With his final reference to the Spirit, Paul takes us back to where he began his argument, back to the statements from Galatians 3:1 and Galatians 3:2, specifically the question that was raised in Galatians 3:3. It is the idea that we can begin with the Spirit only to be perfected by the flesh, the idea that we need good works to make our calling and election sure.

To be sure, Scripture is clear that good works must be pursued in response to God’s salvation, and they will be pursued where there is true faith. We are right therefore to pray for the Spirit to change our desires so that we will want to walk in God’s ways. Then, by God’s grace, over the course of time, there will be progress in godly living. The Christian will more and more turn away from sinful behaviours and patterns.

But it is not our progress that is the source of our confidence. We do not need to conform to or achieve a list of approved actions to be sure of our salvation. However necessary certain works may be, they are not the reason for God’s favour, only evidence of the Spirit’s work in us.

So, when I seek to do good, when I think about what God commands and make plans to change my life accordingly, I do not do so in order to have a list of achievements that I can look back on. We are not perfected by the flesh but by the Spirit. That is to say, sanctification is the work of God. Life change and transformation is the gracious work of God in us.

The Spirit changes our desires. The Spirit helps us to understand God’s Word. The Spirit makes us increasingly eager to obey. The Spirit brings forth good fruit in our lives. Yes, we must keep in step with him, and we will think more about what that means when we get to Galatians 5:1–26. For now, we simply affirm that we do not need good works to make our salvation sure. We do not need to add anything to what Christ has done. There is not a checklist of changes that the Spirit must make in our lives, a checklist that we need to achieve before we can be sure of God’s favour.

If you have faith in Christ, you have been united to him; you belong to God’s people. He is our comfort and our confidence. We want to live in the light of what he has done and that is why we are eager to be perfected and changed by the Spirit. To that end, we give ourselves to the means of grace, gathering for worship, ministry of the Word and sacraments. As Paul says in Galatians 3:2, we received the Spirit by hearing with faith, and he works in us in the same manner, Galatians 3:5 – by hearing with faith. The way on is the way forward, hearing with faith, the means of grace. That is where our focus must be if we are to be perfected by the Spirit. That is where he has promised to be at work within us.