“Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

Galatians 3.2

That’s a fair question!

Let’s look at it phrase by phrase:

“Received ye the Spirit...?” -  that means, receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, becoming a Christian.  Being “born again”, being “saved”, it’s all the same thing. “God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,“  “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord,” “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” (Galatians 4.6, Colossians 2.6, John 3.7, Acts 16.31)

So, “Received ye the Spirit,” were we saved... “by the works of the law...?”  For those of us who know for sure that we have eternal life, (1 John 5:13) – do we have it because, we have kept the law...?  In other words, because we are “good people”, or because we abide by the “Golden Rule” ...?

“or...?”

“...by the hearing of faith?”

That is a fair question!  “Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”  There can only be one answer, either we are saved by doing good things and “keeping the law”, or... we are honest with ourselves and accept that we can never please God that way... the only way to heaven is by grace through repentance and faith believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way to life everlasting!  I thank the Lord I can say, I received the Spirit by the hearing of faith – can you say the same?