What does it mean by walking in the flesh and walking in the spirit ?the meaning of the word is normally found in the context of the discussion. In the bible, the flesh could mean a human or animal body, a relative, a state of walking in the law, a body or being in the body, or a condition of being in sin. There are two spirits, man’s spirit and God’s Spirit.
Rom 8: 1-4 says” There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Walking in the flesh here is a condition of being in sin, and not getting drunk, lying, stealing or any other form of transgressing the law.
Those who are in Christ Jesus have been set free from a law by another law. There is a law of Christ and there is a law of sin and death. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death.
The law of sin and death is the Ten Commandments, given to Moses. We have been set free from the marriage with this law Rom 7: 4-6 says” Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another- to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.”
2Cor 3: 7, Paul calls it the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones. He also calls it the ministry of condemnation, verse 9. The law is also referred to as a school master or tutor to bring us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith-Gal 3: 24.
In the body of Jesus Christ, God took care of sin, law and death. Heb 1:3, Jesus sat down after forcefully removing or purging out sin. The Ten commandments was seeking to bring righteousness before God, but it was not possible Rom 8:3-4. In Christ jesus, sin no longer has position in our lives.
Then what does it mean to walk in the Spirit? This is the Spirit of God and not our spirit. This is to be in Christ as a position, if the Spirit of God dwells in you-Rom 7:9. It is also to walk in love in obedience to the commandments of Christ in 1John 3: 23. It is not mannerism, or the things you do eg, falling down when you pray. Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of this world -Rom 7:5. They are carnarly minded, and they have no ability to please God- Rom 7:7-8.
The only way you are not walking in the flesh is when you are in Christ and walking in love. It is not possible to walk in the Spirit and to walk in the flesh at the same time. The fulfilment of the law is when man comes to the peak of where the law desired man to be, which was impossible. This was accomplished by Christ dying for us