What does 'having begun in the Spirit' mean in Galatians 3:3?
Having begun in the Spirit means the believer's start was by Paul's Gospel through faith plus nothing, not by the Law. It refers to receiving spiritual life by believing the Gospel, in contrast to trying to mature or go deeper through the flesh, legalism, or Law-keeping.
Les explains that Galatians 3:3 asks whether those who began in the Spirit are now going to move into a deeper spiritual life by the flesh. He identifies having begun in the Spirit as being by Paul's Gospel through faith plus nothing. In the Galatian churches, the flesh wants legalism and Law. Earlier in the context, believers are delivered from the Law, an administration of death, so they should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. It is part of the old Adamic nature to want to be under some kind of Law.
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
More Questions
What does Galatians 3:3 ask?
Galatians 3:3 asks whether, having begun in the Spirit, you are going to move into a deeper spiritual life by the flesh.