What is the means of Paul's Gospel?
Paul's Gospel is received through faith plus nothing—by believing the Gospel alone, not by works of the Law or legalism. This salvation begins in the Spirit through faith and is not advanced by the flesh or law-keeping. Believers serve in newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter.
Les explains that the means of Paul's Gospel is faith plus nothing—believing the Gospel. He notes that believers are delivered from the Law, which was an administration of death, so that they should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter (s542–s559). The Galatians had begun in the Spirit by Paul's Gospel through faith plus nothing, but were tempted to move into a deeper spiritual life by the flesh, which desires legalism and the Law (s566–s578). Les stresses that salvation is not by works of the Law but by believing the Gospel alone.
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
More Questions
What is Paul's Gospel through according to Les?
Les explains from Galatians 3:3 that Paul's Gospel is received through faith plus nothing. Having begun in the Spirit, believers are not to move into a deeper spiritual life by the flesh, because the flesh in the Galatian churches wanted legalism and Law. Les notes that being under Law is part of the old Adamic nature. Instead, believers are delivered from the Law, the administration of death, to serve in newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter. The way to that spiritual realm is simply to believe the Gospel.