Ministry of Grace Church

 

Galatians 3:5

⁵Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Truth to Learn

We were given the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit as a result of faith, not as a result of obedience to the Law.

Behind the Words

Two verses back Paul asked the Christians in Galatia if that which was begun by the Holy Spirit (their salvation) was completed by works of the flesh. The answer, of course, is “No.” He now continues with that thought by asking another rhetorical question very similar to the one asked in verse two. The problem with this rhetorical question is that Biblical scholars over the centuries are divided as to who Paul means by “He.” (note that the capitalization of the word “He” is in the English translation, not in the original Greek.)

The two dissenting opinions are:

1) The Apostle Paul is referring to himself as the one who was responsible for imparting the Spirit to them through his ministry and he was the one working miracles among them. If this is the case then Paul is saying that, as the instrument of their salvation, he is the one who has preached against the effectual works of the Law and in favor of salvation by faith alone. Therefore, the Galatians should pay attention to Paul and not to the new teachers who are trying to bind them again to the Law.

Or,

2) Paul is referring to God as the one who imparted the Holy Spirit to them and God is the one who worked the miracles among them. If this is the case then the imparting of the Spirit and the working of miracles was a result, not of the works of the Law but of their hearing the truth and believing it in faith.

The second opinion seems to be more plausible since Paul is not one to brag about the miracles that he has done in the power of the Spirit and this opinion is also more in keeping with the rest of what Paul has to say to the Galatians.

Meaning Explained

The difference between what Paul said to the Christians in Galatia in verse two and what he is saying in this verse has to do with the working of miracles. Whereas in verse two Paul asked whether they received the Spirit by faith or by works, here he is saying that the working of miracles by the Spirit of God is proof that they were completely saved before they began following the legalistic practices of the false teachers.

In the coming verses Paul will demonstrate that even Abraham was not justified by works of law but by faith.

So What?

Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins? If so, then your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2007 Will Krause. All rights reserved.