The ‘Spirit’ in Galatians

| By Sean Cavender|

A too often neglected area of study is the Holy Spirit’s relationship with the child of God in respect to their salvation. Peter is clear that our salvation was planned in the mind and foreknowledge of God, along with the necessity of Jesus’ death (1 Peter 1:2). However, it should not escape our attention that the Holy Spirit has the role of sanctifying us to distinguish us for a life of holiness (1 Peter 1:2). All three members of the Godhead have an important role in our salvation. 

In the epistle to the Galatians, Paul has much to say about the role of the Holy Spirit in our salvation. 

Receiving the Spirit By Hearing the Gospel

First, believers receive the Holy Spirit. Paul marvels that the Galatian Christians have strayed from the true gospel and have been bewitched by a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1). Paul challenges them and asks if they received the Spirit through the works of the Law or by hearing with faith (Galatians 3:2-5). The answer to the question is obvious: they received the Spirit when they heard the gospel, believed it, and obeyed it (Romans 10:13-15). The Spirit reveals the truth (John 15:26; 16:7-11). Since they had received the gospel from the Holy Spirit, then it would be vanity to turn away from the truth of God’s word. 

Fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant

Second, God made a promise to Abraham that through his seed all nations of the earth might be blessed (Galatians 3:8). That blessing would result in justification and salvation by grace through faith (Galatians 3:6-7, 9). The seed would be Jesus the Messiah (Galatians 3:16). Those who are found to be in the Messiah receive the blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:14). Jews and Gentiles are receiving the blessing of Abraham by faith when they place themselves in Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). Paul uses an interesting phrase in Galatians 3:14 — “so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” One of the important roles that the Spirit of God plays is serving as the guarantee of God’s promises. The Spirit is associated with the promise of a future resurrection since He is the first fruits (Romans 8:23). Believers are sealed in Christ “with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). Since the Holy Spirit is the guarantee and downpayment of God’s promises, we expect God to fulfill His word. Paul speaks about the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant as the “promise of the Spirit” (Galatians 3:14). God’s plan of salvation by grace through faith is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham and it closely involved the work of the Spirit. 

Relationship with the Father

Third, Paul references our adoption as children of God (Galatians 4:5). Since we are God’s children, the Spirit of Jesus has guaranteed us a relationship with the Father. We can cry out “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6). We have a child-like dependency upon God and we can have a deeply rooted relationship with God. One of the most beneficial blessings that we have is that we can approach God’s throne in prayer. We can come before Him with confidence that He will hear us because we are His child (Hebrews 4:16). Let us nurture our love and respect for God as a child ought to respect their earthly father. 

Transformed Behavior

Fourth, Paul admonishes Christians to not turn back to the Law of Moses (Galatians 5:18). Instead, we are to be led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 18). When we hear the gospel and obey it, we receive the Spirit (Galatians 3:1-5). After we receive the Spirit, the Spirit transforms us and sanctifies us (cf. 1 Peter 1:2). The result of the Spirit’s sanctifying work ought to look like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Since we are led by the Spirit, we ought to sow the things of the Spirit, and we will eventually reap the things of the Spirit (cf. Galatians 6:8). The gospel of Christ frees us from the bondage of slavery and sin so that we can live the sanctified life for which Christ redeemed us (Galatians 5:24-25). 

Hope of Eternal Life

Finally, as mentioned above, the Spirit serves as the guarantee of God’s promises that He will fulfill in the future. We must put away the works of the flesh because that only ends in destruction and corruption. But the way of the Spirit brings about eternal life! That is why we must sow to the Spirit and reap from the Spirit. The imagery of sowing and reaping is intricately connected with the “fruit of the Spirit” that Paul refers to at the end of Galatians 5. We must live holy, sanctified, and transformed lives since we “through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness” (Galatians 5:5). We yearn to receive, by the Spirit, the resurrection of our bodies when Christ returns (Romans 8:23) so that we can enjoy the ultimate reward in heaven with our God and Savior Jesus Christ. 

It is evident that the Holy Spirit has an important role in revealing the gospel, changing our lives, and providing us with the hope of eternity in heaven. Let us never forget the important work of the Holy Spirit!