What is "Walking in the Spirit"?

[Tenchi]

I've my own well-formed views on what Galatians 5:16 and 25 mean by "walking in/by the Spirit," but I'm curious what those who frequent this website think this "walking" is, what it looks like and how one comes to be walking in/by the Spirit rather than merely living in/by the Spirit. Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[JonC]

I have two definitions.

1. Walking in the Spirit and living in the Spirit mean the same thing. It is having a mind set on the things of the Spirit rather than the flesh.

2. Walking in the Spirit is like running in the Spirit, only slower.

 

[Charlie24]

I've my own well-formed views on what Galatians 5:16 and 25 mean by "walking in/by the Spirit," but I'm curious what those who frequent this website think this "walking" is, what it looks like and how one comes to be walking in/by the Spirit rather than merely living in/by the Spirit. Thanks in advance for your comments.

Walking in the Spirit is walking this life in faith and not by sight.

There is only one faith, and we all know that Paul has said it.

That faith is in the finished work of Christ.

That established faith enables the Holy Spirit to guide us, especially when we don't understand and everything we see is against us, but the Spirit says walk in Faith and I'll lead your paths.

 

[Baptizo]

I think the short answer is living Christlike.

 

[Charlie24]

I think the short answer is living Christlike.

And the only way we can do that is by walking in the Spirit by faith in Christ Jesus.

 

[Baptizo]

And the only way we can do that is by walking in the Spirit by faith in Christ Jesus.

Yes, faith is a very important part of the equation.

 

[Charlie24]

Yes, faith is a very important part of the equation.

It's all of the equation seeing that it's impossible for us to be Christlike without the Spirit.

 

[Baptizo]

It's all of the equation seeing that it's impossible for us to be Christlike without the Spirit.

Yes, I should have been more clear on that. I guess my answer was too short.

 

[Charlie24]

Yes, I should have been more clear on that. I guess my answer was too short.

One of the hardest things I've ever attempted is making myself clear on the boards.

Putting what's in the mind in ink is very difficult for me.

And then I have other things on my mind and give the half answer.

 

[Tenchi]

I have two definitions.

1. Walking in the Spirit and living in the Spirit mean the same thing. It is having a mind set on the things of the Spirit rather than the flesh.

2. Walking in the Spirit is like running in the Spirit, only slower.

Galatians 5:16-18
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:24-25
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.


Interesting. Why do you suppose Paul bothered to make a distinction between "living in/by the Spirit" and "walking in/by the Spirit" if they are essentially the same thing? He seemed to indicate that "walking in the Spirit" was something additional to "living in/by the Spirit" when he used the the phrase "let us also walk... ."

It's suggestive, don't you think, that Paul didn't write of "walking" and "running" in the Spirit, which would be consistent with the idea these are essentially the same thing, differing only in their level of vigor, but, instead, of "living" and "walking." "Living" describes a general state of being, but "walking" refers to a specific activity one performs.

In Galatians 5:25, Paul is fairly precise about what he meant by "walking in the Spirit" which modern translations of his words render "keep in step with the Spirit" (Gk. stoicheo) rather than the "walking" of verse 16 (Gk. peripateo). As you may be well aware, stoicheo conveys they idea of marching in a line, to walk in an orderly way and, figuratively, "to conform." Peripateo, though, means to "walk or wander all about" and may be used figuratively to mean "be occupied with." Figuratively, peripateo carries the idea of demonstrating an ability (in this case, that one is indwelt by the Holy Spirit). So, then, Galatians 5:16 is actually speaking of "living in the Spirit" (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19-20; Ro. 8:9-14; Jn. 14:16-17), of a general spiritual state of affairs to which one gives evidence in one's conduct, but Galatians 5:25 refers to a particular sort of living, the specific way in which one gives evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Does this fit at all with what you understand of the verses above and the matter of "walking in the Spirit"?

 

[Tenchi]

Walking in the Spirit is walking this life in faith and not by sight.

There is only one faith, and we all know that Paul has said it.

That faith is in the finished work of Christ.

That established faith enables the Holy Spirit to guide us, especially when we don't understand and everything we see is against us, but the Spirit says walk in Faith and I'll lead your paths.

All right.

Question: So, why didn't Paul just write what you do here? Why did he write "walk in the Spirit" rather than "walk by faith and not by sight" which he did in 2 Corinthians 5:7? Why mean the latter but write the former? Why obscure his meaning in Galatians 5:25 but state it plainly in 2 Corinthians 5:7?

Question: Why do you superimpose "walking by faith" upon "walking in/by the Spirit"? Is it just the use of the term "walking"? Can there not be different forms of walking that may overlap with one another but are not synonymous? It seems to me that this may be the case in what you're asserting above. There is definitely overlap between the two sorts of walking but does this mean they are essentially identical things so that in using the one sort of walking one is necessarily referring to the other?

The "finished work of Christ" on the cross is vital to "walking in the Spirit," the former is a necessary predicate to our doing the latter, but his finished work begins the born-again person's life in the Spirit, it doesn't complete it. Consider Philippians 1:6, or Philippians 2:13, or 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. Christ's finished work brings us into "life in the Spirit" (living in the Spirit) but it doesn't automatically cause us "walk in the Spirit," hence Paul's command to the believers in the province of Galatia to do so.

I've known many Christians who've had a very settled confidence in their salvation and membership in God's family and rock-solid faith in the revelation of God's word, who revealed next to nothing (by their own admission) of the life and work of the Spirit in the manner of their living. Though they had been born-again believers for decades, in some cases, they were no more like Jesus (Ro. 8:29; 2 Co. 3:18; 4:7-11), they had no greater manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in their lives and enjoyed no deeper fellowship with God than at their conversion. Was the Spirit leading their paths, do you think? Did he lead them to be perennially halted spiritually?

 

[Tenchi]

I think the short answer is living Christlike.

This is an effect of walking in the Spirit rather than the essence of what that "walking" is, don't you think? How does "walking in the Spirit" happen so that it produces this effect?

 

[Baptizo]

This is an effect of walking in the Spirit rather than the essence of what that "walking" is, don't you think? How does "walking in the Spirit" happen so that it produces this effect?

You can’t walk in the spirit without having the Holy Spirit first.

 

[Charlie24]

All right.

Question: So, why didn't Paul just write what you do here? Why did he write "walk in the Spirit" rather than "walk by faith and not by sight" which he did in 2 Corinthians 5:7? Why mean the latter but write the former? Why obscure his meaning in Galatians 5:25 but state it plainly in 2 Corinthians 5:7?

Question: Why do you superimpose "walking by faith" upon "walking in/by the Spirit"? Is it just the use of the term "walking"? Can there not be different forms of walking that may overlap with one another but are not synonymous? It seems to me that this may be the case in what you're asserting above. There is definitely overlap between the two sorts of walking but does this mean they are essentially identical things so that in using the one sort of walking one is necessarily referring to the other?

The "finished work of Christ" on the cross is vital to "walking in the Spirit," the former is a necessary predicate to our doing the latter, but his finished work begins the born-again person's life in the Spirit, it doesn't complete it. Consider Philippians 1:6, or Philippians 2:13, or 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. Christ's finished work brings us into "life in the Spirit" (living in the Spirit) but it doesn't automatically cause us "walk in the Spirit," hence Paul's command to the believers in the province of Galatia to do so.

I've known many Christians who've had a very settled confidence in their salvation and membership in God's family and rock-solid faith in the revelation of God's word, who revealed next to nothing (by their own admission) of the life and work of the Spirit in the manner of their living. Though they had been born-again believers for decades, in some cases, they were no more like Jesus (Ro. 8:29; 2 Co. 3:18; 4:7-11), they had no greater manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in their lives and enjoyed no deeper fellowship with God than at their conversion. Was the Spirit leading their paths, do you think? Did he lead them to be perennially halted spiritually?

When we accept Christ by faith our spirit and soul are saved, but not this body of sin, it's saved at the resurrection.

This body of sin we're trapped in has a tendency for doing just the opposite of what we are told to do in Scripture.

Paul didn't say we can stop sinning, but he did say in Rom. 6:14 that sin will not have dominion over us.

What is that thing in us that craves sin, and how do we keep it from dominating us? Left unchecked it will dominate us.

It's the sin nature that we must understand. When we were saved God didn't take away this inherited nature from Adam.

He left it is us because this body cannot be saved without dying and a new body given to us without sin, the resurrected body.

So we have a sin nature to deal with in this life. Paul dedicates Rom. 6-8 in dealing with this problem.

I think it would be a good idea for me start a new thread soon picking up from here and discussing what Paul said about dealing with this problem.

I've already created a thread on the sin nature some months ago, identifying the sin nature in Scripture, what it is, and the problems it causes, but I have not detailed from Scripture what Paul has taught us on how to control it. I'll start that thread when I find the time.

 

[Tenchi]

When we accept Christ by faith our spirit and soul are saved, but not this body of sin, it's saved at the resurrection.

Romans 6:6-7
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

Romans 8:12-13
12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—
13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

This body of sin we're trapped in has a tendency for doing just the opposite of what we are told to do in Scripture.

Yes, Romans 7:14-24 and Galatians 5:17. This problem, however, is given a resolution in Romans 8:9-14 and Romans 6:11 and verses 13-22.

Paul didn't say we can stop sinning, but he did say in Rom. 6:14 that sin will not have dominion over us.

Romans 6:1-2
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

Romans 6:7
7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

Romans 6:14
14 For sin shall not be master over you...

What is that thing in us that craves sin, and how do we keep it from dominating us? Left unchecked it will dominate us.

Romans 6:6
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

It's the sin nature that we must understand. When we were saved God didn't take away this inherited nature from Adam.

The blood of Christ removed the stain of our sin but it is the cross of Christ that dealt with the source of all our sin: the Old Self. By the cross, our Old Self is rendered powerless to cause us to sin.

I think it would be a good idea for me start a new thread soon picking up from here and discussing what Paul said about dealing with this problem.

It is this matter that I hoped to broach in this thread, actually.

 

[Tenchi]

You can’t walk in the spirit without having the Holy Spirit first.

Yes, right...

 

[Tenchi]

So, there's one of two ways a born-again person lives every day:

1.) In the power of their flesh (intellect, determination, physical strength).

2.) In the power of the Holy Spirit.

More often than not, at least in my experience, Christians are working to achieve a godly life from the first power source while assuming they're doing so from the second. This is a spiritual catastrophe. Paul explained why in various of his letters:

Romans 7:18-19
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

Romans 8:5-8
5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Galatians 5:17
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

Galatians 6:7-8
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption...

And so on.

To work to accomplish a supernatural effect (Christlikeness - Ro. 8:29) by natural, fleshly power is to make failure certain. Like begets like: A duck begets a duck, a cat begets a cat, a dog begets a dog and the flesh only begets the flesh. According to God's word, the only thing the flesh, by itself, can produce in you is spiritual and moral corruption, destruction and death (See above and: Ga. 5:19-21).

Why, then, do so many believers rely upon their flesh (intellect, determination, physical strength) to achieve godliness? Well, how else do we live except in the flesh? We exist in "tents" of flesh; we preach, teach, love, and serve with our physical bodies, so there's no getting away from the flesh in Christian living. What does it mean, then, to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit rather than in the power of the flesh?

The main difference is that the one "walking in the (power of the) Spirit" does so under the Spirit's constant control. In his letter to the Galatian believers and to the believers at Rome, Paul indicated that being "led of the Spirit" was a chief characteristic of being Spirit-minded and of "walking in the Spirit" (Ro. 8:13-14; Ga. 5:16-18). Being "led of the Spirit," as Paul explained in Galatians 5:25, is "walking in step" with the Spirit, which is much more than his merely influencing the Christian's living. This is made clear in the following:

Romans 6:13
13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

Romans 6:19
19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

Here, Paul taught that born-again people are to present themselves ("yield themselves" in the KJV) to God as His "slave of righteousness." Paul is not proposing that the Spirit merely suggests, and prods, and tickles the believer's mind and conscience in a godly direction but that they submit to the rule of the Spirit as a slave to their Master. Doing so, Paul writes, "results in sanctification."

Romans 12:1
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

What does yielding, or presenting, oneself to God as His slave mean? Here, Paul explains: Be a living sacrifice to God. The Spirit doesn't merely guide, or assist, or support the born-again believer, but requires that they yield themselves to His will across-the-board, forsaking all personal rights and autonomy.

"A living sacrifice. A sacrifice is an offering made to God as an atonement for sin; or any offering made to him and his service as an expression of thanksgiving or homage. It implies, that he who offers it presents it entirely, releases all claim or right to it, and leaves it to be disposed of for the honour of God. In the case of an animal, it was slain, and the blood offered; in the case of any other offering, as the firstfruits, etc., it was set apart to the service of God; and he who offered it released all claim on it, and submitted it to God, to be disposed of at his will. This is the offering which the apostle entreats the Romans to make; to devote themselves to God, as if they had no longer any claim on themselves; to be disposed of by him; to suffer and bear all that he might appoint; and to promote his honour in any way which he might command. This is the nature of true religion."
- Barnes' Notes on the New Testament.

There can be no "walking in the Spirit" apart from this radical submission to God (Ja. 4:7, 10; 1 Pe. 5:5-6) in everything. And if there is no "walking in the Spirit," there can be no true victory over the flesh (Ga. 5:16). One must be consciously, explicitly submitted to God, as Christ demonstrated for us in Gethsemane; to be otherwise is to be a rebel toward God. And if a believer is a rebel toward God, however pious their living, they will not be filled with power of God that is necessary to the supernatural transformation He wants to work in them. In such a condition, the believer will resort to their own human, fleshly power in an attempt to "work out their salvation" and produce a fleshly counterfeit of "life in the Spirit."

 

[Tenchi]

I've heard a great many Christian men, in particular, give lip-service to the need to submit to God and to walk in the power of the Spirit. But having made token acknowledgement of these things, they go on in word and deed to demonstrate neither of these things in their own mundane, daily living. Instead, they live out "boot strap theology," by dint of their own intelligence, will-power and physical endurance, striving and straining to be the person God wants them to be. Its exhausting to "walk with God" this way and nothing more of Him is revealed in the process, only the capacities of the one striving from their own human resources to be godly. I wrote a short article - an allegory, almost - on this self-centered way in which most Christian men I know live as Christians:

Conduits, not Copyists.

Isaiah 64:8

jonathanhay.substack.com

As I said, the boot-strap approach to walking with God is exhausting. And completely the opposite of what God's word says is the experience of those who wait on His empowerment of them.

Psalm 84:5-7
5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion!
6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring; The early rain also covers it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength...

Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.
29 He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
30 Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Ephesians 3:19-21
19 ... know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us...


Though I've often shared with struggling and worn-out Christian men these and many other verses in God's word that locate the power source for Christian living in God (Phil. 1:6; 2:13; Ro. 8:13; Eph. 3:16; 2 Co. 3:18; 1 Thess. 5:23-24, etc.), these boot-strap believers have refused to shift from a flesh-centered approach to spiritual living. Even now, I'm not quite clear on why - especially when their unbiblical manner of living is wearing them out, and leaving them fundamentally unchanged, and keeping God obscured from them. Some have even become quite angry when they read the above verses and begin to consider that they've lived as a child of God - perhaps for decades - and not understood how, properly, to do so. I suspect this is the root issue they have with leaving off boot-strap theology: It's just too disturbing to think they've been acting on a fleshly basis all their lives as born-again believers and they'd rather continue doing so than admit to being in error, taking up the right way to walk with God, instead. I wrote a bit of satire on these incorrigible boot-strap types:

The Church of the Heavenly Boot Straps.

A satire.

jonathanhay.substack.com

 

[Charlie24]

I've heard a great many Christian men, in particular, give lip-service to the need to submit to God and to walk in the power of the Spirit. But having made token acknowledgement of these things, they go on in word and deed to demonstrate neither of these things in their own mundane, daily living. Instead, they live out "boot strap theology," by dint of their own intelligence, will-power and physical endurance, striving and straining to be the person God wants them to be. Its exhausting to "walk with God" this way and nothing more of Him is revealed in the process, only the capacities of the one striving from their own human resources to be godly. I wrote a short article - an allegory, almost - on this self-centered way in which most Christian men I know live as Christians:

Conduits, not Copyists.

Isaiah 64:8

jonathanhay.substack.com

As I said, the boot-strap approach to walking with God is exhausting. And completely the opposite of what God's word says is the experience of those who wait on His empowerment of them.

Psalm 84:5-7
5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion!
6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring; The early rain also covers it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength...

Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.
29 He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
30 Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Ephesians 3:19-21
19 ... know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us...


Though I've often shared with struggling and worn-out Christian men these and many other verses in God's word that locate the power source for Christian living in God (Phil. 1:6; 2:13; Ro. 8:13; Eph. 3:16; 2 Co. 3:18; 1 Thess. 5:23-24, etc.), these boot-strap believers have refused to shift from a flesh-centered approach to spiritual living. Even now, I'm not quite clear on why - especially when their unbiblical manner of living is wearing them out, and leaving them fundamentally unchanged, and keeping God obscured from them. Some have even become quite angry when they read the above verses and begin to consider that they've lived as a child of God - perhaps for decades - and not understood how, properly, to do so. I suspect this is the root issue they have with leaving off boot-strap theology: It's just too disturbing to think they've been acting on a fleshly basis all their lives as born-again believers and they'd rather continue doing so than admit to being in error, taking up the right way to walk with God, instead. I wrote a bit of satire on these incorrigible boot-strap types:

The Church of the Heavenly Boot Straps.

A satire.

jonathanhay.substack.com

I can relate to this! I was one of them, and still am to a degree!

 

[JonC]

Galatians 5:16-18
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:24-25
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.


Interesting. Why do you suppose Paul bothered to make a distinction between "living in/by the Spirit" and "walking in/by the Spirit" if they are essentially the same thing? He seemed to indicate that "walking in the Spirit" was something additional to "living in/by the Spirit" when he used the the phrase "let us also walk... ."

It's suggestive, don't you think, that Paul didn't write of "walking" and "running" in the Spirit, which would be consistent with the idea these are essentially the same thing, differing only in their level of vigor, but, instead, of "living" and "walking." "Living" describes a general state of being, but "walking" refers to a specific activity one performs.

In Galatians 5:25, Paul is fairly precise about what he meant by "walking in the Spirit" which modern translations of his words render "keep in step with the Spirit" (Gk. stoicheo) rather than the "walking" of verse 16 (Gk. peripateo). As you may be well aware, stoicheo conveys they idea of marching in a line, to walk in an orderly way and, figuratively, "to conform." Peripateo, though, means to "walk or wander all about" and may be used figuratively to mean "be occupied with." Figuratively, peripateo carries the idea of demonstrating an ability (in this case, that one is indwelt by the Holy Spirit). So, then, Galatians 5:16 is actually speaking of "living in the Spirit" (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19-20; Ro. 8:9-14; Jn. 14:16-17), of a general spiritual state of affairs to which one gives evidence in one's conduct, but Galatians 5:25 refers to a particular sort of living, the specific way in which one gives evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Does this fit at all with what you understand of the verses above and the matter of "walking in the Spirit"?

I do not believe Paul is making a distinction between walking in the Spirit and living in the Spirit.

In our speech and writings we typically use different words to say the same thing. In normal speech and writing people tend to avoid repeating words or phrases to convey a thought. It's just awkward.

Unless you are a Democrat, then it's common.

Seriously, though. Think about it.

"I have an amalgamation of chemicals. What do I do with this amalgamation of chemicals?" vs "I have an amalgamation of chemicals. What do I do with this mixture?".