05/25/2026
Galatians 3:1-4
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
This is a serious question for the whole church. If the “Early Church” grew by the power of the Spirit how can we attempt to grow and fulfill the Purpose of God with anything less? The common thought today is those powerful manifestations of the Spirit were merely to “kick start” the Church. So some say that although we began in the Spirit we can continue in the power of the flesh. The claim is that now we have the completed Canon of Scripture gifts, signs and wonders are no longer needed to “verify” the doctrine we preach. But is this not removing the Holy Spirit from active demonstrations in the Church? One question arises concerning the Gifts: Why did the Holy Spirit give them? Were not the gifts given to minister in a Divine Supernatural manner to meet the needs of men which could not be addressed by natural means?
Yes it confirms the Message that Jesus is Lord and the Gospel true but they also meet human need. Are we to choose to be satisfied to continue to move in the flesh neglecting the Power Promised in Acts 1:8?