JP-①-C-006 Basic Study 2026 Edition (ver.9) Group C: Fundamentals of Christian Living
(6) The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Walking by the Spirit 2025/07/11
Several things happen when one believes in Christ: forgiveness of sins and justification, freedom from the bondage of sin, receiving eternal life, becoming a child of God (A-03), and, as we will discuss this time, “the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us.”
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* For the sake of time, the indented blue sections can be skipped during discussion.
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“The Holy Spirit dwells within us” means the following:
(1) God is with us (John 14:16)
(2) A guarantee of salvation (Ephesians 1:14) and power for resurrection after death (Romans 8:11)
(3) He speaks to us and gives guidance (John 14:26; 16:13)
(4) He enables us to walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)
(5) Fulfills the requirements of the Law and justifies us (Romans 8:4)
(6) Produces the fruit (character) of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23)
(7) Gives us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11)
(8) Intercedes for us in prayer (Romans 8:26) ...and many more.
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This time, we will focus on (4) Walking by the Spirit, and (5) Fulfilling the requirements of the Law and being justified.
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When we read the Old Testament, we may be surprised at the gap between it and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, there was so much emphasis on law, rules, and commandments. So, to hear that “all is canceled out by believing in Christ” may be joyful, yet hard to understand and accept for some.
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(Jeremiah 31:33) "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
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From these words, we understand that although God established the law, in a later era (after Christ's crucifixion), He would “write it on our hearts.” This shows us that God's way has shifted.
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(*Note) Before proceeding, let us define what “Law” means. Often we think of it as rules and commandments, but it is more than that. In Romans 8:2, the word translated “law” was once rendered as “principle,” which shows that it also means “system” or “rule.”
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(Ezekiel ) 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
36:27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.[10]
How is the law “written on our hearts” as Jeremiah 31:33 says? It is accomplished by the indwelling of the Spirit of God within us.
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Indeed, many parts of the Bible depict the law and the Spirit either as parallel or as contrasting. For example, the day God gave the law to Moses and the day the Holy Spirit was poured out in Acts 2 are the same. Pentecost originally was the celebration of the giving of the law.
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In this way, God justifies us and considers us as having fulfilled the law through the fact that the Holy Spirit dwells within us.
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Having heard this far, you may feel partially convinced, yet still have some doubts. That is natural. In order for God’s requirements to be met, there is something required on our part as well. Of course, it's not about obligation, but if that condition is not met, we may not fully experience this privilege and may be led to spiritual decline.
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■ The condition we must meet = Walk by the Spirit
(Romans) 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
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These words give us great encouragement. But we must also know the next verse:
(Romans 8:4) that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
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Walking according to the Spirit is not just a good thing, it is the very condition by which the righteous requirements of the Law are fulfilled. Yes, walking according to the Spirit is the essence of living as a Christian.
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Of course, this doesn’t mean that failing to meet this condition results in losing salvation or being disqualified. God knows our weaknesses and He is merciful, not condemning. However, those who walk according to the flesh may find it difficult to fully experience the blessings of being God’s children.
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Some may feel uneasy here, wondering, “Am I walking by the Spirit?” since no one is perfect. We live in tension between faith and doubt, the desires of the Spirit and the flesh. To understand our state objectively, we can compare ourselves to the following Scripture:
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(Romans 8:5) “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
(Romans 8:6) “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
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By reflecting on these verses, we can evaluate whether we are walking by the Spirit:
(1) Are we focused on fleshly things?
(2) Are we seeking things of the Spirit?
(3) Do we harbor thoughts of death (including destruction of others or ourselves)?
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(*Note) The word “flesh” may remind us of the physical body, but it actually refers to corrupted thoughts and desires or matters of the soul. Greek philosophy influenced the vocabulary with the idea that “the spirit is pure and the body is evil.”
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The recommended solution, as often said, is “praise, prayer, praying in tongues, and the Word.” Among these, we especially recommend “memorizing Scripture.” If made a habit, it can be quite effective. For example, memorizing Psalm 23, Isaiah 53, Romans 8, or Psalm 1, and reciting them before bed, during anxiety, or in temptation, can be powerful. Of course, reading them is fine too, but memorizing is better.
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As long as we live in this world, we face many “gray areas” that are neither fully spiritual nor fully fleshly. However, we can imagine which direction these actions lead us. Even if an act seems neutral, most of the time it leans toward the flesh. Therefore, we cannot excuse it by saying, “Well, this is normal in today’s world.”
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Being in community
(Galatians 6:2) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
(*Note) The law of Christ is not a set of rules but the essence of what God desires from us.
(*Note) The word “fulfill” here has the same root as in Romans 8:4. But this version carries a nuance of “filling in the gap.” In other words, the “final step” that could not be completed by walking in the Spirit is supplemented through human relationships.
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By bearing one another’s burdens, what is lacking can be fulfilled, but this doesn’t happen automatically. It happens through opening one’s heart and receiving ministries such as inner healing and deliverance.
This holistic approach is how we are transformed into those who are “minded by the Spirit.”
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■ What matters is direction
No one is perfect. If the standard is “how much we’ve done,” we would be in despair. What matters is our direction. Ultimately, what’s important is that our hearts turn toward the Lord and we take actions like those described above to become spiritually minded.