You Began With The Holy Spirit

You foolish people of Galatia! Who has put you under an evil spell? When I preached, I clearly showed you that Jesus Christ had been nailed to the cross.

I would like to learn just one thing from you. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law? Or did you receive the Spirit by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? You began with the Holy Spirit. Are you now trying to complete God's work in you by your own strength?

Have you suffered so much for nothing? And was it really for nothing? Why does God give you his Spirit? Why does he work miracles among you? Is it because you do what the law says? Or is it because you believe what you have heard?

Think about Abraham. Scripture says, "Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God."—(Genesis 15:6) So you see, those who have faith are children of Abraham.

Long ago, Scripture knew that God would make non-Jews right with himself by believing in him. He announced the good news ahead of time to Abraham. He said, "All nations will be blessed because of you."—(Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18) So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham. He was the man of faith.

 All who depend on obeying the law are under a curse. It is written, "May everyone who doesn't continue to do everything that is written in the Book of the Law be under God's curse."—(Deuteronomy 27:26) We know that no one is made right with God by keeping the law. Scripture says, "Those who are right with God will live by faith."—(Habakkuk 2:4)

The law is not based on faith. In fact, it is just the opposite. It teaches that "the one who does those things will live by them."—(Leviticus 18:5)

Galatians 3:1-12

Galatia was not exactly the kind of church that you would see as an example to be followed. This is true because the Galatians were trying to please God through their own efforts rather than by reliance on Him.

Just as we cannot earn a relationship with God by our own works, neither can we develop spiritually through our own strength. Paul’s reminder to the Galatians was that dependence on God through the work of the Spirit in our lives is at the core of our walk with Christ.

If we think we can become like Jesus by our own efforts, we are, like the Galatians, fooling ourselves.

The Holy Spirit is the Christian’s power supply.

Our Daily Bread – November 29, 2009