Do Forget What You Saw!

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3 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
As Paul continues to exhort the Galatians, there are three important points he makes in these six verses. 
1. "Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified."  The Galatians were probably not present at the the crucifixion in Jerusalem, as they lived in Asia Minor, miles away from the event. But what Paul is saying is that the gospel he preached clearly had the crucifixion front and center.  For Paul without the crucifixion there was no gospel.  They were inseparable. And yet this is the problem, the Galatians are disregarding what Jesus did on the cross, or they would not be returning to works. 
2. "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?" Paul uses the example of the Galatians' reception of the Holy Spirit as free gift to support his point.  The reason Paul focuses so much on the gift and manifestation of the Holy Spirit is that reliance on the Holy Spirit is the opposite of works.  When the Holy Spirit works through us we can't take credit for it.  We can only give thanks for the Holy Spirit.  Relying on works leads to vanity and pride.  They are usually focused on self.  Relying on the Holy Spirit always points to Christ.  
3."So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Paul uses a quote from Genesis 15:6 to show that faith was given and exercised in the Old Testament.  The same principle of being made right with God through faith runs throughout both the Old and New Testament.  Abraham was saved by faith not by works of the Law. 
Do you focus more one what you do for God, or what God can do through you?  Do you rely on self to do good works or do you allow the Holy Spirit to empower you to do what God has asked of you?  

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