Bewicthed, Bothered, And Bewildered By False Doctrine Series

Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered by False Doctrine.

Gal 3:1-5

1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

{2} This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

{3} Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

{4} Did you suffer so many things in vain-- if indeed it was in vain?

{5} Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

INTRODUCTION

What tool do you think the Devil uses as his number one tool. Let me state it another way. If you were the devil what tool would you use the most?

I believe false doctrine that under mine the Word of God is the Devils most valuable tool. If he can mess up your doctrine he will. If he can get you hooked with false doctrine he is very pleased.

The devil wants you to be:

1. Bewitched, . . by False Doctrine. v 1

2. Bothered, . . by False Doctrine.

3. Bewildered, . . by False Doctrine.

1. Bewitched, . . by False Doctrine. v 1

1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

A. Unwisely Bewitched. v 1 a

1 You foolish Galatians,. . ."

1. FOOLISH 453 anoetos (an-o’-ay-tos); from 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of 3539;

3539 noeo (no-eh’-o) or noieo (noy-eh’-o); from 3563; to exercise the mind (observe),

Different word for foolish 3471 moraino (mo-rah’-ee-no);from 3474; to become insipid; simpleton:

3474 moros (mo-ros’) dull or stupid (as if shut up), i.e. heedless,

Matt 5:13 13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty {again}? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. (NAS)

2. Bewitched

"... who has bewitched you,. . . "

940 baskaino (bas-kah’-ee-no);

akin to 5335; to malign, i.e. (by extension) to fascinate (by false representations):

B. Inexcusably Bewitched. v 1 b

". . . before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? "

Gal 3:1 (living)

1 Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has hypnotized you and cast an evil spell upon you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death as clearly as though I had waved a placard before you with a picture on it of Christ dying on the cross. (TLB)

1. Before whose eyes.

4270 prographo (prog-raf’-o); rom 4253 and 1125; to write previously; figuratively, to announce,

4253 pro (pro); a primary preposition; "fore", i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to:

1125 grapho (graf’-o); a primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:

ILLUSTRATION

The privatization of religion is going on at several different levels. As we already noted, religious identity is now a matter of individual choice rather than family or community loyalty, but even beyond that, individual, make- your-own religion is one of the choices. A famous example is Sheila, the California nurse interviewed by the authors of Habits of the Heart, who called her personal assortment of beliefs "Sheilaism."

"I believe in God. I’m not a religious fanatic. I can’t remember the last time I went to church. My faith has carried me a long way. It’s Sheilaism, just my own little voice."

Sheila is remarkably typical. Most Americans say that they believe in God, but increasingly they "practice" religion by themselves, on their own. In addition, many of those who do go to church are what William McKinney calls independents, persons who think that the church they attend should not regulate the way they live.

-- Robert N. Bellah, et. al., Habits of the Heart (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985), p. 221.

APPLICATION

We must not allow ourselves to be Unwisely, or inexcusable Bewitched. v 1 a

2. Bothered, . . by False Doctrine.

{2} This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? {3} Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? {4} Did you suffer so many things in vain-- if indeed it was in vain?

A. Bothered with False Doctrine about . . Salvation. v 2

{2} This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

B. Bothered with False Doctrine about the . . Spirit. v 3