Living and Walking

Galatians 5:25

NKJV

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

The “if” in this is not just a hypothetical thing for those who are in Christ, it is a realized thing. We can interpret it more in the way of “since we live” because Christ has given us His Spirit. Jesus said that it is the Spirit which gives life, and that the flesh is no help at all. This is so important to remember as we come to the Lord each day, because we are easily tripped into relying on other things for our life. Our lives are now hidden with Christ, and we are primarily spiritual beings before we are carnal; we are new creations in Him. Paul says in Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Therefore, we truly have lives marked by the Spirit of God, and every aspect of our lives is brought into the spiritual realm.

Since we understand that Christ has raised us up with Him to sit in heavenly places, and we live our earthly lives in the power of His Holy Spirit, what do we then do? How are we called to go about our day? What manner of life are we to lead? First of all, we aren't meant to lead. We are meant to follow. “Follow me” is what Jesus so often asked people to do, and that command has not changed. We are made to be led, even if we have leadership skills. Ultimately our leading comes from the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ and He beckons us to follow Him wholeheartedly. Secondly, Paul is asking us to walk in the Spirit because we live in the Spirit. Walking can mean so many different things though, and to get a proper understanding we need to know what Paul’s original intent was. The word “walk” in the Greek means, in this context, to walk in a straight line and to conduct oneself rightly. Translated into the verse, it then says this, “let us walk in a straight line and conduct ourselves rightly in the Spirit.” Such a wonderful picture of the life of a Christian this paints! Once again I'm reminded of God’s call to “be holy, as I am holy.” We are not left without the ability to do so! Jesus has given us His Spirit to walk in this way. So today, as we walk with Jesus, as we strive for that divine holiness of life, let us not do it in the flesh, but by the Spirit of God.