“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?” (Galatians 3:2, ESV)
I was teaching a Bible study to a group of single adults one Friday evening. We read through a passage in the Book of Acts where Peter was preaching to the Gentiles. We read the following words.
“While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.” (Acts 10:44, ESV)
As soon as I finished reading this verse, one of the girls in the group interrupted and stated, “Didn’t they have to pray?” She was shocked that those hearing the word preached received salvation as evidences by them receiving the Holy Spirit without making some sort of a “sinner’s prayer.”
My response to her was this, “What does the verse say?” She confirmed that the verse indicated that they were saved and received the Spirit upon hearing the word preached, which must have been by believing in their hearts. This is exactly what Paul is telling those in the churches in Galatia.
Paul indicated to the churches that they received the Spirit by hearing the message through faith. In other words, they heard the truth and believed it in their hearts. This meant that they were saved by God’s grace alone and not by any human effort. Their salvation was not by works of the flesh.
In my time of ministry, I cannot tell you how many times I heard people say to other believers, “Don’t you want the Holy Spirit?” They ask this question with an implication that they must do something to or ask for the Holy Spirit to indwell them. To ask a question like this is to ask them if they want to be saved. Why do I say this? It is because every true believer has received the indwelling work of the Spirit at salvation. Consider Paul’s words to the Romans on this.
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:9, ESV)
Accordingly, every believer who has been saved has also been indwelt by the Spirit of God. You know that there is no command to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The ministry of the Spirit’s indwelling presence is a work of God’s grace alone. The Spirit is a gift of God’s grace given to every person who hears the message of the gospel and believes.
So, Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia this truth. They began by their journey of faith apart from any works of the flesh. It was through the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, not by works but by faith in the message of the gospel.
Paul echoed this thought in writing to Titus.
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:4–5, ESV)
Renewing the Heart 