Part 25 of 25

How We Conduct Our Walk

In Scripture, how a man conducts his daily living is called his “walk.” The Bible has much to say about how we walk, both morally and spiritually.

Morally, many “walk after their own lusts” (2 Pet. 3:3) and many “walk in darkness” (John 12:35). Some “walk in craftiness (deceitfulness)” (2Cor. 4:2) trying to deceive or lead others astray. Often Christian believers are careless about their “walk” and so cause others to stumble.

The Apostle Paul gives the believers what I call love-commands – not laws - with regard to what he calls their “walk.” These love-commands are the ways of conduct that would make our lives to be ones by which we would enjoy in rest and peace with God and men, as well as be fruitful.

Paul encourages believers to “walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing” (Col. 1:10). They are exhorted to “walk worthy of (their) calling” (Eph. 4:1), and to “walk as children of the light” (Eph. 5:8). They are exhorted to “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Eph. 5:15), to “walk honestly” (Rom. 13:13), to “walk in love” (Eph. 5:2) and to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).

Every true child of God should be aware of their “walk,” or conduct. In Eph. 2:8-10 we read that while believers are saved by grace and not saved by good works, they are saved “unto good works.” God’s grace is the root of our salvation, and good works are the fruit of our grace-filled life when it is lived in union and accord with the indwelling Christ. As our self-soul is submitted to Christ within our spirit, He guides and …empowers us in our walk. He desires to walk in us.

Never are we told that it is our “walk,” or conduct that makes us acceptable for salvation. A person’s walk could never earn their salvation, or after their salvation, serve to keep them saved. Our being saved is by having received the forgiveness that is in Christ, freely, by grace, and with the deposit of Christ’s own “Spirit of life.” Having thereby become a partaker of His eternal resurrection life and nature, we are kept by His grace. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Colossians 2:6). Having received so great a salvation “by grace through faith, not of works,” (Eph 2:8-9), then Paul exhorts believers to “walk” pleasing to the Lord out of sheer gratitude to Him.

Of all these instructions with regard to our walk, many are love-commands as noted above. Only a few tell us how we are actually empowered in our “walk.” Here Paul tells us the power-source for our “walk.” All true believers in Christ are counted as being one with Christ in His death and resurrection; so it then is expected of us that “as Christ was raised up from the dead even so we also should walk in newness of life (Zoë, spirit life)” (Rom. 6:4). Thus, we see that our walk is to be in accord with and by the new life we have by Christ’s resurrected “Spirit of life” indwelling our spirit. Walking in union with Christ in us is the way we keep from sinning; Galatians 5:16 …Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust (desires) of the flesh. Many Christians have it backwards, thinking they must fight and resist Sin to be "in the spirit." No, “the Spirit” is our overcoming life. Sin is overcome as we cling to and abide in union with “the Spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom 8:2). 

Christ’s death, as our death (Rom 6:3, 6-7), freeing us from the power of Sin. The “Spirit of LIFE” operating within us then has set us free from the power of Sin operating in our flesh. Romans 8:2 (NASB) For THE LAW (OPERATION) OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS SET YOU FREE FROM THE LAW (OPERATION) OF SIN AND OF DEATH.

Only Christ’s “Spirit of LIFE” within us is able to put to death “the deeds of the body” (the Sinful flesh) in our daily walk. Romans 8:13b … if YE THROUGH THE SPIRIT DO MORTIFY THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, ye shall live (Gk., zao, ye shall experience the power of Christ’s Spirit-life).

Paul summarizes the subjective aspect of the unique “the mystery” gospel, which he was given to preach, with these words; “…CHRIST IN YOU the hope of glory” ( Col 1:27b). “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh (body) I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

It is only by the operation and flow of the indwelling “Spirit of life in the Christ” that any believer may come to be a genuine expression of His life in their daily “walk.”

We enjoy the “new way of living” that I am trying to express in this series when we conduct our “walk” by knowing and trusting the love, care and provision of our heavenly Father, and then by co-operating with Jesus as our indwelling Lord and life. Then we are “walking in the Spirit” as a member of His living body on earth.

Psalm 23 wonderfully describes our “new way of living” that I have tried to describe in this series. Though Psalm 23 was written a long time ago and before “the dispensation of the grace of God” had been revealed, these truths have always been true for the genuine believers throughout the ages, those who sought relationship with God.

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my Shepherd …This is Our Relationship With Christ Now In Us!

I shall not want … This is the Supply of His Life We Now Have within Us!

He maketh me to lie down in green a pasture ... This is the Rest And Peace We Have In Him!

He leadeth me beside the still water ... This is Refreshment We Have by His Spirit Within!

He restoreth my soul ... This is Healing and Renewal We Have by His Spirit Within!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness ... This His Guidance!

For His name sake ... This is Our Purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death ... These are the Trials That Teach and Turn Us to Trust Him!

I will fear no evil ... This Reflects the Security We Have In Him!

For Thou art with me ... This is His Presence and Faithfulness!

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me” ... This is the Discipline That Tells Us We Are His Loved Children!

Whenever we come see these truths, they are new to us, as our new realities … we then know the love and pure “grace of God.”