Daily Bread – December 2, 2023 (The Seventh Day – Genesis 2:1-3) Galatians 3:5 – Well then, He Who supplies you the Spirit and works works of power among you, is it through the works of the law or through the report of faith? Human Ability vs God’s Faith A better contrast between the powerful works of faith and the ineffective work of the law cannot be found in a single verse of Scripture. The supply of the Spirit that works miracles comes as an act of obedience to faith. Faith is not a sterile and lifeless set of ideas, but an active and powerful display of the power of God. The works of the law (which depend on human ability) cannot produce the wonder working power of God – but the works of faith can. Faith is proven to be the divine activity of God in the believer producing those things only God can do. Paul gives us a choice – do we want the works of man (even those of our own selves), or the works of God in our lives? The life of living in relationship with the Holy Spirit and under His inspiration is the life of the New Covenant – a miracle life of interacting with God and being led and taught by Him each day. The Holy Spirit not only inspires us to walk in obedience, He shows us how to resist the devil and walk in the wisdom and knowledge of God. Whether it is the fruits of the Spirit listed later on in Galatians 5, or the display of miracle power, it is all about walking under the influence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The works of power can only happen through obedience to the faith, and never by the lifeless religious forms of the works of the law – much less modern liberal religion (Galatians 5:22-23, 3:21). Paul proves throughout Galatians how the law is as opposite to the Spirit as its works are to the power of faith produced by the Spirit. He likens the effectiveness of the works of the law to Abraham’s relationship with Hagar – a relationship that could not bring to pass the will of God because it depended on man’s ability (Galatians 4:22-25; Romans 8:3). Whereas, the works of faith are shown to be that which only God could do through the miracle operation of the Spirit. The promise of God for Abraham and Sarah could only come by the miracle working power of the Spirit. Abraham and Sarah did not give birth to Isaac until after their own human ability had come to an end. Man must cease from trusting in himself and his own works. If we want the blessings of God, then we must turn in obedience to God and make Him the sole object of our trust (Jeremiah 17:5-8). If in so doing we will obey God and do what faith dictates, we will see the display of the power of God and the life of the overcomer revealed in our lives. Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 12/2/2023
