231 – BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED Part IJune 11, 1961
Henry F. Kulp
Galatians 3: 1- 6 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Here we have the doctrinal section of the letter—it begins with this chapter. Paul tells the story of his life, and in so doing has established his apostleship, and now he proceeds to meet the errors that were being taught in the Galatian churches.
1/ First he appeals to the experience of the Galatians, and reinforces his argument by appealing to the experience of Abraham, and Abraham is the one in whom the false teachers glorified, and then he follows this by considering Christ’s work in relationship to the law. This is a three-fold approach to the fallacies of the legalists.
2/ You will notice his opening words in the 3rd chapter are strong and arresting. Just imagine yourself getting a letter and reading a statement like this. O, foolish John Smith or Mary Jones, who did bewitch you? I am sure such a statement would shock and arouse the reader. They would probably re-read it a number of times to make sure they were getting it straight, for that is exactly what Paul says. There is no doubt that Paul was worked up and his intense feeling is shown in this statement.
3/ Now when he says that they are foolish believers he did not mean that the Galatians are stupid people, they were just as keen as others—just as smart as the average person, but they had been hoodwinked by these oily mouthed teachers. No amount of intellectual ability will safe-guard folks from spiritual error. A keen mind is no guarantee against heresy. One needs spiritual discernment, he needs to know his Bible.
4/ You know these Galatians would not be blamed as much as people in our day and age. They were foolish, but how much more foolish are people at this present time. For it is well to keep in mind that the Galatians did not have the apostle’s teaching in print, such as we do. They were dependent upon their memories of what they heard him preach, and of course, with the passing months the impression would be greatly dimmed. Today we have Paul’s teachings right before us so that we can judge by the divine standard—the Word of God. But these people did not have it at this time. So if they were foolish, we are far more foolish than what they are when we fall under the influence of the legalizing teachers of our day.
5/ Then he talks about the experience that the Galatians had, and he asks them five questions.
The first question is: Who hath bewitched you?
Paul was using that which was a popular superstition of that day—the evil eye. In other words, who hath charmed you? Who has put you under a spell? They believed that folks could put people under spells in those days. They could put the evil eye upon them and would be under their spell. Now Paul says, these evil teachers have come in unto you. These evil legalistic teachers and they seemingly have put an evil eye upon you and put you under a spell, and you are bewitched. Did you ever stop to think that people who are under the guise, or under the control of legalistic teachers are bewitched? They are hard folks to reach. The folks who fall under these sects that are legalistic, how hard it is to sway them to get them to see the grace of God. They act like they have been put under an evil eye—under a spell.
6/ There is another thing I want you to see. That it is quite possible for one to be saved, to begin his Christian experience with a clear definite knowledge of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ—to know that he has been saved apart from his works, and then because he fails to follow through or study the Word of God, to fall under the influence of some false teaching, some unscriptural line of teaching. And when you go and try to correct that, they seem to be under a spell. It seems to be almost impossible to deliver them. I have seen this happen, many, many times.
7/ Then Paul asked a second question. It is in verse 2. This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
This is a crucial question, the answer to which would settle the whole matter of the dispute. You know, I believe there is a tinge of irony to this question—this goes right along with the idea of being foolish. Paul is saying look back at your own selves. I want to learn just one thing from you. From what source did you get the Holy Spirit? Was it the source of the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Of course, there is only one answer, the hearing of faith. The majority of folks here were Gentiles, and they paid no attention to law as a source of salvation.
The answer is given to us in Ephesians 1: 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Notice, after ye believed—not the works of the law—ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise. To all who believe in Christ the Holy Spirit comes as a seal, and when you write a letter, you enclose it in the envelope, and what is the next step before you mail it? You seal it, of course. You wet the back piece and close it down. It is sealed because it is finished. The work of salvation is finished, and they knew they had received the Holy Spirit merely by believing, and not by the works of the law.
IT REQUIRED PRACTICALLY NO THINKING ON THE PART OF THE GALATIAN BELIEVERS TO GIVE THIS ANSWER. THEY KNEW IT AS WELL AS PAUL DID.
8/ Just imagine I walk into one of our men’s stores in town and I buy a pair of gloves. Rather an odd season to think about a pair of gloves, but let’s think about them anyway. So I go up to the counter, and I pick out a pair of gloves. I get the right size and they fit, and I say, How much are the gloves? And they set the price of $3.98, so I take the money out of my pocket, and lay it down on the counter and I pick up my gloves. The store keeps my money and I keep the gloves. That is a bargain, a transaction—it is finished. I walk out and I go home and I say to my wife, I bought some gloves today and I want you to mark them for me. So she gets out a little seal and she put my name upon it and she imprints it or sticks it in one corner of each one of the gloves. There it is, Henry Kulp, 2900 Union Ave.
So one day, I wear the gloves, but leave them laying around when I am finished with them. Someone picks up the gloves—he thinks they are his. He is not stealing, but he really thinks they are his gloves. It is a mistake on his part. So I say, Excuse me, those are my gloves, and he will say, No, they are my gloves. I’m sorry, I say, but I think I can prove they are my gloves. You look in each underneath the back part there and you will see my name. And he looks, and sure enough they are my gloves. And he starts to stammer and say, Well, I guess they are your gloves.
I ask you, does the seal in each one of the gloves make the gloves mine? No, my first instinct is to say, of course, it makes them mine, but that is not true. The money I paid that I put down on the store counter made the gloves mine. The seal marks it as my possession, marks them from many other gloves that are in the world just like them.
So the Holy Spirit dwelling in my life does not make me Christ’s. It is a matter of the transaction—I believed on Jesus Christ—I believed and then the Holy Spirit was given to me as a Seal, and he asks these Gentiles, isn’t that so? And of course, they have to say that it is.
9/ Then he asks a third question in verse 3: Are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye made perfect by the flesh?
Paul’s argument is logical, because law-keepers are very illogical. There is a strange inconsistency in the law-keepers. They knew they couldn’t be saved by the law—they knew that only too well, but now that they are saved, they say you have to keep the law in order to keep on being saved. In other words, saved by faith, yes, but kept by faith and the law. So Paul says, if the law couldn’t save you, how could it help keep you? That is just common sense, isn’t it?
I meet many folks like that. They say, we are not saved by the works of the flesh. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, but how can we be eternally saved? We’d go out and sin and then we would lose our salvation. We didn’t gain our salvation by works to begin with, and how can we lose our salvation by our works afterward.
10/ They knew that the flesh is weak and sickly.
Romans 6: 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.They knew that in the flesh dwelleth no good thing.
Romans 7: 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
How foolish then, to think that a sick and ungodly flesh could keep them saved.
11/ Then the fourth question comes up in verse 4 and Paul continues to press the argument upon argument and he is using the ground of experience. Have you suffered so many things in vain?
Apparently the Galatians like many other believers in the early church were made to suffer for their stand in Christ. When they received Paul’s message they were persecuted, they suffered horribly, and now Paul reminds them that they were turning their backs upon the very thing that had cause them persecution. Believing the Gospel as Paul preached it. We know that, Acts 14, there was a great dissension in Galatia because of Paul. They received Paul and believed Paul’s message. And they fought for him and suffered for what he taught.
12/ Then Paul brings his final question in verse 5.
He talks about miracles that had been done—those miracles that had been done, had they been done by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith. We cannot be certain what these miracles were because we are not told. The question was, when the Galatians saw Paul and Barnabas performing miracles, they knew that the power of God was there, and the blessing of God was upon them, and what they were teaching was true, and, of course, the greatest miracle that they had seen in Galatia is found in Acts 14: 19, 20 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Was Paul stoned to death and resurrected from the dead? That didn’t happen by the law, they knew that only full well.
13/ Galatians 5: 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Now Paul turns to the experience of Abraham. Why does Paul go back to Abraham? Why is he brought in at this point? The reason is obvious. The Judaizing teachers looked upon Abraham as their spiritual father.
John 8: 33 - 39 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
The Jews boasted to Jesus Christ, we are Abraham’s seed, our father is Abraham, so Paul says, All right now, what about Abraham? What was his blessing? It was the blessing of righteousness. God reckoned his righteousness. He was right with God and before God.
14/ So when Paul refers to the history of Abraham. How was Abraham saved? How was Abraham kept? For Abraham knew nothing about the law, he lived 400 years before the law was given.
Notice that in Galatians 3: 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
How then was Abraham saved and kept? Here is Paul’s answer—even as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. Notice, Abraham believed God.
15/ We have the same thing in Romans.
Romans 4: 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. In both passages it says Abraham believed God. Notice carefully, it does not say that he believed in God, but rather he believed God. And there is a world of difference between believing in God and believing God. Even the devils believe in God, but a man may believe in God and still be lost, for a man must not only believe in God, he must believe God. To believe God is to accept His Word, to trust His Promise.
16/ Therefore a vital question comes up—What did Abraham believe?
We have the answer given in Genesis 15: 1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Let’s get the background of our story. Abraham had just returned from his great victory over the four kings of the North. He had delivered Lot and his family and the five other kings. But now he becomes afraid, and fears that the kings against whom he fought will come back for revenge later on. Moreover, he refused to take the spoil, and this, too, may have troubled him. It is then that the Lord comes to encourage him and says, Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield—don’t be afraid Abraham, for I will be your protector—then the Lord adds, And I will be your exceeding great reward.
God seems to say, you have refused the wealth and spoils of the king of Sodom, but I, myself, will be your great reward. So this promise of God, Abraham makes a strange statement—why should I believe in God, because a promise God had previously made to him had not been fulfilled. God had promised him a son through Sarah, his wife. The years had slipped by, and it was now thirty years since God had promised his son whom Abraham desired so much. Abraham reminds God of this and says, Genesis 15: 2, 3 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
In other words, Abraham complains bitterly that the promise of the seed has not been kept, but the Lord immediately reassures him in Genesis 15: 4 - 6 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
What did God asked Abraham to believe? He asked him to believe what He had said concerning the promised son. But more than that, God asked him to believe in a long-promised son, a long delayed son when it was humanly impossible.
Genesis 18: 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well-stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
They were decrepit, they were well up in age—they couldn’t have a son physically, it was impossible—yet God asked him to believe that he will have a son by Sarah, his wife. It would have to be a miraculous, supernatural birth for him to have a son by Sarah, his wife.
17/ Hebrews 11: 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
This is an astounding portion of Scripture and is about Sarah. It says Sarah, herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of the child when she was past age. Why? Because she judged him faithful who had promised. Notice, she believed what God had said about the son, even though it was physically impossible. The human mind could not conceive it. Remember, she had not seen any other woman in her condition bring forth a child, but yet she believed that which was impossible to her mind.
18/ What was true of Sarah was true of Abraham also he was past the years of fertility and he couldn’t produce a child in the regular course of nature.
Notice, the Scripture, Romans 4: 18 - 22 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Here it says, Abraham, who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations. Then, it says, He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. He staggered not at the promise concerning the son that he was to have—this supernatural son. And then, being fully persuaded that what He had promised, he was able to perform, and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. How did Abraham become righteous? He believed what God had said about this son that was coming, and the birth of Isaac was as great a miracle as the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom he is a type.
19/ And what happened? He was counted righteous, he was saved. What was true of Abraham and is true today. Salvation, justification, and righteousness comes by believing in God’s Word concerning His Son. His Son was miraculously conceived, and so we are saved by believing what God says about His Son—just as Abraham was, and this was a real slap in the face to these legalizing teachers who had been in the Province of Galatia.
20/ I John 5: 9, 10 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
Here he says, If we receive the witness of man, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God, which He has testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son hath this witness in Himself, and so forth—so it is clearly stated—to be counted righteous, to be save, to be kept, we have to do what Abraham did—believe in the Son and trust the Son, and we will find it is well with our souls.
It is not by law, but by believing the promise of God concerning his Son.
AMEN
Ref: 06/11/1961 / BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED - PART I / 03/31/2021
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