Does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.
Galatians 3:5
How do you go to the next level in your faith?
The church in Galatia was in a time of internal conflict. After Paul had left them, teachers began to tell them that they were not proper Christians (of course they called themselves Followers of the Way, not Christians) unless they were circumcised and followed the Law of Moses. The Galatians were seriously confused and wanted to honour God. Should they follow the Jewish rules or did religious obedience matter?
They had received the Gospel from Paul, responded and been filled with the Holy Spirit. God was moving in their community and miracles followed. They wanted to give everything to God and if that meant following the Law, then the would do what he wanted.
Paul’s answer to them was that the Holy Spirit was not moving because of their external rituals but their internal faith and devotion. It was their belief in Jesus that mattered and not the expectations of others upon them.
Spiritual growth comes through faith and relationship with God.
This does not mean that we do not follow spiritual disciplines or have to live a moral life. Some people teach that it doesn’t matter what you do, grace covers all sins. This is a dangerous half-truth. Sin is far more destructive that we realise and is the cause of every problem that we see in the world. Not needing to follow the Law of Moses is not the same as having license to live immoral lives.
What happens in our heart deeply affects our behaviours.
This is also to say that spiritual exercises are also valuable. However, it is not the activity that matters but what is happening in your heart. It is your faith, obedience and love of God that matters.
It is not about the minimum lifestyle required but our spiritual centre of gravity. It is the well that our lives flow out from.
Paul encourages us that the Holy Spirit will fill us if we have faith. The Holy Spirit will then guide us and show us how to grow, trust and follow God. It is all about being filled with his presence.
Being filled with the Spirit is a daily experience. Each day we can encounter God, be refilled with his Spirit and see him move in new ways through us.
