I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? – (Galatians 3:2)
Most of us love lists that we can check off and show we’ve completed our tasks or deserve what we get. The Holy Spirit, however, is a gift given to those who believe in Jesus, trusting that his death, burial, and resurrection saves them and sharing with Jesus in these through baptism (1 Cor. 15:1-5; Rom. 6:3-6).
Paul is reminding these folks that no list, not even one given in the law, can bring the Holy Spirit to them.They received the Spirit because they truly believed in Jesus and Jesus poured out this gift upon them (Titus 3:3-7). No wonder Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit as one of God’s greatest gifts (Luke 11:11-13).
The apostle Paul clearly taught that we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. First Corinthians 12:13 declares, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Romans 8:9 tells us that if a person does not possess the Holy Spirit, he or she does not belong to Christ: “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”
Ephesians 1:13-14 teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe: “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”
Prayer: O Father, thank you for the gift of your Son who died for my sins and was raised from the dead to give me the victory over sin and death. I also thank you, dear Father, for the gift of the Holy Spirit that is your presence that lives in me. May my life be to your glory O God. In the name of Jesus I offer you my deepest thanks! Amen.
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