Walking In The Spirit Of God

I say then: Walk in the Spirit,

and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit,

and the Spirit against the flesh;

and these are contrary to one another,

so that you do not do the things that you wish.

But if you are led by the Spirit

you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:16–18

            Paul writing to the Galatian churches makes this one thing clear: There is neither Jew or Greek, nor is their slave not free, there is neither female nor male, for all are one in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:28). The Jew is not better than the Greek because he has been circumcised. No Christian is better due to their works. The Gentile is not better or worse because he is not circumcised. No Christian is better because the do not perform works. Neither are separated due to their condition, but by faith a slave can be better than a free man and a free man can outstrip a slave, by the quality of faith. Faith is the devotion of the mind. A woman may have all the qualities that outstrip a man, be more esteemed in piety, and a man may surpass a woman in piety; but, and this is an important. All these conditions may exist and yet all have one thing in common: depravity; original sin, this disparity of condition whereby the body may be destroyed by baptism into and putting on the clothing in Jesus Christ. We may say that we are Christian and yet our lives are in contradiction to our words. We do not keep all the Ten Commandments, and make excuses for not keeping the one Commandment: keeping the Sabbath holy, and a separate day to rest, to worship God, outside of going to church. We don’t associate with our brothers and sisters except that short time we spend at church. We not only make excuses for such failure, we make excuses for other failures, and the one greatest failure is not walking in the Spirit, and when we fail in this we are liable to fulfill the lust of the flesh. We are all one in Jesus Christ, just as the Only Begotten Son of God and the Father are together as One, so also we, all Christians are one together. If we fail to walk in the Spirit and allow our flesh to become our master then we are a slave to that master and all our brothers and sisters are affected, and be bring much bad report and effect upon our congregation and the church as a whole.

            The need is to walk by faith, uprightly in this present life and how much this will accomplish completely now and how much more amply will this walking in faith be a splendor when we face Jesus Christ face to face. When we walk by faith, the righteousness of faith we have many of the first fruits of the Spirit who is life. Though our body is dead in sin, we are alive in Jesus Christ and no matter who we are, no matter what nationality, not matter what gender, male or female, we all are in Jesus Christ and all will face Jesus Christ. Our faith, our walking in faith and not allowing our flesh to rule keeps us from being contrary to the will of God, His commandments, not because we will have something from God, that something has already been promised, and that promise is secure in Jesus Christ; eternal life. What more do you want?  In our everyday life it is this unity of faith, that unity we have with Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Father. When we come face to face with Jesus Christ do we not want to hear: “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord’” (Matthew 25:21).  What is holding you back? Why have you not become sold out for Jesus Christ? Do you really believe in the promises of God? Do you really believe that you are legally in heaven now and are waiting until this temporary life is over, and then reside eternally with Jesus Christ, that is, with God and this lust of the flesh will be destroyed never to return. You are all one in Jesus Christ, therefore you are Abraham’s seed. This fact shows that one seed, Jesus Christ, is not only our mediator but also as the church, that is you, is the body of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and as one in Jesus Christ we are to be His representative here on earth. Are you one? Or, are you allowing the works of the flesh to be your ruler, your head, and are you representing Satan, and those who perform satanic things? You may say: “I am not doing satanic thing, I keep the Sabbath, I do, I do, I do, but are doing things that seem pious, but are contrary to God’s word, a work that has the appearance of godliness, but only are enslaving you to those works.

            Walk by faith, allow the Spirit of God to be your paidagogos, your master, and walk as to what you have become, the seed of Abraham according to the promise of God, We are the adopted offspring of God. Take the word of God seriously and believe upon Him. Employ in your life His Spirit that resides in you and is willing to continue to guide you, to instruct you and this through proper preaching, and proper interpretation of His word. When you allow the flesh, the lust of the flesh rule your life, then you have pushed aside the Holy Spirit, and are walking contrary to the will of God.  Now, here is the good news: You are a son of God! You do not have to walk in the lust of the flesh! You can walk in the Spirit! We are not under the law, the law of works. From our faith, walking in righteousness we will do works, not because we are more righteous, rather because we are an ambassador of Christ, and we live, do, those things for Him. Here is where there is blessings, and here is, when we face Him face to face, we will enjoy the splendor of His pleasure with us.

Most assuredly, I say to you

            The hour is coming,

And now is, when the dead

            Will hear the voice

Of the Son of God; and

            Those who hear will live.

                        John 5:25

Walk in the Spirit today

Richard L. Crumb