Galatians 3:2-4
"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain." Galatians 3:2-4. The Galatians had been bewitched, and one of the results is that they were quickly going away from the truth. As soon as you step away from Scripture, you are on a steep slippery slope. Scripture points us to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Scripture shows us how dependent we are on the Lord. False teaching points us to ourselves and causes us to be dependent on self. Can a Christian become dependent upon themselves to live for Christ? The answer is yes. All of us are guilty of this in one way or another. The problem is that we cannot live for Christ while we are depending upon ourselves to do so. We will utterly fail. To make ourselves feel better, we attach the Holy Spirit, in name only, to whatever we are doing. We convince ourselves, and in the process convince others, that we are serving Jesus in the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, when in fact we are not. We end up working in the flesh and calling it spiritual. We live a weak and defeated life. No matter how exciting our life may appear, if we are not dependent upon the Holy Spirit to live for Jesus Christ, we will be weak and defeated. We will end up attributing things to the Holy Spirit that He has nothing to do with (I Corinthians 14). A made up Holy Spirit is simply part of our imagination; ultimately, it is idolatry.
Paul continues to address the Galatians departure from the truth. He is not worried about hurting their feelings, or their self-esteem. In verse one he told them they were stupid, and he will tell them again in verse three. Paul doesn't waste time with pleasantries. In verse 2 he tells them he has been informed of their actions. So, Paul asks them some direct questions. "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" "Received" in this verse means to receive what is given or imparted or imposed, to obtain, partake of. Have they received the gift of the Holy Spirit by keeping the law, or by the hearing of faith? He is causing them to think back and remember when the Lord saved them. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new," II Corinthians 5:17.
When the Lord saves someone a radical transformation takes place. Our desires change, which means our actions also change. We who were once dead in trespasses and sins have been saved by God. We now love Him and want to serve Him. At the moment the Lord saves us He gives us the Holy Spirit. This is the best gift the Lord gives to His church. The word "Spirit" in this verse means as coming to and acting upon Christians, illuminating and empowering them, and remaining with them, imparting to them spiritual knowledge, aid, consolation, sanctification, and making intercession with and for them. This is what the Holy Spirit does for the Lord's church. I want to point out again that the Holy Spirit is given to Christians, He is not earned. The ministry of the Holy Spirit was a little different during the early church compared to His ministry today. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit," Acts 2:38. In this verse the words "Holy Spirit" means specifically, of the empowerment imparted by the Holy Spirit on and after the Day of Pentecost, by which the apostles and early Christians were endowed with high supernatural qualifications for their work; knowledge equivalent to a full knowledge of gospel truth and the power of prophesying, working miracles, and speaking with languages previously unknown to them.
The working of the Holy Spirit always pointed people to Jesus Christ, not to self. Receiving of the Holy Spirit has always been by faith, not by works. "Works" in Galatians 3:2 means work, i.e. deed, act, action, something done. "Hearing" is that which is or may be heard: a thing announced, instruction, teaching. "Faith" is of faith in Christ's death, as the ground of justification before God, saving faith. Turn to Romans 10:1-17. At the moment the Lord saves us, the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of us; and He does not leave. The Holy Spirit starts the work of sanctification in us, and He finishes it. "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ," Philippians 1:6.
"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Galatians 3:3. In a sense this is a rhetorical question. "Made perfect by the flesh" in this verse means to come to an end, to finish by the meticulous observance of Judaism as an attempt to earn salvation. The answer to the question is no. If they even remotely think the answer is yes, then they are so stupid. It is biblically impossible to become a perfect Christian by the works of the flesh.
The only reason anyone would trust their flesh is because they do not know their flesh. Yet there are multitudes that tell us to trust our hearts. One of the most popular sayings in our society is to follow your heart. Do you know much about your heart? Here is what the Bible says about our hearts. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it," Jeremiah 17:9.
Those of us who know the truth must be careful with it. We must remember that there was a time when we did not know these things. So when we come in contact with those who trust in their flesh, or heart, we must be stern, while at the same time showing compassion with the desire to disciple others. Just because someone is a Christian doesn't mean they sit under good sound teaching. We earnestly contend for the faith, and we are to be compassionate. This is something a mature, Spirit controlled, Christian can do. May we seek to be a mature Christian, for God's glory.
Lord willing, we will learn more about the ministry of the Holy Spirit next time. We don't want a made up Holy Spirit. Please send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com.
Soli Deo Gloria.
