This may come as a surprise to some, but observing the law of Yahweh is not something that is diametrically opposed to walking in the Spirit. In fact, the prophet Ezekiel predicted:
Ezek 36:27 (KJV) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
The works of the flesh are disobedience to the law of Yahweh whereas to walk in the Spirit and have the Spirit living in us is to be living in obedience to the law of Yahweh. If we are walking in the Spirit then we will not obey the lusts of the flesh. The Spirit of Yahweh is what helps us to keep His law. When we are tempted to sin, we can call on Yahweh to help us to overcome by His Spirit.
Romans 7:4 – Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of the Messiah; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto Yahweh.
As we will see, those who are in Yahushua are dead to the law that Yahweh gave because the death penalty for breaking that law has already been paid by Yahushua the Messiah.
When we repent and are baptized, we have freedom from the death penalty that the law would bring. We already died to the old man that was bound to the law and are raised up as a new man and walking a new life. Those who aren’t in Yahushua are still under the law of Yahweh. Therefore, they will be held by its penalty for not observing it. This penalty is death, for the wages of sin is death.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter.
What does it mean to be serving in the oldness of the letter? Is it referring to those who have accepted the Messiah and are trying to keep the law of Yahweh? Certainly not!
It is referring to the time BEFORE we accepted the Messiah and we were in the flesh. Before we accepted the Messiah, we were bound by the law.
The law did work in our members to bring forth death. Indeed the wages of sin (breaking the law of Yahweh [1john 3:4]) is death. But now, in Yahushua we are freed from the penalty of death that he paid for us.
Indeed, this is why the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.
7 What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? Yahweh forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
And so now I ask, will those who continue to walk in sin (breaking the law of Yahweh) after accepting and believing in Yahushua be walking according to the Spirit? Yahweh forbid!
They are not walking in the Spirit, but are walking in the oldness of the letter by walking in the flesh. For the works of the flesh are breaking the commandments/sin:
Romans 8:5-7 (NKJV) For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those [who] [live] according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death, but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against Yahweh; for it is not subject to the law of Yahweh, nor indeed can be.
Walking according to the flesh cannot be referring to those who observe the law of Yahweh.
To be walking according to the flesh is equated with being carnally minded. To be carnally minded is equated with not being subject to the law of Yahweh!
Therefore, those who are in Yahushua and are walking in the Spirit are subject to keeping the law of Yahweh. We can not continue to sin (break the law of Yahweh) so that grace may abound.
Romans 6:1-2- What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Yahweh forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Truly, this is insulting the spirit of grace! Yet, if we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father. But it is never a characteristic of us.
1 John 2:1- My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Yahushua the Messiah the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of Yahweh is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
You see, Yahushua fulfilled or “obeyed” the scripture that was speaking of Him. He also obeyed the law. If Yahushua loved Yahweh with all His heart, if He kept the Sabbath, if He kept the feast days, if He wore tassels, if He ate only clean foods, if He proclaimed the name of Yahweh, if He loved the brethren enough to give His life for them, if He obeyed the Torah/Law of Yahweh….then may Yahweh bless those who walk as He walked, for it is certain that He did these things.
Contrary to popular Christian doctrine, those who do not wish to do these things are not walking as He walked and are not walking according to the newness of Spirit, but are carnally minded and wish to live in the oldness of the letter.
Therefore, the word of Yahweh is death to those who fail to keep it, but is life to those who trust in Yahushua for their righteousness and seek to walk in it.