But I say, "Walk by the Spirit and never serve the desire of the flesh."
17 For the flesh desires what is opposed to the Spirit and the Spirit desires what is opposed to the flesh, and the two of them are opposites to each other, so that you are not doing what you want.
18 Now if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Gal. 5:16-18 MGI)
Walking is an idiom in the first century that communicated to the people then because they walked everywhere – no cars or buses or trains. It meant HOW TO LIVE LIFE. When I first moved to CA I was introduced to the “joys” of driving in six lanes of traffic on the freeway, because my work was about 45 minutes one way from where we lived. During that time of commuting, I learned some valuable lessons about the Christian walk.
There are all different kinds of drivers on the freeway and I think that looking at some of them will give us some ideas about how to walk by the spirit. Just like when you follow a truck and there’s a sign on the back to call this 800 number – HOW’S MY DRIVING?
The Gripper
The Weaver
The Speeder
The Rubber-Necker
The Sigher
“How’s my driving spiritually?" If I had that on a bumper sticker on my car, I would like for the observation to be that I was driving smoothly, flowing with traffic, had a lot of patience and wisdom, was regarding others on the way and always aware of what was going on.
Now, my brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh that we should walk in the flesh.
13 For if you live by the flesh, you are going to die. And if spiritually you put to death the habits of the body, you will have life.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
15 For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we call, "Father, our Father."
16 And the Spirit gives testimony to our spirit that we are the sons of God.
(Rom. 8:12-16 MGI)