“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16 NIV).
In addition to its use as a spiritual metaphor, the Scriptures also use the word “walk” as a figure of speech to denote a person’s general conduct or behavior. Perhaps the best example of this idea might be found in the first two verses of Psalm 1: “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”
As implied in the Psalm quoted above, we can choose from two options as we travel along the road of life. We can follow the counsel of those who care nothing for the things of God or we can follow the path taken by those who prioritize the teaching of God’s Word. Jesus made use of a similar concept in His famous Sermon on the Mount…
“Go in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14 CJB).
It’s not always easy to travel a road that honors God as we’re reminded here in Matthew 7:13-14. Because of this, many prefer to take the path of least resistance with little or no concern for their final destination. For example, Galatians chapter five will tell us about several different paths along that broad road and we’ll consider a few of their corresponding behaviors when we reach verses nineteen through twenty-one.
But for now, one commentator offers some final insights on the concept of “walking” in this context…
“Walking is a metaphor used from time to time in Scripture to denote spiritual progress. People in the first century could not travel as fast as we do, with our cars, planes, trains and the like, but even so, for them as for us, walking was the slowest way of going places. But even though walking was slow and unspectacular, walking meant progress. If anyone kept walking, she or he would certainly cover the ground and eventually reach the destination. So for the apostle walking was an apt metaphor. If any believer was walking, that believer was going somewhere.” (1)
(1) Leon Morris, Galatians: Paul’s Charter of Christian Freedom, p.167 quoted in Constable, Thomas. DD. Notes on Galatians 2017 Edition [5:16] Copyright © 2017 Thomas L. Constable. https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/galatians/galatians.htm