As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
—Colossians 2:6

In some earlier messages I touched briefly on walking in the spirit, but now I would like to look at it in more detail, because there are a great many theories about walking in the spirit. It is interesting how the Word of God itself explains walking in the spirit. Paul writes to the Colossians: “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” The “modern” interpretation is: “we received by grace, so we also walk by grace.” I am not against this interpretation, because everything that concerns our Lord Jesus Christ is all by grace. But I would like to look at it in more detail.

Receiving Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit are one and the same, because Christ lives in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. So how did we receive the Spirit? “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” [Gal.3:2] By “the hearing of faith”. So we also walk in Christ by faith. [2 Cor.5:7] But what does it mean to walk by faith, or in the Spirit, or in Christ, which are all one and the same? Paul goes on to explain: “rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” [Col.2:7] You see, “in the faith” and “in Him” are used interchangeably.

I sum up walking in the spirit in three words: rooted, built up and established. So how are we rooted in Christ? We are “rooted and grounded in love” and come “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” [Eph.3:17-19] Being rooted in love is not some kind of practice, because even a tree does not practise anything when it puts down roots. The rain waters the tree, the sun warms it, and the spirit roots it. In the same way we, like fruitful trees, are rooted in love through the Spirit, who fills our hearts with love. [Rom.5:5] And what does it mean to be built up? The Greek word for “built up” is epoikodomeo, which means to build, to erect. “But you, beloved, building [epoikodomeo] yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God” [Jud.1:20-21]

And finally, we are established in Him. How are we established, and by what? Here is what Scripture says: “For it is good that the heart be established by grace” [Heb.13:9] Walking in the spirit doesn’t mean going somewhere or doing something, because everything outward happens in the flesh. In Christ we are rooted in love, built up in faith and established by grace. What is all this for? The next verse says: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” [Col.2:8] So that we are not tossed to and fro by every kind of teaching, but are like a tree “That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” [Ps.1:3]