- 175. Received the Spirit
Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
You have received the Spirit by the hearing of faith. The promise is that you have the Holy Spirit. We know this, but at times we need to be reminded that we have received the Spirit. This is not in doubt. The question presented here is whether we have received the Spirit by works of law or hearing of faith. This is a rhetorical question, because we know the answer.
The implication of receiving the Spirit by the hearing of faith is continuing in the Spirit, living in the Spirit, and letting the Spirit actively influence our lives for good. The message for our takeaway is that it would be a really good idea to hear the Gospel by faith as often as possible. Constant hearing and reminding activates the Holy Spirit whom we have already received by the Gospel. In other words, we do not become converted by the Gospel once and than proceed to live our lives by the works of the law. The law always accuses and it cannot move us to do good works, Only the Gospel has the power to effect change in behavior. Trying to do the works of the law can only lead to misbelief and despair, or the failed efforts to keep the law will lead us to the Gospel. This is good, because the continued hearing of faith receives and continues the Spirit.
So how do we live? How do we walk? We walk by faith; we live by the Gospel. We focus on the Gospel and believing gives us the power to keep the law. We do not do the Gospel (God alone does it), but only the Gospel gives the ability to do the law.
Although we have received the Spirit once in our life we absolutely must continue to receive the Spirit every day. The Enemy does not stop attacking and deceiving us through the devil, the world, and the flesh; Consequently, we need the presence and power of the Holy Spirit living and working in our spirit every day. Therefore, we continue the hearing of faith and the receiving of the Spirit.