"Tell them that it's human nature" A Study of Galatians" (Day 3 Question 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?"  Galatians 3:2

Before we get started, I'd like to issue a public apology.  The Bible handed us a wonderful word yesterday-the only time it's used in the New Testament, maybe the whole Bible- and I failed to even mention it.  In my defense, I chose to quote the ESV;  however I'm doing my study out of the CSB and it uses "bewitched" in the place of "cast a spell".   It may even have a deeper meaning of "who has given you the evil eye?"  Oh, the fun we would have had adding that word to our vocabulary every chance we got!  Missed opportunity. 😉😉😉

Moving on, today we come to the second question.  I was listening to a podcast today (I'm a podcast addict.  I almost always have one playing in the background.)  The speaker was discussing current events, but he made a point relevant to our point in this study.  "Questions are always better than assertions.  If you make an assertion, it will instantly be challenged.  But framing your point as a question makes them process information."  So, if Paul would've said "You didn't receive the Spirit by the works of the law, you received the Spirit by believing what you heard!", the Galatians might have gotten defensive and said "You don't know me, you can't judge me." But by asking it as a question, it has to be processed by the audience.  Paul is being a great accountability partner to this church he loves.  He's leading them to think for themselves, making them decide the answer to these questions.  If we go back to Galatians 1:6, we find Paul answered this question before he asked.  "I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel..."The answer is they originally believed what they heard.  There are at least 6 words in this section that associate with hearing--called, preached, heard, revelation, reveal, proclaim.  The justification by faith comes by hearing the word of God, not by doing anything.  "Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ." Romans 10:17

These unnamed bewitchers are trying to convince the Galatian church that there is something they should be doing to be saved.  Paul rebuts that idea by expounding on the law's purpose.  The Galatian church was possibly made up of both Jews and Gentiles.  The Jews might have been confused when Paul says they are all Abraham's sons.  But Paul isn't talking about a DNA family, he's talking about a faith family.  When Paul quotes Deuteronomy 27:26 in Galatians 3:10, his Jewish audience likely recognized it.  The Jewish people have long tried to "live up" to the standard of the law.  Jesus often contended with the Pharisees over this very struggle. The law came 430 YEARS after God made a covenant with Abraham, promising him an offspring.  The promise was already there, so why was the law added?  

The law was added as a guardian, to provide a guideline for moral living.  To give us a template for living safely, cleanly, in the communities that would be built. It was meant to reign in our human nature, hitting every aspect of the "Life Wheel" we learned about in day 1 of this study--Self, behavioral, social, physical, emotional, mental, spiritual health.   But it was never meant to save!!  It wouldn't take long for any of us to realize we couldn't meet every letter of the law, every single day. We were never meant to earn righteousness through the law and that's good news.   Our lack should prompt us to long for the One who could.   The Promised Offspring--Jesus!--was the only One who could fulfill the law.  He did that and then offered rescue, redemption to the slaves , held under the law, and make them sons.  

The law is no longer over us as a reminder of what we can't accomplish to be saved.  It no longer tempts us to "do" to be righteous. Actually, as gentiles, it never did.  That's the beauty of the faith family of Abraham.  The Jewish people are related by literal DNA.  But those who come to Christ, Jew and Gentile, can claim this promise-- "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.." Galatian 3:13   The law is no longer over us, but it is under us.  It's the path in front of us, the path of Jesus.  He calls us to learn of Him, breathe in His gospel, take it to heart.  And because of the Good News of Christ, THEN comes the doing.  Taking His Word to others.  Loving them as He does.  Seeing the world as "orphans", the fatherless; and "widows", the husbandless; and introducing them to their Heavenly Father and Bridegroom.  "Indeed, your husband is your Maker--His name is the LORD of Armies--amd the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of the whole earth."  Isaiah 54:5  Not to BE saved, but because you ARE saved.  To Him be the glory forever and ever.  Amen.