Who Bewitched You? Galatians 3:1

Paul was very concerned about the Galatian believers.

They had fallen away from the truth that righteousness is a gift from God received through faith in Jesus (Galatians 5:4).

They had not fallen away from Jesus but had fallen into a works-based righteousness as if Jesus' death on the cross had no effect on their righteous standing before God.

Righteousness is defined as being completely forgiven by God and innocent of all sins because Jesus took our sins upon himself at the cross and offers us his righteousness as a gift.

This is the message of grace.

The Galatians heard the message of grace directly from Paul.

They understood righteousness could not be gained through their faithfulness or dedication to the law or any other moral or religious system.

Paul made that clear in Galatians 2:11-21 when he told the Galatians about Peter who had also fallen away from grace.

In Galatians 2:21, Paul stated to the Galatians the words he told Peter:

"I do not set aside the grace of God. If righteousness could be gained through the law, then Jesus' death was in vain."

Peter fell away from grace when the men sent from James bewitched him (Galatians 2:11-20).

The men sent from James made grace disappear before Peter's very eyes, and appearing in the place of grace was the law.

Paul knew who bewitched Peter - the men sent from James.

But he did not know who bewitched the Galatians.

So he asked them in his letter (Galatians 3:1),

Who bewitched you?

Who made grace disappear and the law appear before your very eyes?

That is a great question and reminder for us.

There is nothing we can do to gain a righteous standing before God.

There is nothing we can do to gain forgiveness of sins.

There is nothing we can do to gain innocence before God.

If there is, then Jesus' death was in vain.

But his death was not in vain.

Jesus did for us what we could not do.

Jesus took our sins and our guilt upon himself at the cross and offers us forgiveness, innocence, and righteousness as a gift of grace.

This gift of grace is received by faith in Jesus.

There will be those who try to bewitch us.

They will seek to make grace disappear before our very eyes, and appearing in the place of grace is a works-based system for maintaining forgiveness and innocence before God...

...a works-based system for remaining righteous before God.

We have to watch out for those who seek to bewitch us.

Peter failed to watch and was bewitched by the men sent from James.

The Galatians failed to watch and were bewitched by someone Paul did not know.

How do we watch out for those who will try to bewitch us?

We watch out for them by keeping Galatians 2:21 in our hearts and minds.

"I do not set aside the grace of God. If righteousness could be gained through the law (or any works-based system), then Jesus died in vain."

By keeping Galatians 2:21 in your heart and mind, it will be very difficult for anyone to bewitch you.

If this blog was helpful, you may enjoy reading Brad’s Books and Brad’s commentary on Galatians: Return To Grace.