How do we walk? Well, we normally have two legs and two feet, so to walk we put one foot in front of the other and move forward. We learned to walk when we were small children. But that isn’t the kind of walking I want to consider. The Bible frequently addresses walking to describe the way in which someone lives or behaves. It seems to provide a summation of a person’s manner of life. Let us look at the scriptures that tell us how we should walk. In other words, what should characterize our lives or what should not characterize our lives?
First of all, when we became Christians, when we were baptized, then our lives became very different from how we previously lived; we now walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4 “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Christ died, was buried in the tomb, and then was resurrected and eventually went to be with the Father and is now sitting at His right hand (Hebrews 10:12). His existence is now very different from when He was here on earth. In a like manner, our lives are also very different. We now walk in newness of life. Our sins are now forgiven. Before, we followed our sinful nature and we walked according to the flesh, but now we walk according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” We walk in newness of life. We walk according to the Spirit.
We walk by faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” To walk by faith means our lives are now based on God’s truth, promises, and character rather than what we can see, feel, or understand in the moment. It is a daily choice to trust the unseen realities of God more than the visible circumstances around us. We now walk trusting in God and in His ways and His promises rather than the ways of the world.
We walk in good works. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” People of the world should look at our lives and see that we walk in good works. Our walk in good works results in us being the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).
We walk in love. Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Just as Christ demonstrated great love for us by offering Himself upon the cross, we walk in love by also loving those around us. Our love should be for our enemies, our neighbors, our family and our fellow Christians. We walk in love.
We walk worthy of our calling. Ephesians 4:1-3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” None of us are truly worthy. We are sinners who are forgiven by the grace of God. But we now walk in a manner that is consistent with our calling which is to be like Christ. Therefore our lives are characterized by “lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” We are also admonished to walk worthy of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “That you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” Again, it is not saying that we are worthy. I believe it is saying that our walk or our manner of life should be consistent with those who will inherit God’s kingdom and His glory. Those who observe our lives should see that we walk as true Christians to whom God chooses to give eternal life.
We have scriptures that tell us how not to walk. Romans 13:13 “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.” Our lives should not be characterized by revelry, drunkenness, lewdness, lust, strife or envy. 2 Thessalonians 3:11 “For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.” Our lives should not be characterized by being disorderly, not working but being busybodies. 1 John 1:6 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” We do not walk in darkness. Philippians 3:18-19 “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.” We do not walk such that our god is our belly, that we glory in our shame, or that we mind earthly things.
Perhaps to summarize, we walk in the light. 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). It should be our goal to walk as He walked. 1 John 2:6 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” When we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
How do you walk? What attributes characterize your life? Do you walk in newness of life as opposed to your old life before you became a Christian? Do you walk according to the Spirit? Do you walk by faith? Do you walk in good works? Do you walk in love? Would God consider that you walk worthy of your calling as a Christian? Do you walk in the light? I encourage you to consider how you walk and determine to walk as God would have you walk.