“He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He so it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Galatians 3:5
Galatians 3:5 tells us God supplies the Holy Spirit to us and works miracles among us. It also tells us how He does it, “by the hearing of faith.” Faith is a response to God’s grace, relying on God’s ability rather than our performance. Faith is more than believing; faith is reliance.
The law refers to the opposite of faith; it is the self-sufficient attitude that depends on self rather than to depend upon God. The purpose for self-sufficiency is to be in control of one’s own position and wellbeing. Faith receives from God through trust and a humble surrender. Self-sufficiency tries to earn approval from God through performance. The proud person doesn’t want to owe God; he or she wants to be rewarded in exchange for good works without surrender.
The law came to show us our need for God. As hard as we try, our performance will never be perfect every time. We need God, and we need His salvation. We need a Savior; we need Jesus. We need His Holy Spirit to help us, and we need God to work miracles in our lives. The basis for God meeting our needs is our surrender, or our faith.
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
So if we believe God and if we seek God, then we please God and receive from Him. The word rewarder in Hebrews 11:6 is the Greek word misthapodotes, and it refers to the one who pays wages. God will give to you based on your dependency to believe and your reliance to pursue after Him. It’s about receiving, not getting. It’s about trusting, not trying. It’s action of surrender, not works of control. Therefore, when I worship, I must do so from reliance, not performance. When I confess the Word of God, I must do so in the surrender of faith, not to force the hand of God. I am a recipient, not a manipulator. I am a child, not a consumer. I am a bondservant who obeys, not a hired employee who makes demands. I am an heir who is blessed by God’s Word, not a lawyer who tries to hold God to His Word. I don’t try to maneuver God into a corner; I approach His throne, confident of His love for me. The basis for receiving a miracle does not rest on me; the basis for receiving a miracle is found in me resting in Him.
Application: Our obedience is our response to our surrender to God’s love. Don’t just say you rely on God; do something in reliance upon God.