12/11/12  Galatians
Through faith in Christ Jesus we are redeemed. We are made sons of God and heirs of the promise.
Through faith in Christ Jesus we are justified.
" Before faith came" ( Gal. 3:23)  there was the Law, that "shut up" the Jews, and  sin that "shut up" all men.  We were subject to, enclosed with, imprisoned by.. sin.  The Jews were given the Law as a protective measure, to shield them from the evil of the world around them.  It was a governess, a disciplinarian , to keep the people from moral evil, until Christ would come.
All are sinners, missing the mark, unable to be righteous,  the Scriptures make that clear.  The Jews were given the Law, but it could not make them righteous, it just showed them that they were not able to become righteous on their own.   It was meant to lead them to Christ!
The gentiles didn't have the Law, but now we have Christ Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us... for all of us.  There is freedom in Christ.  Freedom from the law, freedom from sin.
In Gal. 5 Paul addresses the freedom from the law first,  to seek to be justified by law is to "fall from grace";  it is a "yoke of slavery";  it severs us from Christ.  It could not save and it could not give life. It is made obsolete by Christ.  It has fulfilled its purpose.
In Christ, we find freedom from sin, from the flesh.  The whole Law "is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall Love your neighbor as yourself".  Because of faith in Christ Jesus we have been given the Spirit.  We have been given LIFE.  In this new life, we are not under the rule of the Law, nor of the flesh.  But we are told to walk by the Spirit ( Gal. 5:16); Be led by the Spirit  ( v18); To live by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit ( V25)  and to sow to the Spirit ( Gal. 6:8)

I know this is very basic, scriptural teaching.  I understand it at that level, but I am looking at this with a desire to know Christ more.  To appreciate and value and KNOW all that He has done for me and all He desires for me. 
What does it mean to "walk by the Spirit"?   To "peripateo - walk, live, deport oneself, follow.. as a companion, to be occupied with... the Spirit?   To live by the Spirit? To be alive, to have a life time (zao) by the Spirit?  To be led ( Greek - ago) - bring, drive, go, carry, be open, lead away.. by the Spirit. To sow to the Spirit - to scatter seed, ?
It is in our living, in our thinking, in our movements, in our work, ... we yield to His Spirit's control and not the flesh's control.  These two are in opposition, it is a battle within ourselves.  They have opposite results.  If the flesh wins the result is seen in our life - immorality, impurity, sensuality, etc and corruption is the harvest that is reaped.  If the Spirit wins, the results seen in our lives are quite different - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.. and the harvest that is reaped is eternal life.
"Now those who belong to Christ Jesus HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal. 5:24)  We live by the Spirit. We are to walk by Him too.  And like Paul we learn to say and agree that we too have been crucified with Christ, and yet we live.. and it not ourselves that live but Christ in us, for we live by faith in the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself for us.  It is through His cross that the world is crucified to me and I to the world.
Lord God, I praise You and thank You for such a marvelous salvation. Fill me with Your Spirit!
Amen