Through the first two chapters of Galatians Pa=
ul
exposed external forces acting upon the Galatians. He exposed religion and its works,=
and
brought us back to focus on Christ as the truth of the gospel to rescue us =
and
be our life. In Chapter 3 and
beyond, Paul begins to speak of the flesh versus the Spirit. Regarding the flesh, he now direct=
ly
exposes the Galatians.
We beg= an our life in Christ in the Spirit. We continue a process of growth in life by the Spirit. The ultimate goal of this process = is to reach maturity, completion. <= o:p>
No Spi=
rit - no
beginning. No Spirit - no
continuation. No Spirit - no
perfection, no completion, no maturation.
BY =
THE
SPIRIT
God, the Word, is=
Spirit
(John 4:24). The Word became =
flesh
in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14).=
Jesus Christ is the last Adam who became the life-giving Spirit (I C=
or
15:45). We receive the Spirit=
by
the hearing of faith (Gal 3:1).
When we are in the hearing of faith God bountifully supplies to us t=
his
Spirit. This Spirit, who is G=
od
embodied in Christ as the life-giving Spirit, empowers, enables and fuels u=
s to
live Christ in the flesh.
GOD=
DOES
WORKS OF POWER AMONG US
We were powerless=
to live
the Christian life prior to our receiving the Spirit. The works of the law could not emp=
ower,
enable or fuel us to live a life that would please God. We had eyes that could not see God=
. We had ears that were death to
God’s speaking. We had hands that were limp and could not work the wo=
rks
of God. We had legs that were=
lame
when it came to pursuing God’s purpose. We were and are today a people tha=
t need
works of =
power among us. We need miracles that demonstrate =
Gods
power.
God wh=
o has begun in you a good work will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil
1:6) The Apostle Paul would
announce, admonish and teach with a view that we all could be =
full-grown in Christ (Col 1:28). Paul had a view that every member =
of the
Body of Christ would one day reach a full-grown man (Eph 4:13). For
us to grow from an infant in Christ unto maturity takes a process that requ=
ires
works of power.
GOD BOUNTIFULLY SUPPLIES TO US THE SPIRIT
In order =
for
this process to continue to completion we need the bountiful supply of the
Spirit! The word in Greek for
bountifully supplies is epichoregeo. The Greek word choregeo refers to the supplying of all the n=
eeds
of the chorus by the choragus, the leader of the chorus. The bountiful supp=
ly
of the all-inclusive Spirit enabled Paul to live and magnify Christ in his
sufferings for Him.
BY =
THE
HEARING OF FAITH
The way to obtain=
this
supply of the Spirit is by the hearing of faith.
Praise=
the Lord
that in the church life there are many opportunities to be in the hearing of
faith. The more we are in the
hearing the more supply we receive.
The more supply of the Spirit we receive the more we will grow. The more we grow the more we will =
please
God as we become full-grown in Christ.
There =
is faith
in His name =
(Acts 3:16). Hearing the name of Jesus Christ
supplies us the Spirit.
There is f=
aith in His Word (Rom 10:17). Faith comes out of hearing the wor=
d of
Christ and supplies us the Spirit.
We get the=
Spirit
through our petition=
s (Phil 1:19). Praying bountifully supplies us the
Spirit.
We enjoy t=
he fellowship of our faith (Philemon 1:6). Fellowshipping with the saints sup=
plies
us the Spirit.
We get fil=
led in
spirit speaking<=
/span> to one another (Eph 5:18). Speaking =
and
singing to one another supplies us the Spirit.
Paul told =
Timothy
to “attend to=
the
public reading , to the exhortation, to the teaching.” This supplies us the Spirit
A WARNING
Hebrews 5:11 is a=
warning
to us, “Concerning whom we have much to say that is also difficult to
interpret since you have become dull (slow, sluggish, slothful, indolent, l=
azy)
of hearing.”