plenty have seen the power of God, whether in a camp, a service, Linderos, or at home. Possibly, you saw God heal or restore. Yet, though you have seen the power of God, you appear to be cursed. This is the problem that caused the Apostle Paul to believe that the Galatians were bewitched: the Judaizers had influenced the Galatian church to believe salvation is in works and grace. The Judaizers were a sect that believed in Jesus Christ for mere salvation. After being baptized in Jesus’s name and receiving His Spirit, they believed they must follow the Mosaic law. In the Old Testament, Moses provides 613 laws to adhere. The Judaizers had mixed the law with grace: works with grace. In their mentality, Jesus saved, but their works maintained their …show more content…
They relied on Jesus Christ for initial salvation, but, as the Judaizers taught, they began to believe that their works, their obedience to the law, their human effort will keep them saved. Paul, in his questions, essentially teaches the absurdity. He basically says, “It was never because of your works that you were saved. You are incapable of saving yourself. Thus, you relied on Jesus for salvation. Now, however, you again believe that it is through your human works that you will keep salvation. If your works could not save you, what makes you think that they will keep you saved?” Paul stressed that if one believes that sustaining one’s salvation is through works, all the pain that one suffers because of following Jesus Christ is in vain. Christianity has its struggles and its pains, but imagine, suffering as a Christian, yet, the suffering was in vain, all because one is cursed since he or she believed maintaining his or her salvation is via his or her effort. This cursing that has existed since the formation of the Church has continue to affect the church throughout history. As a matter of fact, this is what the Catholic Church believed. The Catholic Church believes that salvation is through faith, but it is also through works and human effort. When the Protestant Reformation occurred in the 16th century, the leaders argued that justification, salvation, is through faith alone. This is also known as “sola fide.” The Catholic