- I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Paul asks us this one question. Have we received the Holy Spirit by working hard for it, or just by listening to the message of the gospel and believing it?
The answer is the latter.
No, we haven't worked hard to receive the Holy Spirit. We did not earn the Holy Spirit's friendship, nor have we paid for His friendship.
We've received the Holy Spirit by hearing and believing the message about Jesus. That was all we did.
In the same way, we live this life by hearing and believing, not by working hard to keep our salvation valid.
Our salvation started with the cross of Jesus, and we received salvation by believing the message of Jesus.
In the next verse, Paul goes on to say,
- "Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3)
No, we began by means of the Spirit, so we'll finish by means of the Spirit as well.
- looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
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