“Ο 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?” Every word of scripture is important. “Who hath bewitched you?” How little they had been aware that those false brethren who had turned their eyes from Jesus Christ crucified, to something else, were under the power of witchcraft. That is, that they were the ministers of Satan, under the power and guidance of a false, evil spirit. To Paul it was either this witchcraft or the Spirit of God.
Is it not the same thing at this day? If we test every religious movement around, it will be found to be either witchcraft, that is, the power and leading of an evil spirit—a demon; or the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Is not everything around of Satan, or of God? Whatever takes the eye from Jesus crucified for us, however highly esteemed among men, is the work of a demon. How much then is there that is the direct work of Satan in Christendom! What infidelity and what superstition!
If then the believing Jews had given up the law as a means of justification, or righteousness, and found all in a dead and risen Christ, was it not utterly senseless for the Galatian Christians, who never had been under the law, to allow demons to use men, to take away Christ crucified from them?
In applying this, however, to the present day, we must remember, that the great mass of professing Christians are under much of the direct influence of these evil spirits, through false teaching. If men knew it, they would shrink in alarm from many who profess to be ministers of Christ. Is not the law put in the place of Christ for righteousness, instead of souls rejoicing in eternal redemption? Is not the law portrayed before their eyes, and they kept in continued bondage, crying for mercy? “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you?”
“This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Thus could Paul speak to them. But can he thus speak to you? Professing Christians, have ye received the Spirit? If so, why those continued repetitions that ye may receive the Holy Ghost? Now as the ministration of the Spirit, the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, is the power for a holy walk—that by which a holy walk can be, in contrast with the ministration of the law by which a holy life and walk cannot be—it will be seen that this point is of the very greatest importance. Christ crucified had been set before the Galatians. They had by faith in that sacrifice received the Holy Ghost; whilst all persons now who have the law set before them, are invariably uncertain as to having received the Spirit at all. The vast numbers who even say they have received the Spirit when baptized, yet declare their uncertainty as to this by continuing to utter prayers that they may do so. We therefore solemnly ask, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? If you have, assuredly you cannot say it was by ordinances, or works of law; but as the apostle says, “by the hearing of faith.”
We now go a step farther to such as have received the Spirit by the hearing of faith: “Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Have ye found complete ruin in sin, and nothing but condemnation in law, and now complete righteousness in the accomplished crucifixion of Jesus Christ? And by faith in Him have ye received the Spirit, and thus infinite power for a holy walk? What! will ye be so foolish as to turn back from Christ, and the Spirit, and be made perfect by the law—that by which those under it could never attain to righteousness? But is not this the folly of the mass around? If it is not your case, reader, it is a marvel of mercy. It was this eternal redemption, through the cross of Christ that was then and is now the offense. Give that up, and go back to ordinances or the law, to perfect that which is begun, and immediately the effect of the cross ceases. For this they had suffered much. The witness of the Spirit, too, both in ministry and miracles, was not by works of law, but by the hearing of faith.
Now be it observed that it is God who is thus speaking to us, by the apostle. We are assured the Galatians had not received the Spirit by sacramental ordinances, or by works of law, but by the hearing of faith. He appeals to this as a fact.
He now goes back long before the law or any ordinances were given, and appeals to the way God justified Abraham. “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” And this was the very principle in which God promised, and purposed to justify the heathen. “And the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”
Most assuredly Abraham was not justified by the ordinance of circumcision, for it was given afterward as a seal of the righteousness he had, being uncircumcised. (Rom. 4:1111And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: (Romans 4:11).) Neither could it be by works of law, for the law was not then given. No, he believed God, and righteousness was reckoned unto him. If we believe God, that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification—righteousness is reckoned unto us. We are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”
Does it not follow then that the great numbers in this day who are not of faith, but seeking righteousness by ordinances, and works of law, are not blessed? are not saved? Think of the great preachers who are rejecting justification by faith in God, and putting ordinances, sacraments, ritual, works of law, in the place of Christ, for righteousness. What is the answer of the word of God as to such, and all they deceive? Is the blessing of justification limited to those who believe God as Abraham did? Yes. “For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse;” and the proof is self-evident: “for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the law to do them.” To be on that principle, “of the works of the law” is of necessity to be under the curse; for we are guilty. Now God has intervened in the gift of His Son, and presented Him as the object of faith; to go back to ordinances, and law, is thoroughly to disbelieve God, and seek to stand on a ground before Him, on which it is impossible to be justified, and have peace with God.
Now all this must be important even for a holy walk, or it would not be so fully opened up and explained to us. Yes, God by the Spirit explains to us, “That no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for The just shall live by faith.” Νοw we have seen that Christ crucified is the object of faith. Men would put the law as the object of faith; would hang it up before your eyes as such, “And the law is not of faith: but the man that doeth them shall live in them.” The law knows nothing of believing, but doing. Its demands are most just, but man is a guilty sinner, and therefore it can only curse him. Could there be a greater proof than this? “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Would you pay a thousand pounds for a poor Turkish slave in order immediately after to put him into that bondage again? Think then of the price of the redemption of the Jews, who had been under the curse of the law. Could that redemption possibly be in order to put either them back again under law, or to put us Gentiles there who had never been under its curse, though under sin and condemnation? No. That blessed eternal redemption was that we might be made partakers of the blessing of Abraham, “That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Nothing can be more clear than that the Spirit, who is the power of a holy walk, was not received by the works of law, but by the hearing of faith.
This leads us to the all-important distinction between promise and law. “Now to Abraham and to his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” It was God Himself that first promised unconditionally to Abraham, “I will bless thee.... and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” It was God Himself who confirmed this absolute promise when Isaac had been received in figure from the dead. “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord,... that in blessing I will bless thee.... And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” (Gal. 3:1616Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Galatians 3:16)) Not only did the receiving of Isaac from the dead point to Christ raised from the dead, but we have the inspired words, “And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Since then it is the promise and oath of God, nothing can possibly disannul it or set it aside. Has God spoken and shall He not make it good? Nay, we shall soon see that God has made the promise good and steadfast to all who believe.
It is clear then that the law which was given 430 years after the promise, “cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” The inheritance cannot be of both; if it be of law, then it is no more of promise: “but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Mark, beloved reader, your salvation cannot be partly by the promise of God. confirmed in Christ, and partly by your own works of law. It must be by faith, or works; it cannot be by both. You might ask then why was it given, “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added, because of [or, for the sake of] transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made.” The whole question of sin and righteousness must be fully brought out. There was sin and death before; but the true character of God’s righteous claims and man’s sin, manifested in all its rebellion against God, must be manifested as transgression. This was the actual effect of the law. Righteousness was required, but never found in man until the Seed came. So that your salvation must be absolutely of grace, free unmerited favor, “that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” What a gospel this is, so suited to lost and ruined man. Now think of that promise of God; think how it has been confirmed in Christ Jesus; and if you are a believer it is given to you: yes, to all who believe. Oh, beware of evil spirits and ministers of Satan, that would rob you of this precious gospel of Christ. The law had brought out sin in open transgression; all are now concluded under sin, that they should be condemned forever? No, that the very steadfast promise of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to them that believe.