Bewitched

Sermon Introduction

Paul told the story of the incident in Antioch, where he corrected Peter for not standing up for the gospel truth. Peter distanced himself from the Gentile believers when certain men from Jerusalem arrived. His hypocrisy influenced other Jewish believers, including Barnabas. Paul would then explain that justification is through faith and not through the works of the law. After which, Paul would once again express his disappointment by calling the Galatians foolish and asking a series of rhetorical questions.

Dr. Ed Pilapil Jr.
Senior Pastor

Galatians 3:1-6 ESV

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 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— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Notes

Paul told the story of the incident in Antioch, where he corrected Peter for not standing up for the gospel truth. Peter distanced himself from the Gentile believers when certain men from Jerusalem arrived. His hypocrisy influenced other Jewish believers, including Barnabas. Paul would then explain that justification is through faith and not through the works of the law. After which, Paul would once again express his disappointment by calling the Galatians foolish and asking a series of rhetorical questions.

1. Who bewitched you?
   Paul called the Galatians foolish for entertaining a distorted gospel. Who has bewitched you? In other words, who deceived you or put a spell on you? They heard the message that Christ was crucified (3:1).
   1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
   

2. Spirit vs. Flesh
   Paul asked a series of rhetorical questions. Of course, the Holy Spirit came through faith and not the law. Once again, he called them foolish and asked if they were moving from the Spirit to the flesh, characterized by the law (3:2-3).
   2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected bythe flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 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—
   

3. Faith and Righteousness
   Paul would bring Abraham into the discussion. Abraham is the patriarch of the nation. Abraham believed in God and His promises, and it was counted to him as righteousness (3:6).
   6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Application

1. Never be deceived
   False teaching is present in every generation. Major or minor gospel distortions may happen at any moment. Let us not allow anyone to deceive us by knowing the gospel as revealed in Scripture.

2. Faith in Christ
   The Holy Spirit and genuine faith cannot be separated. Where there is genuine faith, the Holy Spirit is there to regenerate and save. Let us not expect the Holy Spirit to regenerate without genuine faith.

3. Proclaim faith and righteousness
   Paul mentioned that Abraham believed, and it was counted as righteousness. Thus, we should believe and proclaim that righteousness comes through faith in Christ and what he did, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures.

Reflection & Discussion

1. Why did Paul say that the Galatians were bewitched? Why did Paul call them foolish?

2. What was Paul’s emphasis on the rhetorical questions?

3. How may we avoid being bewitched or deceived?