Galatians 3:3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

These words took on a new meaning to me this morning as I was reading My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.  In his devotion to he writes “God saves a man and endues him with the Holy Spirit, and then says in effect – Now work it out, be loyal to me whilst the nature of things round about you make you disloyal.”  Christ did His part on the cross, and when we believe in Him we have salvation; however, now the hard part of the believer’s walk is just getting started.  Are we going to walk in the spirit or in the flesh? 

Salvation is the free gift of John 3:16 that God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son to believe in Him to receive eternal life.  Just as the gift of life is given to a new born child as he comes into this world salvation is given to anyone that has believe in Christ,  However, the growth process must start immediately.  This is the hard part of the believer’s walk.  Are we going to be guided by the Holy Spirit or by the ways of the flesh?  Paul was writing to warn the Galatians not to go down the path of another gospel (works verses faith).  Salvation by works is guide by a walk according to the deeds of the flesh; but salvation by faith believes in the work done by Christ on the cross that gives us salvation and then living a life by walking in the spirit.   

In Galatians 6:8 Paul gives the Galatians this warning “For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”  However, whatsoever is true, whatsoever is honorable, whatsoever is right, whatsoever is pure, whatsoever is lovely, whatsoever is of good repute, if there is any excellence, and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.  So as we take the journey of our time on earth and once we have receive the free gift of salvation by our faith in Christ,; let us take the bold step of not walking in the ways of the world and it understanding, but instead walk in the Spirit by focusing on His Word and letting the Holy Spirit guide us in our daily walk with Him.