Galatians 3: God Who Looks at the Heart

Verse 5: Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing what the law requires, or by your believing what you heard?

◇ Deceivers appeared among the Galatian church, and one by one, people began to fall for their deceit. Paul asks the believers who have fallen for this deception: Is the work of the Holy Spirit among you because you have kept the law, or because you have believed in Jesus as your Savior?

Of course, it is because they believed. The Galatian believers knew this well. However, they were being swayed by the words of Judaizing Christians who insisted that they must be circumcised, observe the feasts, and keep the regulations of the law. Why would they fall for such deceit, knowing and experiencing that they dwell in the Holy Spirit through faith?

A person who has been circumcised can always confirm that they have been circumcised. Those who keep the regulations of the law can confirm that they have done so. Through these verifiable religious acts, they come to think of themselves as people who please God.

However, a person who has received the Holy Spirit cannot always confirm that they have received the Spirit. People want to confirm that they have received the Holy Spirit. Perhaps they want to confirm the fullness of the Spirit through the gifts of the Spirit? But the fullness of the Spirit cannot always be confirmed.

Today, even though Christians receive salvation and the Holy Spirit through faith, they fall into legalistic thinking and religious life. Sunday worship, early morning prayer, tithing, various offerings, church service, etc. They believe that these actions please God, and they try to measure their faith through them. They prioritize what can be verified over what cannot be verified. As a result, they fall into legalistic faith.

Let us not forget how we obtained the authority to become children of God. Let us not fall into the foolishness of judging, satisfying, and becoming arrogant by what is visible.

♧ Lord, keep me from being deceived by what is visible! Remind me of the God who looks at my heart! Holy Spirit, lead me in truth!