Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Summary: Paul’s simple encouragement to “live by the Spirit” opens the door to wonderment as we consider what he means.
I love how Paul dishes out little tidbits like, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Okay, Paul, exactly HOW are we SUPPOSED to do that?
In the context of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, it sounds like Paul wants us to recognize the difference between “acts of the flesh” and “fruit of the Spirit” and act accordingly. As he points out in the previous verse, we must continually choose to “crucify the flesh.”
With that in mind, and using Paul’s lists as a guide, Christians can monitor their behavior by avoiding things like idolatry, witchcraft, and hatred, and embracing things like kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.
But what about the larger context of the whole Bible? How do we “keep in step with the Spirit?”
Two passages come to mind. The first concerns the fact that God is smarter than you or me.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
The prophet Isaiah speaks the words God gave him.* God’s “ways” and thoughts are not just higher than ours, they are “way” higher. As high as the “heavens are higher than the earth.” To measure this we would have to pull a string line from the earth to the end of the universe. That is a long way!
Of course, God has the advantage of being God. The Bible says he is spirit (John 4:24). This is important to remember because the earth and all that exists were created by a spiritual God. The physical realm is a subset of the spiritual. Because of this, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13). God knows everything. We have no secrets from him.
The second passage describes how God’s Spirit moves:
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)
Because God’s thoughts are higher than ours, and we cannot see what God sees, we cannot know what God is doing or why. The real question is, “Do we trust God?”
If God is in the driver’s seat, we are in for the ride of our life! God’s power, vision, and knowledge are unlimited, so like an adventure ride at the amusement park, we are in for twists and turns that we don’t see coming. There is a reason for each one, but we can’t see it. Only by looking back at where we have been do we understand the wisdom of where God has led us.
Keeping in step with the Spirit is partly under control. We control whether we obey God or not. We control how we respond to God’s love.
When we have done all we can, as we learn to crucify the flesh every minute of each day, we can begin to “live by the Spirit” and “keep in step with the Spirit.”
Application: Trust God!
Food for Thought: What is the difference between living by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit?
*Read about Isaiah’s commissioning in Isaiah 6.
What is the difference between living by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit?
The difference is that one sounds like we’ll get left behind…..
Honestly, this will be mainly interpretted by our assumptions of certain phrases. So the difference will come down to the perceived method of following the Spirit.
Living by the Spirit sounds much more like a template or imprint is left for us to follow. However we know that this phrase is more about empowerment, the Spirit shows you the right path in front of you, shows why that “grey area” wasn’t so grey.
Keeping in step with the Spirit sounds much more like a child trying to step in the snowy footprints their dad left behind. You keep stepping outside of his and teetering. If he didn’t stop to look back at you you’d be all alone. Now again we know that isn’t how it works, but the imagery is what comes to my head, so I interpret how I walk by the Spirit differently. It’s to walk like the Spirit would, rather than other ways, which can feel just as awkward as hopping from footprint to footprint, because it’s not our way.
The important part is that the Spirit is leading in both these descriptions. The exact method of how you interact with the Spirit to make the right decision is not as important as the decision and the fact that you have the Holy Spirit.
Angela,
Nicely said! I especially like your conclusion — the most important thing is to have the Holy Spirit!
Thank you!
When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, place our faith in Him and confess Him as Lord, we are born again in Spirit. We are alive in Christ, living in the Spirit.
John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
Christ begins to change our hearts. As we are sanctified with Him, we begin to walk in the Spirit. I think the word walk could be used for a lot of things. Develop and mature as Followers, die to self/increase in Christ, gain greater understanding of who God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit truly are. I think no matter how you slice it, they point back to the same idea. That we are saved by faith through grace, and are alive in the the Spirit, and like a newborn we spend some time in spiritual “infancy, growth and development.” But as we grow, not only with the Spirit give us the ability to stand and walk, but we are expected to as well.
Ezekiel 36:26–28 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules”
Thank you, Chris!
I like the distinction you draw between growing in the Spirit and using that growth to follow the Spirit’s leading.
Well said!
What is the difference between living by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit?
These are different aspects of the singular act of living in the Spirit of God.
To abide in the Spirit of God is to live, continue, or remain in Him. His word is alive, active, available for all to live in, and according to. The power to choose and turn from other temptations that may lead us astray. Abide in Bible study, faithful friends, small groups, and prayer to stay in step with the Spirit’s voice.
The term “walk in the Spirit” focuses on the believer’s lifestyle, actions in submission to God’s will over their own, as we allow the Holy Spirit to give us power and victory over daily temptations of our flesh.
He is our power to turn away from desires of our flesh that are in opposition to the Holy Spirit. His power allows believers to choose to reject satisfying our flesh as we appreciate, listen to, love, forgive, and reconcile with others brought into our lives by God.
Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk habitually in the Spirit, and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature.
Galatians 5:18, But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.
Galatians 5:25. “If we live in the Spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit.”
Ron,
Thank you!
You make a great point by focusing on how we “abide” in the Spirit. There is a certain amount of conscious effort involved in submitting our spirits to the Holy Spirit.
“Walking in the Spirit” is, as you suggest, the application of our submission to the Spirit.