Charles Ellicott Commentary Galatians 5:16

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." — Galatians 5:16 (ASV)

Walk.—Conduct yourselves: a metaphor very common in the writings of St. Paul, but not unique to them. It occurs three times in the Gospels, once in Acts, thirty-three times in St. Paul’s Epistles, once in the Hebrews, ten times in the Epistles of St. John, and once in the Apocalypse.

In the Spirit.—Rather, by the Spirit—that is, by the rule of the Spirit, as the Spirit directs. “The Spirit” here is undoubtedly the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of God, not the spirit in man.

On verses 16-26:

To follow the guidance of the Spirit is to obtain a double release: on the one hand, from the evil appetites and passions of the flesh or of sense—which is the direct antithesis to the Spirit—and on the other hand, from the dominion of the Law.

It is easy to tell which has the upper hand—the flesh or the Spirit. The flesh is known by a long catalogue of sins, the Spirit by a like catalogue of Christian graces, the mere mention of which is enough to show that the Law has no power over them.

Those who belong to Christ have, through their union with a crucified Saviour, done away with the flesh and all its impulses. All the Christian has to do is to genuinely act by the rule of the Spirit, without self-parade or quarrelling.