by believing what you heard— 6 just like Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness?

Through the Bible Readings: Ezekiel 7-8, 1 Timothy 4, Psalm 119:89–96, Proverbs 26:20–21

 

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional:  Bewitched   

Bewitched. 

That's what Paul said about the Philippians. Someone had cast a spell on them, bewitched them, deceived them with magic. Obviously, he wasn't being literal here. He was speaking in figurative terms about how they'd been led astray from the true gospel into false teaching. He began his letter wondering, in Galatians 1: 6 how they had so quickly departed from the gospel he preached into false gospels that were not gospels at all. 

I believe that there are many things that we should be allowed to disagree on, areas where Christians can hold perfect fellowship even though we have strong disagreements. The timing of Jesus' return. The structure and governance of the church (pastors/deacons/elders). Specific views of soteriology (different beliefs about Calvinism, predestination, etc). The list is long. There were lines, though, that Paul told us not to cross. Anything that touched the gospel of Jesus Christ - the message of the death and resurrection of Christ - was a line we should never put our toes on. When the Galatians stepped across that line, Paul responded with harsh words. 

I was speaking with a young couple in my previous church. I'd had a conversation with them a few months before because they were involved with an extreme messianic group (the kind skirts the edges of what Paul warns about in Galatians). They were Gentiles who were suddenly observing the Sabbath and Jewish feasts and talking about Yeshuah ha Meshiach instead of Jesus Christ. I warned them about becoming unbalanced and reminded them of the importance of grace, but our conversation was cordial. Soon, they'd found another "cool new doctrine." They were involved with an apostolic group that denied the Trinity and made baptism (in their church) a condition for salvation. It was a very different conversation. I told them that this time, they were walking away from the faith that saved them and denying the truth. They were shocked at my harsh words, but we must draw a line when people depart the faith. 

In this passage, Paul is speaking more of the Christian life than of salvation. He is wondering how people could assume that those who are saved by the work of Christ could assume that they would grow in Christ and be "good Christians" because they follow the law and observe Jewish ritual. If circumcision and the Jewish Law couldn't save us, it cannot make us like Christ. We are saved by trusting Christ's finished work and depending on him and we are sanctified in the same way. We trust the work of Christ for us. 

The Spirit who drew us to Christ will empower us to walk in Christ. This is the contrast in Galatians - the way of the flesh which fails and the way of the Spirit which makes us like Jesus Christ. Which will you follow? 

Father, may I walk in the way of Christ, and not be deceived into thinking that I can achieve spiritual progress by my own will and works. 

Think and Pray:

Do you understand and value the gospel enough to stick close to it in all things? 

Are you walking in the Spirit?