WALKING WITH GOD
July 1, 1997 Issue
by Homer L. King
The basis of this short article is found in Genesis 5:22-24, thus: "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:****And Enoch Walked With God, and he was not, for God took him." Enoch walked with God, not merely for a day, a week, a month, or a year, but he walked for three hundred years, and as a result of his walking with God, God took him. The word walk is a verb that denotes action - it is not a sitting posture, but one of moving, traveling, advancing. There are many words of action that describe the Christian life, as we may find in the New Testament, but we are concerned primarily with one of them, namely the verb "walk."
Turning now to Paul’s statement to the Phillippians (3:16-17), which reads: "Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example." Notice that Paul instructed the brethren here to "walk by the same rule." The word "rule" means "a standard or guide; maxim or precept; government; law or regulation; cannon" -Webster: Thus, we are told how to walk, so as to please God, for He has given the standard, the guide, or the law. Notice, too, that Paul said in this connection, "let us mind the same thing." The only way this can be for a group of individuals, is for all to adopt the same rule, the same standard, guide, law, or regulation. We shall never be able to all walk together, in unity, so long as we assume that we have the liberty to each of us make our own rule, our own standard, guide or regulation, for there would be about as many human rules as we have individuals, hence we would be walking in many directions, standards, or ways. There is but one way for us to have unity here, and that is for all of us to discard our ways, our standards, and our guides, then all adopt and follow the Lord’s guide or standard, which is, of course, the New Testament Scriptures as our only rule of faith and practice. Bible readers know that God has not given man the liberty to make his own standard, or are there as many standards as we have denominations in the world, so as to accommodate the new idea of some preachers that there are Christians in all churches, which would necessitate as many ways of salvation and as many standards of living, the worship, and of the work of the church, as there are denominations in the world? What standard did these people in the denominations obey to become Christians? Can a human arrangement substitute for God’s divine arrangement? Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Do you tell Jesus, that error will make us free? How dare you! Paul said, "Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing."
May we notice the how to walk. There are many references in the New Testament, telling us how to walk so as to please God as follows: Positively speaking we are to "walk in the newness of life" (Rom 6:4). He is to "walk after the Spirit" or "by the Spirit" (Rom 8:4; Gal. 5:16). We are to "walk in Jesus the Lord" (Col 2:6). To have fellowship with God we must "walk in the light, as he is in the light" (I Jno 1:7). The child of God is to "walk becomingly (honestly, KJV)" (Rom 13:13). Second Corinthians 5:7 tells us that we are to "walk by faith." Those called by God are to "walk worthily of the calling" (Eph 4:1). It is God’s will that His children "walk in good works" (Eph 2:10), as well as "in love" (Eph 5:2), "in wisdom" (Col 4:5), and "in truth" (2 Jno. 4). The Apostle John also said that Christians should "walk after his (God) commandments" (2 Jno. 6). If we say we abide in Him then we "ought to walk even as He walked" (I Jno 2:6).
How we may not walk: Not only are we told how to walk, but there are some ways we must not walk. Hence, we look at this verb "walk" from the negative point of view, which shows that the Christian is not to walk, "not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy (Rom 13:13). Therefore, we are not able to "walk after the flesh" (Rom 8:4), or "after the manner of men" (I Cor 3:3). We are not to "walk in craftiness" (2 Cor 4:2). The child of God is not to "walk by sight" (2 Cor 5:7). Paul admonished Christians not to "walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their minds" (Eph 4:17). Finally, Christians are not to "walk disorderly" (2 Thess 3:6).
Conclusions: It is obvious from the above many references regarding the verb, "walk," that we do not have a "do-nothing" religion, for the Christian is presented as being in action. How great is that field of action! We have many unworked fields waiting for men of action. The "Macedonian call" comes ringing in clarion tones upon our ears to "come over and help us, not only across the water, but here in our own land. There are portions of America where we have never gone. How can we sit idly by while those calls continue to disturb our ears (or do they disturb?) and our hearts? I am convinced by my experience in the past six months among the churches, that there is the crying need for faithful gospel preachers who will give full time to "walking" with God, not sitting. Now, I do not wish to be misunderstood as advocating that part of the nation to another. I believe that a preacher can "walk with God," and yet labor in one state, one county, or one city, but we need to be walking. There needs to be some "going." We must not neglect the work already begun. We must not let it die. Who will go into Belgium, into Mexico, into Africa, or into the various New England states?
As we contemplate the how to walk, may we be willing to walk so as to please God, thus by the same rule, minding the same things. Not by a rule or set of rules you want to make to suit your fancy, for then we cannot "all walk by the same rule" - we cannot walk in unity, and I would like to walk in unity, in fellowship, and in light, with my brethren. I must insist that if we walk together, we will have to walk by the same rule, "walk in the good way, ask for the old paths, and walk therein," that we may "find rest" for our souls (Jer 6:16), and so long as I am able to walk, it will be in those old paths. I am fully and firmly committed to the divine rule, and "I shall not be moved." OPA 1960
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