Walking in the Spirit: A Reflection on Galatians 5:16
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” — Galatians 5:16 (NIV) Paul’s letter to the Galatians is rich with wisdom…
1. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
2. By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
3. Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.
6. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—
7. because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
10. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
13. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
14. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
In Romans 6:1-14, Paul addresses a crucial question for every believer: How should we live in light of the grace we’ve received through Christ? This passage is all about our new identity in Christ and how it transforms our relationship with sin.
Paul begins with a rhetorical question that hits at the heart of how grace is sometimes misunderstood: “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” The answer is a firm “By no means!” Our new life in Christ means we have died to sin. Baptism symbolizes this new identity—just as Christ was buried and resurrected, we are called to live a new life, free from the power of sin.
Paul emphasizes our union with Christ in His death and resurrection. Because we are united with Him, His victory over sin becomes ours. The old self, which was enslaved to sin, has been crucified, and we are set free from its grip. This freedom is not just a theoretical idea but a practical reality we can live out.
Our new identity means we should see ourselves as dead to sin and alive to God. This shift in perspective is vital. It’s not merely about knowing this truth but living it out. We need to understand that sin no longer has power over us, and we must count ourselves as alive to God.
Paul gives practical advice on how to live this out: don’t let sin reign in your body, and don’t offer yourself to sin. Instead, offer yourself to God. Every part of our being should be used for righteousness, reflecting our new status as those who have been brought from death to life.
Imagine a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. The caterpillar’s old way of life is gone, and it emerges as something entirely new. In the same way, our old life of sin is gone, and we are now new creations in Christ. Just as the butterfly no longer crawls but flies, we are called to live out our new identity in Christ, free from the constraints of sin.
Romans 6:1-14 challenges us to understand and embrace our new identity in Christ. We are no longer slaves to sin but free to live a life that honors God. Let’s walk in this newness of life, offering ourselves to Him and reflecting His righteousness in every aspect of our lives.
D. Darrell King
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