“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?”
– Galatians 3:1 –
Chapter 3 of Galatians is biblical theology, pure and deep. Five themes stand out:
- Paul is impressed with the foolishness of the Galatians in renouncing the gospel of grace and relying on the pseudo-gospel of salvation by works. We must flee at all costs from a religion based on merits for salvation (vv. 2-5).
- Paul had been the bearer of the clear and solid message and teaching of the crucified Christ (v. 1). However, even so, the Galatians were turning away from those teachings. This shows that it is not enough to know and even have a deep content; it is necessary to submit our lives to Christ.
- Salvation is a grace that is imputed to us. The faith shown by Abraham was credited to his account in heaven, taking away his debt, and God considered him righteous. Works had no relationship with having attained that favorable credit in the books of heaven. God simply offered him salvation, and he accepted it by faith, trusting in the fulfillment of God’s promise. His own efforts could never have bought that bessed state (vv. 6-18).
- There are no favors with Christ. In the kingdom of Christ, all are covered by the same garments of Christ’s righteousness, received by faith in Jesus Christ: men and women, Jews and non-Jews. It is enough to accept it and live by faith (vv. 25-28).
- Whoever is in Christ is heir to the promises attained by Him through His death (v. 29). Living in Christ means living in the light of his teachings and understanding and reproducing in our lives, by faith, what He left us in His Word. However, what we live or the way we live has no saving merrit, for what saves us exclusively the grace of God.
The Galatians were bewitched. Paul wondered who bewitched them so that they left the truth and believed that we could be saved by merrits or works. People are bewitched by captivating looks. Serpents bewitch their prey, exercising terrorizing control. Some people are bewitched by the brightness or value of precious stones or a diamond. There are those who are bewitched by people and allow themselves to be attracted irresistibly. It can be for evil or for good.
Do not allow yourself to be bewitched by the old snake
who is ready to deceive and destroy.
Do not allow yourself to be bewitched
by the temporary sparkle of non-existent gospels.
Instead, let yourself be bewitched irresistibly by Jesus
and His grace, so that He may save you from all sin,
and you may offer Him your life in gratitude and commitment.
Be sober, be vigilant, be blessed…