You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
2 This [touto] only [monon] would [thelo] I learn [manthano] of [apo] you, [humon] Received ye [lambano] the
Spirit [pneuma] by [ek] the works [ergon] of the
law, [nomos] or [e] by [ek] the hearing [akoe] of faith [pistis]? KJV-Interlinear
2 This is
the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the
works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? NASB
Merit is the key in this verse.
Does one receive and enjoy the benefits of the spiritual life based on his own works, or does he receive and enjoy the benefits of the spiritual life based on the work of Christ, and therefore by means of faith?
Paul asks and teaches in these verses, that the gospel when heard and believed, was enough and the only source of the spiritual life. Works are not.
No one during their life or throughout the ages, has ever been saved or received any spiritual benefit based on their own efforts. If works was the path, then when does ones works become efficacious? At what age? But of course works are not a part of the spiritual process.
The Law was the outline of works that taught the total depravity of man. Man is worthless and empty of righteousness or anything good or decent. Man cannot invent or transform himself to a point sufficient enough to make him perfect.
Anyway, Paul asks a simple question. How did you receive the Holy Spirit?
If by faith, then the work of Christ on the cross abrogates and erases all claims of human works.
If by works, then Christ is not needed and anyone can work their way to heaven.
Cain tried to gain Gods honor through his harvest of grains and such. Cain rejected the animal sacrifice, which taught faith and Christ. God rejected Cain and God rejected mans works.
The Tower of Babel was an effort to ascend to heaven based on mans efforts. That failed.
The Mosaic Law, taught of mans inability to even keep the very law that man claims. Thus the need for a savior.
Pauls argument should have ended here, but he will continue and show that any and all of mans claims to a spiritual life have nothing to do with mans own efforts or deeds or sufferings.
Faith and faith alone is the path to and through the spiritual life. Faith comes by study and study comes by the word.
