Focus: The Faith Walk (Pt.2)

Text: Col.2:6

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."

The Christian life is described in the Scripture as a walk. Enoch walked WITH God. God required Abraham to walk BEFORE Him. Paul instructs the Christian to walk IN Christ. Paul declares, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but AFTER the Spirit" (Rom.8:4). The Christian walks IN Christ and walks AFTER the Spirit. We follow the dictates and guidance of the Holy Spirit in our daily walk with God. We follow in the steps of the Spirit. 

Paul says, "This I say then, Walk IN the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh… If we live IN the Spirit, let us also walk IN the Spirit" (Gal.5:16,25). The believer in Christ walks AFTER the Spirit and also walks IN the Spirit. According to Paul, those who walk in the Spirit will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. We will be able to rise above fleshly propensities. 

Again, Paul says that if we live in the Spirit, then we should walk in the Spirit. The little word 'in' also means 'by' in the Greek. We live and walk by the Spirit. Paul tells us that we are Abraham's children "who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham…" (Rom.4:12). By faith Abraham stepped out of his comfort zone and stepped into a new frontier. 

Faith always results in acts of obedience. Faith takes us into new territories. Faith creates a new pathway.

We walk not in the steps of Abraham, but in the steps of his faith. Paul says, "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)" (2Cor.5:7). Our walk is informed and influenced by our faith in Christ. We do not follow what we see with our physical sight. Our faith governs our space and speed. The path of faith leads directly to God.

Paul says that "like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Rom.6:4). We walk in NEWNESS of life. We have moved away from the old order into a new realm of existence.

Paul calls upon us to "walk honestly, as in the day…" (Rom.13:13). As they say, 'Honesty is the best policy.' 

Our faith-walk requires that we be honest in our dealings with God, with others, and with ourselves.

Paul writes, "That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without…" (1Thes.4:12). Outsiders should see our honesty in our daily walk.

Paul writes, "But as God hath distributed to every man, AS the Lord hath called every one, so let him WALK. And so ordain I in all churches" (1Cor.7:17). Paul calls on us to walk in accordance with our callings and gifting. Our divine vocation determines how we should conduct the affairs of our lives. He says elsewhere, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye WALK WORTHY of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (Eph.4:1). 

We should walk within the axis of our vocation. Our walk and vocation must agree. We should prove ourselves worthy of our calling. Paul declares, "That ye might WALK WORTHY of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Col.1:10). He says again, "That ye would WALK WORTHY of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory" (1Thes.2:12).

Paul says again, "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour" (Eph.5:2). He says, "And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it" (2Jh.1:6). Our walk should be characterized with the love of Christ. 

God requires of us to walk in love. We walk in Christ and walk in His love. People around us need to see the reality of the love of Christ in action through us.

John says, "He that saith he abideth in him OUGHT himself ALSO SO TO WALK, even AS he walked" (1Jh.2:6). We exemplify the life and love of Christ before the watching world. We walk AS he walked. John says, "But if we WALK IN the light, as he is IN the light" (1Jh.1:7). We walk in the light of Christ. Works of darkness should not be traced to or associated with us. Paul says, "Now are ye light in the Lord: walk AS children of light" (Eph.5:8). 

We walk as Christ did, and we walk as children of light. John says, "I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking IN truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father" (2Jh.1:4). He says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3Jh.1:4). We walk honestly. We walk in love. We walk in truth. 

Paul says, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but AS wise" (Eph.5:15). We walk wisely - as people who are brilliant and intelligent. We walk circumspectly. We read, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time" (Col.4:5).

Paul writes, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should WALK in them" (Eph.2:10). 

God has ordained us to walk in good works. God worked good works into our spiritual DNA. God recreated us in Christ to do good works.

Finally, John declares concerning the overcomers, that "they shall WALK WITH me in white: for they are worthy" (Rev.3:4). Our walk with Christ continues beyond time into eternity. We will walk with Jesus Christ in white; the white garment speaks of our worthiness in the sight of God. We will finally arrive at our right destination in eternity, walking with Christ in white. Every day we are walking with Christ towards our perfect home in heaven.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter