Crushing the Evil Eye
Galatians Chapter 3

General Review:
Paul's letter - Galatians being deceived by Judaizers to include law and circumcision for salvation

Chapter Three - Letter to the Galatians

Paul asks them a strong question:

I. Who Has Bewitched You?

Ga 3:1 ¶ O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

- Paul uses the Greek word Baskeeno, translated bewitched.
-  Only used once in the Bible
-  A word not only connected with witchcraft but a superstition called the
   evil eye.
-  Even today in the Arab world the evil eye is feared.

Arabia Online: The evil eye is centered on the belief that jealousy, envy, or praise can inflict misfortune. That piercing stare. Sharp glare. Venomous glance. Beware to those on whom befall the evil eye. For centuries, the evil eye has been blamed as the cause behind everything from withering crops, to headaches, impotency, disease, and even death.

This would be well understood by the Galatians

Paul was saying
Even though Jesus has been clearly revealed, it is as if someone has put a spell on you.  Blinded you to the truth.

We all know people who were walking with God - then blinded to truth - turning away.

II. Paul Presents a Four Point Argument in chapter 3.

Paul's 1st point - Is the reality of the Holy Spirit by law or faith?

Socratic method (around 400 BC): Questions to guide 

In Chapter 3 Paul asks the Galatians a series of questions

Ga 3:2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Paul's two questions in verses 2 & 3:

Questions One:
How did you receive the Holy Spirit, law or faith?

- Tells me:

1. They did receive the Holy Spirit, so they were truly born again Christians
2. It was an obvious experience.
3. They knew it when God came to live inside them.

Questions Two in verses 2&3:
Are you being perfected/completed by law or the Holy Spirit.

NIV - are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (WEAK TRANSLATION)

NKJ
Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

The great goal is God conforming us to the image of Christ

ARE YOU TRYING TO BECOME LIKE JESUS BY EFFORT OR THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INSIDE OF YOU?

Heb 7:19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (NIV)

2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
(NKJV)

1. As we set our hearts on Jesus
2. We are being changed into His image
3. This happens by the work of the Holy Spirit

Paul's 2nd point - Are the miracles you've seen by law or faith?

Ga 3:5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? (By Faith)

Obvious answer is miracle don't come through the law.

But Paul's question tells me this:

1. The Galatians were experiencing miracles.
2. That miracles were a normal part of the Christian walk.
3. Miracles didn't come from earning worthiness by keeping the law.

GOD DOES NOT GRANT MIRACLES BASED UPON OUR WORTHINESS!

HE DOES, BASED UPON OUR BELIEVING WHAT GOD SAID!

Paul's 3rd point -  Does righteousness come by law or faith

Paul's knock out blow to the Judaizers claim of tradition and heritage of Law and circumcision

Ga 3:6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."  7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.  8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."  9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.  10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."  11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."  12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."  13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."  14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

A. Judaizers argument -  the Law has been with us as a mode of following God for 1600 years.

We don't need your new fangled beliefs messing up our long established truth.

B. Paul says - remember your history
-  The law was given 1600 years ago     
-  430 years before that God made a covenant with Abraham - BASED ON FAITH!

Ga 3:17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.  18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Paul's argument: FAITH WAS FIRST!

Ga 3:6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

The law was a tutor to bring us to faith Gal 3:24

Paul's 4th point:  Which gives equality, law or faith?

A. Judaizers wanted them to come back under law.
B. But because they were gentiles, they would always be thought of as 2nd class.

C.  But in Jesus, everybody is first class.

Ga 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,  27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (NIV)

Here is what Paul knew:

1. Jews were always going to think of Gentiles as inferior (Even the early Apostles were amazed that God would even save the Gentiles   Acts 10:45 )
2. Gentiles who became Jews were not called Jews, they were called God fearers. (Acts 13:26)

1. The court of the Gentiles in the Jewish Temple illustrated the Gentile position in Judaism - inferior

Men - women - gentiles

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

EVEYBODY HAS A SEAT IN THE FRONT ROW!

III. Application of chapter 3 of Galatians by asking ourselves questions

-  Is the Holy Spirit alive in us?
- What miracles are we seeing?
-  Are we trying to be accepted by works?

Are we confident in our equal standing before God?

Or do we lack faith because our eyes our on ourselves rather than Jesus?

(No respecter of persons - only difference is what can you believe?
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Are we guarding our hearts from Satan's evil eye?

Enemy will use:
- people - To influence towards evil -that's why God says don't have anything to do with some people - false teachers and sexual immoral.

1Co 5:11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

2Jo 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.  11 Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.

- music
- what you watch
- what you read
-  How can a man keep his way pure
- I will set no evil thing before my eyes

Ro 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. (NIV)

That victory doesn't come by works of the law

It comes by faith in the Son of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.