[TruthTalk] Walking in the Spirit

[Slade Henson]

This is Slade's understanding of the following passage. Please understand the bracketed passages are Slade's interpretation. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus [Torah] has set you free from the law of sin and of death [the prescribed punishment for rebellion]. For what the Law could not do [to give salvation through works], weak as it was through the flesh, God {did} sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and {as an offering} for sin [to give salvation through faith], He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit [in Torah]. 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 [which is the Torah lifestyle]. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace [which is Torah], because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law [Torah] of God, for it is not even able to do so, (Romans 8:1-7) Now, if you'd be so kind, let me further explain some foundational truths as I understand them: "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment..." (John 16:8) The "He" in this passage is the Spirit of the Holy One (i.e., the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost, etc.) and the task He performs is the same task Judy and others have said Torah holds... the schoolmaster that leads to Messiah. The schoolmaster teaches us our sinful nature and our need for Messiah. John 16:8 tells us this is a role of the Spirit. "A Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," declares the LORD "As for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the LORD: "My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says the LORD, "from now and forever. Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you" (Isaiah 59:20-60:1) This passage begins with the promise of Messiah for those who turn from transgression. Once this turning occurs, He bestows the Spirit AND he puts His words in the mouth. "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." (Ezekiel 36:26-27) This passage must refer to a point after the turning from transgression because the Spirit is given after "conversion." Therefore, after conversion, the Spirit allows us to walk in Torah (the statutes). Therefore, a person with the Spirit will be careful to observe the commandments of God. To return to the original passage, I remind you of Romans 8:4 which states, "...so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." When I take the perspectives from the other verses stated here, I see that "walking according to the Spirit" is walking in submission to Torah and obeying the commandments of God.   By the way, Dave. I did not refer to commentaries to construct this idea. -- slade