Connect360: Bewitched
- Lesson 5 in the Connect360 unit “A Cry for Freedom: Grace That Is Still Amazing” focuses on Galatians 3:1-14.
There was no doubt by those who knew Paul—both before and after his conversion—that had a fiery temper. Jesus neither canceled nor diluted Paul’s temper. Instead, Christ transformed it into a fierce passion for the gospel. Never again would Scripture describe Paul’s temper as directed at someone for selfish reasons. Now he was enraged at the backtracking of the Gentile believers from grace to legalism.
Paul knew what this saving grace had cost Jesus Christ. He also knew legalism is always divisive, and as such would cause divisions in the churches. The very idea the Gentiles to whom this grace was freely offered would revert to living by the Law must have both puzzled and infuriated him at the same time.
Paul marveled they could be bewitched by the false apostles after he had so plainly and notably laid Christ before them, as if they had seen him with their very eyes. Paul knew this to be true, as he was the one who led them to Christ and founded these Galatian churches. Galatia was a region, not a single church, and comprised of several churches Paul founded on his first missionary journey. We can understand Paul’s passionate frustration and amazement.
“Foolish” did not mean ignorant in this case; it meant unwise. Having once depended on Jesus Christ amid suffering, it was indeed foolish to revert to legalistic living. We are not told what the Galatians had suffered in the name of Jesus, but Paul inferred they had done so.
The atmosphere in the first century certainly was not conducive to peace for followers of Christ. The Romans hated the Jews, and the Jews hated their own who had converted to Christianity. Paul himself had suffered severely at the hands of both Romans and Jews.
Paul knew from experience he could not depend on the flesh, or the Law, to sustain him in the time of suffering. He also knew suffering was inevitable in this life. When he asked God to relieve him of a certain “thorn in the flesh,” God replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Paul was asking the Galatians: “Is his grace no longer sufficient for you? Is the cross not enough?” If they resisted God’s grace, they would have no power to overcome any suffering. The Law was impotent. There was no power, only self-congratulations in it.
There was even more at stake by failing to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. They began their Christian journey through the Spirit. Did they think Christ died only to bring them into his kingdom, then let them fend for themselves afterwards? Such behavior and belief would indicate the Law was greater than the Spirit since it would complete what Christ could only begin. To this end, not only would any suffering be in vain, but their witness would be worthless.
To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.