Galatians 3:5
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
GALATIANS 3:5
Paul asks whether God’s Spirit and miracles among them come by the law or by hearing with faith. The Galatians had witnessed miraculous works and Spirit-empowered life; Paul emphasizes that such signs are not earned by legal performance but are gifts of faith. The “ministereth to you the Spirit” indicates leaders and messengers who preach the gospel and rely on the Spirit for transformation, not legalism. In the broader letter, miracles function as signs pointing to the gospel’s truth, not as tokens of moral achievement. This verse reinforces that the Spirit’s work is God-sourced and Christ-centered, not dependent on ritual compliance.
This verse anchors divine enablement (miracles, Spirit) in faith, not law. It counters any view that the Spirit’s activity is contingent on human performance. Theologically, it affirms grace-driven empowerment and the sovereignty of God’s Spirit in confirming the gospel’s truth through signs and transformative experience. It also reinforces the ongoing gift of the Spirit to those who believe, underscoring the New Covenant’s reality.
When you see God at work in your life or in your community, resist the urge to equate it with how perfectly you keep rules. Acknowledge the Spirit’s sovereignty and respond with gratitude. Practical steps: cultivate a posture of listening for the Spirit’s prompting, celebrate God’s acts in your life and others, and support leaders who emphasize grace and faith over legalism. If miracles feel distant, remember that faith is the channel through which God works, as He did in Paul’s day.
Cross-References: Galatians 3:2; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Hebrews 2:4; Mark 16:17-18