… so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Summary: How we look at faith may determine how God looks at us.
I confess that a part of my brain tries to reduce certain things to an equation. For example, if you add X plus X, then you have two X’s. So I understand people who want to say, “If you do this and that, then Jesus will save you.” Unfortunately, for the mathematically inclined, God doesn’t limit himself to our mental constructs.
As we read through Paul’s letter to the Galatians, I find my eyes opening more and more to the nuances of faith and law. Paul wrote his letter because someone “pervert[ed] the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:7). As we have seen from what we have read so far, even the tiniest reliance on the law is a threat to our faith in Christ. (This is where my brain wants to create a formula for how much “law” we can have in our lives before “faith” is no longer effective.)
Paul has gone to great pains to show us that we must rely wholly on Jesus instead of the law. What he can’t tell us is how to do that, so he shares his thoughts about faith and law so we can decide for ourselves.
The “promise of the Spirit” that Paul refers to is found in John’s gospel account, where Jesus promises to send believers the Spirit (John 14:26, 15:26). It is the promise of the Spirit that gives us hope that we can live by faith and not by the law. When Jesus explained salvation to Nicodemus, he described the Holy Spirit this way:
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)
It is the Spirit who teaches us “all things” (John 14:26). So why is there a problem? Why did Paul write to the Galatians and work so hard to correct their thinking?
The problem with legalistic thinking is that it is comfortable. We feel we have control over outcomes when we have a nice formula to manage our salvation equation. The Galatians had been convinced that if the men who believed in Jesus allowed themselves to be circumcised, then they would be “real” Christians. Paul, speaking on behalf of the Holy Spirit said, “No!”
Real Christianity isn’t tidy. The Holy Spirit does not fit in a box. God’s offer of salvation is not formulaic. Faith in Jesus is very hard to hold onto if we have given our faith to something or someone else, even if that “something” is a formula that guarantees Jesus will save us. After all, isn’t that what the people selling circumcision to the Galatians were doing?
Application: Trust Jesus and listen to the Holy Spirit.
Food for Thought: How do we know we have received the “promise of the Holy Spirit?”
How do we know we have received the “promise of the Holy Spirit?”
I thought we had this little flame that would be above our heads?
Thanks, Tim!
That must be why you are such a “bright guy!” 🙂
How do we know we have received the “promise of the Holy Spirit?”
The Holy Spirit will give an increased awareness of personal sin and the power to see truth, understand God’s word, the power to look and minister outwardly rather than living a self centered life. All Godly desires and actions are the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14
Ron,
Thank you for the excellent list! One of the first items you list is the “power to see truth.” I love the testimonies I hear about people having their eyes opened to Scripture when they receive God’s Spirit. The other items you list are all equally good.
The first verse I thought of is one the Ron used.
Ephesians 1: 13 – 14. 2 Corinthians 1: 21 – 22 says something similar. If we have responded to the gospel message and received Christ by faith, then we are given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our future inheritance. Romans 8: 9 also reminds us that if we are abiding in Christ that we also have the Holy Spirit.
Thank you, Rich.
I especially like the 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 verses. When God puts his spirit in our hearts, that is something that we cannot ignore.