Last time we asked the question “Why did Jesus die for you?”. Paul has been dealing with people who don’t believe that you are saved by grace alone. These people wanted the church members to observe certain Jewish rituals, but Paul said this was wrong. We are saved by grace and not our own works.

So let’s read today’s passage

Galatians 3:1

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?

Paul continues his argument that we are saved by grace and now addresses the Galatians personal experience with Jesus.

He starts off by calling them foolish. Seems very harsh. Today if a preacher started his sermon like that, most people wouldn’t come back. Paul is concerned for these people and thus speaks the truth even if it may hurt.

The word foolish means that this person is able to think but fails to see things clearly. Paul had given these people truth, knowledge and wisdom about the Lord but they failed to use what Paul had given them.

The truth is we do the same. We read our Bibles, we study God’s word, we listen to teachers and preachers. We receive truth, we gain knowledge, but we fail to use what God has given us. We fail to apply it in our lives. We fail to take what God has given us and put it to good use. We squander the precious gifts God has bestowed on us.

Sometimes we allow others to twist what God has given us. Paul asks the question to the Galatians, “Who has bewitched you?”. This word bewitched means to give the evil eye or be charmed like charming a snake. Do you remember the Jungle Book story? When Kaa the snake charms others into a trance so they are confused or dazed? That is the idea behind this question. Who came into the church after Paul left and was able to daze and confuse you? How were you so easily beguiled? How could you hear the truth that I delivered to you and then so easily follow a lie?

Many times, we buy into what someone says without thinking it thru.

· Theology

· Advice

· Philosophy

A baby will put anything into its mouth. As you mature as a Christian hopefully you aren’t doing that. Paul said things were evidently set forth or clearly portrayed before you. Paul preached Christ crucified to them. He pointed the way to Jesus. He made the gospel clear to the Galatians as if they were at the actual crucifixion of Jesus.

Our family made many trips to Disney world. On the way to Disney, as you get closer, you will see billboard after billboard inviting you to the parks. You can’t miss the message. It is clearly presented before you.

Paul is contrasting the bewitched and evil eye idea vs being able to see Jesus and what he did for you clearly. You saw Christ crucified clearly, yet you took your eyes off of what was clear and allowed others to distract you and believe a lie.

If people can’t see clearly what Jesus has done for them, then it will be easy to deceive them.

We might ask the same thing Paul asked about these people. How could they hear the truth from Paul and so quickly turn from it?

Well I think we should ask ourselves the same question. How can we read God’s word, study it and listen to good solid preaching and teaching but then so quickly turn from it or believe something that is not Biblical? We let people into our lives who beguile us. We listen to unsound doctrine because it sounds good to us. We twist God’s word so that it is more appealing to us. We let the world tell us that God’s word is just a lie, and then we act as if God’s word isn’t true and real in our lives.

Who has bewitched us?

Can you clearly see what Jesus has done for you?