“If we live by the Spirit, let us walk by the Spirit.” – Galatians 5:25
Are you familiar with the phrase, “A leopard can’t change its spots?” Turns out that its origins is the Bible, namely Jeremiah 13:23:
“Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?”
But this pessimistic phrase has found so much application outside the Bible for centuries that today, few know that it is a Bible verse.
So, do you find that to be true of yourself? Do you find that your behaviour doesn’t change much even after having professed Jesus as Lord for years now? As a pastor of human beings, I confess that many believers tell me of the struggle to find a way of “changing their spots.” No matter how hard they try, they continue to cuss, smoke, drink, cruise porn, gamble, or act like a workaholic, and so on.
Why do you suppose that is? The Bible teaches us that when we declare Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, that we become indwelled and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. It further tells us that if this same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us, it will quicken our mortal body. It will change us, a process called sanctification. In other words, we should see the old ways falling off and the new ways taking hold.
And yet, that doesn’t appear the case with so many church folk.
Yes, it is true that some who go to church are not true believers. They come for the fellowship and the worship energy, but they haven’t made the declaration I spoke of earlier. They will not likely experience serious change until that happens.
Some bring with them deeply rooted habitual sin and saying goodbye to such ingrained ways is more of a journey than a moment.
But for most, I submit that they have not understood what the difference between LIVING by the Spirit and WALKING by the Spirit. In their minds, these concepts sound like the same thing. Living by the Spirit is just another way of saying walking by the Spirit.
And yet, the verse implies that you can’t walk by the Spirit without living by the Spirit. Two different ideas entirely, according to the author. What do they mean?
Consider the word “living.” That is the new life that is in you. Not the life that causes your body to function, but the life that causes your soul to be connected with that same Spirit. It is another way of saying. “If you are alive spiritually.”
So, are you? In other words, have you dedicated your life to Jesus, you should have the ability to walk by the Spirit, aka, behave as though your spots have changed.
Don’t misunderstand, though. Dedicating your life to Christ is more than just a declaration. It is a decision. You choose to surrender who you are completely to the One you call Lord. He provides and equips you with the ability you need to walk by the Spirit.
Does that mean that, if you have struggled getting control of your life that you aren’t a Christian? Not necessarily. It could simply mean that you haven’t totally sold out to Him and His word. He is a part of your life, but He is not yet a master over it.
So, today, consider the possibility that your Christian walk might be stunted. You need help and the old phrase to “Let go and let God” has now come to bear. Total surrender is the minimum price needed to start living a life free from the spots of old.