What a question, the one with which I have entitled today’s Bible Study Lesson!

Isn’t the truth something to be obeyed?

As in John 8:24, Jesus talking to a group of lost Jews: “For if ye BELIEVE NOT that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.” If they do not “believe” that Jesus is the Son of God, an absolute Truth for sure … they will die lost, die and go to an eternal Hell! (TRUTH TO BE BELIEVED!)

But Paul, in Galatians 3:1 implies (no, outright states, preaches) that the truth is also something to be obeyed!

Here it is: “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not OBEY THE TRUTH?” (TRUTH TO BE APPLIED, OBEYED!)

So, there must be a Scriptural “linkage” between “believing” and “doing!” 

In fact, one can graph (outline) most any one of Paul’s Epistles that way. In the first half he tells us what to believe about the things of God. In the second half he tells us how to behave (obey) in reference to those things. How to react to them!

To Paul … belief must be balanced by behavior!

To Paul … doctrine must be balanced by duty!

“Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?” 

Here the Greek verb “obey” is “peitho,” and it’s translated as such (“obey”) 7 times in the New Testament. What does it mean, “to trust” 8 times. Then “to be confident” 2 times! But 22 times it is translated (in the King James Version) “to persuade!”

It means to believe so deeply, to accept as true, that one is PERSUADED of a given fact! Assured of it in his or her mind!

And comprehension (acceptance) that DEEP always leads to a resultant change in behavior!

If you really believe something … you will act like you believe it!

Enough said!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Does your LIFE match your stated BELIEF?

Does your WALK match your TALK?

Wow!

“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22, the inspired Word of God!

 

Galatians chapter 3 begins with a question. “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you,” asks the Apostle Paul, using strange language! (Galatians 3:1)

As if someone had cast an evil “spell” on this group of young Christians, had misled them badly!

The vocative “Galatians” merely identifies the “victims” of this scheme. “Gauls” one might nearly say. Gentile inhabitants of a region of the Roman Empire, an entire Province likely! Including the Cities of Lystra and Derbe and Iconium, apparently. See Acts chapter 14 for a description of Evangelist Paul’s original visit to these places. Groups of new Believers in Jesus, they were.

But an adjective is here placed by their name! “Foolish,” spelled “anoetos” in Greek, actually means “no longer thinking!” Once in our King James Bible it is translated “unwise!” 

These Galatians have allowed false teachers to come into their Churches! And lead them astray! Telling them Paul was wrong in “his” way of salvation. That a man must obey the Law of Moses in order to be really saved! (That Jesus alone, His Death on Calvary, is not sufficient!) Indeed, “foolish!”

“Who” are these infiltrators?

We think they are emissaries from Jerusalem, from “James” the leader there, from his “camp.” Galatians 2:12 nearly says so! “For before that certain (men) came from James, he (Peter) did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.” Wow!

But now … let’s notice today’s “main” verb,” translated “bewitched” in the King James Version. The Greek has it “baskaino,” a term used only here in all the Bible, all the New Testament since we’re looking at a Greek word.

My lexicon defines it like this: “to speak ill of one, to slander, traduce him.” That’s certainly what this wicked crowd has done to Paul, belittling him in front of these Galatian (new) converts! Virtually calling Paul a liar!

Isn’t it strange that in order to uplift oneself (that act itself being a bad idea), the devil often temps us to put down (condemn) others?

“Baskaino” also means “to bring evil on one by feigning praise!” Utter flattery, lying to a person for personal gain, by heaping compliment after compliment upon him or her! Falsely doing so, not meaning a word of what’s being said! Buttering them up!

Thus, “to charm” a person!

The verb is an aorist in Greek, the action already being completed! The damage done! Can the Galatians be reclaimed? Paul is wondering that himself.

Well, there’s proof this morning!

If these men and women were truly saved in the first place … and Paul sure thought they were … a genuine believer in Christ Jesus CAN BE DECEIVED! Can be LED ASTRAY! Can be flattered into heresy! 

Oh, let’s be careful!

Do not listen to men!

Let’s God’s Word be your final Authority!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

One line again today, Galatians 2:21b … “For if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

What?

“THEN CHRIST IS DEAD IN VAIN?”

Did Paul really think that?

In other words: “If a man can get ‘saved’ by the Law of Moses … then the Death Jesus would not have been a necessity!” 

“For IF righteousness come by the law” … then there are two ways to Heaven! Jesus’ Shed Blood … and perfect obedience to the Law of the Old Testament!

Then, reasons Paul, WHY did our Lord have to suffer like He did?

The verb “vain” (in Greek “dorean”) as used in today’s Text merely means “without a cause!” 

Here’s “dorean” used that way: “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me WITHOUT A CAUSE.” Jesus in John 15:25.

Jesus died “without cause?”

“Dorean” also means “for nought,” for nothing!

Here is the one time our King James Bible utilizes the word that way: “Neither did we (Paul and his ‘team’) eat any man’s bread FOR NOUGHT; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:8

Jesus died “for nought?”

NO WAY!

Jesus’ LOVE GIFT of Himself on Calvary’s Cross … His “attempt” to save us lost sinners … then would have been superfluous! Had the Law of Moses been capable of saving those same lost sinners!

That’s how Paul is thinking here!

But wait a minute!

Jesus once said, preached: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Peter later basically echoed these words: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (than JESUS) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12, very clear!

And Paul, elsewhere? “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:28, by faith in Jesus!

Enough has already been said.

THE LAW CAN NOT BRING RIGHTEOUSNESS INTO A HUMAN HEART.

IT CANNOT PUT A MAN INTO GOD’S FAMILY!

NEITHER CAN THE LAW KEEP A SINNER OUT OF HELL!

Only Jesus can do such a Thing as redeem a lost soul!

Glory to His Name!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Today’s Galatians Text is short, but revealing!

Paul affirms: “I do not frustrate the grace of God.”(Galatians 2:21, really Galatians 2:21a)

And by “grace” here (in Greek “charis”) he means God’s “free gift” of salvation. Salvation bestowed “without human works.”

Salvation apart from obeying the Law of Moses, as a requirement!

The verb “frustrate” translates “atheteo” in  Greek, with the “a” being an “alpha privative.” That simply means it negates the meaning of the its stem! And the stem is a derivative of “tithemi,” meaning “to set, put, place” or “to make, appoint,” or even “to establish, ordain” something! (So many definitions and translations … a condition called a “wide semantic domain.”)

Here Paul is averring that (maybe even avowing) he WILL NOT MISPLACE the Grace of God!

He will not SET IT ASIDE!

He will not NULLIFY God’s Grace!

In a way, he will not IGNORE it!

Paul will always be a “Grace” Preacher!

So should we all.

Ephesians 2:8-9 … from the pen of this same Paul … via the Holy Spirit of God … “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Paul too here … “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10, still pure Grace, faith believing!

Wow!

Without Paul, these “Moses-helps-save,” these “Law-insisting” infiltrators in the Galatian Churches might have well won the day! Turned the hearts of Paul’s converts there back to “human works” instead of the “Blood of Jesus!”

Well done … faithful warrior! Paul really did “fight a good fight!”

So must we!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The capstone of Galatians 2:20 is every bit as beautiful as any other of that Verse’s thrilling revelations! It’s like the “icing on the cake!”

Let me show you. Paul writes, testifies: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” 

Look at that last (compound) clause, please.

“THE SON OF GOD … WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.”

Wow!

Needless to say, on this Website … the identity of the Son of God is None Other than Lord Jesus Christ!

But Paul here shares two facts about Jesus that are noteworthy.

Jesus loved Paul!

He loves you, by the way!

And yes, He loves me!

In fact, He loves the whole world!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The verb for “love” used in today’s Text is “agapao,” which indicates the deepest, most enduring, most unselfish love in existence! It’s God’s Love, really! (As in Jeremiah 31:3, except we’re in Hebrew now … “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”)

But … how much did the Son of God love Paul, love you, and love me?

“THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.”

Look!

He “gave Himself” for me!

That much love!

On the Cross at Calvary!

“Paradidomai eautou” … the Greek words so translated “gave Himself!”

“Didomai” means “I give.” And with the accompanying (fused) preposition “para” its meaning is intensified! Literally here, Jesus gave Himself “alongside” (“para”) Another! That in one sense would be God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, I think. Yes, Calvary was a Trinitarian Event!

The pronoun “himself” further makes Paul’s statement emphatic!

Jesus in John 10:17 … “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life.” This is doctrinally significant! Jesus willingly died for you and me!

Now, there’s even more …

“… the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself FOR me.” 

Yes, let’s look yet again … Jesus died “for” me, claims Paul!

“Huper” means “in behalf of!” Or even “for the sake of!”

Twice in the King James Bible … “in (one’s) stead!”

Jesus took my place on Calvary!

This is a “substitutionary” Death!

A “vicarious” Death! (In Latin “vicarious” literally means “substitute,” really!)

In Catholicism, the Pope is said (wrongly) to be the very “Vicar” of Christ! They really believe that man is the substitute for Jesus on this earth!

No!

But Jesus did died “for” you and me!” 

Two great facts indeed.

“THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.”

Praise His Name!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell