The Cross of Christ  

Most Christians believe that "walking after the Spirit", which refers, of course, to the Holy Spirit, is the carrying out of spiritual things. There are certain disciplines in which every good Christian will engage. I speak of prayer, Bible reading, witnessing, faithfulness to Church, financial support to the work of God, etc. Without a proper prayer life and without proper Bible Study, one cannot really have a relationship with Christ. The other things, as well as many I have not named, fall into the same category. These disciplines, however, can very easily be turned into "works," which constitute "the flesh". For example, if we think that because we pray so much each day, or because we read so many Chapters in the Bible each day, this will give us victory over sin, we are woefully mistaken. The practices will result in our being blessed in many ways, and they will be profitable in many ways; but there will be no victory over sin gained by these practices. Please don't misunderstand. I am in no way saying that Christians don't have to pray or don't have to study the Bible. Nothing could be further from the truth. What I am saying is that these valuable assets to Christian growth must not be turned into works. When the Christian Believer has his faith anchored firmly in Christ and the Cross, which is the only way to victory over sin, he will find that his prayer life, Bible study, and every other Christian discipline will be of far more value than ever before. "Walking after the Spirit" is simply placing one's faith and trust exclusively in Christ and what Christ has done at the Cross. As stated in my explanation of Romans 8:1, this is the way the Holy Spirit works, which demands of us that the Cross of Christ ever be the Object of our Faith. Therefore, the answer to "walking after the flesh" and "walking after the Spirit" is very simple. "Walking after the flesh" is placing one's faith in anything other than Christ and the Cross. "Walking after the Spirit" is one placing one's faith entirely in Christ and the Cross. It is just that simple. Man is a sinner and he needs a Saviour. That Saviour, the only Saviour, is the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is afforded only by what the Saviour did on the Cross. Everything revolves around the Cross of Christ! Yahweh bless you and keep you.