Christ-Centered Spiritual Formation
Galatians 3:1–6
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?
3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?
5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?
6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
📖 Moral Temptation and Hidden Faith
Professor John Coe of Talbot Seminary once said:
“Many seminary students want to be used by God,
but deep inside, they carry shame and guilt.”
This isn’t just about students.
Many believers feel “I’m not enough” and try to cover it with effort and morality.
That’s the core of moral temptation—trying to fix spiritual emptiness with performance.
Paul asks the Galatians:
“After beginning by the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by the flesh?” (Gal 3:3)
📖 What Is Moral Temptation?
It’s not just about bad behavior.
It’s the thought:
“Maybe I just need to try harder.”
“Maybe I can fix this myself.”
Instead of bringing guilt and shame to Jesus,
we try to solve it through effort, discipline, and moral performance.
Paul reminds us:
“Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by believing what you heard?” (Gal 3:2)
📖 Hiding Faith, Covered Obedience
Adam and Eve sinned—but they didn’t say,
“God, help us.”
They hid.
We do the same.
- Prayer becomes a mask
- Obedience becomes a cover
- Goodness becomes a disguise
Paul warns:
Even prayer and obedience can be used to hide from God.
📖 Honesty at the Cross
Spiritual formation begins when we stop hiding.
Prayer is not a place to look good—
It’s a place to be real.
- “God, I don’t want to pray right now.”
- “God, I love You—but I also love other things.”
- “God, please forgive me.”
This is the heart of spiritual formation—
honesty at the foot of the cross.
📖 Law vs. Gospel, Effort vs. Grace
The Judaizers said:
“We’re saved by faith, but we grow by effort.”
But Paul says:
“We are saved by faith, and we grow by faith.”
- The law is a tutor that leads us to Christ
- Shame and guilt cannot be solved by effort
- Only Jesus is the answer
📖 Justification: His Righteousness for Our Sin
2 Corinthians 5:21 says:
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
- Our sin was transferred to Jesus
- His righteousness was transferred to us
This is justification—the heart of the gospel.
We are no longer condemned.
Jesus is enough.
📖 Reflection and Challenge
Try praying like this:
- “God, I don’t want to hide anymore.”
- “I give You my shame and guilt.”
- “I can’t fix this. Only Jesus can.”
Then the cross will grow larger,
and God’s love will feel deeper.
💡 Scripture Reflection Q&A
Q1. What does Paul mean by ‘finishing by the flesh’?
A1. Trying to complete our faith through effort and morality instead of trusting God.
Q2. Why is moral temptation dangerous?
A2. Because it leads us to rely on ourselves instead of bringing our brokenness to Jesus.
Q3. What does hiding faith look like?
A3. Using prayer, obedience, and goodness to cover our weakness instead of confessing it.
Q4. Where does spiritual formation begin?
A4. When we stop hiding and come honestly to the cross.
Q5. What is justification?
A5. Our sin was placed on Jesus, and His righteousness was given to us. That’s the gospel.
👉 Conclusion: Spiritual formation begins where hiding ends.
When we come honestly to the cross, we find true freedom.