Our Walk In Him
(1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 KJV) Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. {2} For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. {3} For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: {4} That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; {5} Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: {6} That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. {7} For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Paul writes to the Thessalonians that they had received of him how they ought to walk and please God. Paul had given them some instructions and the Thessalonians knew that these were commandments given by the Lord Jesus Christ. He goes on to tell them that the will of God, even their sanctification is that every one should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor because God has called them unto holiness.
(2 Timothy 2:12-21 KJV) If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: {13} If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. {14} Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. {15} Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. {16} But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. {17} And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; {18} Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. {19} Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. {20} But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. {21} If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Verses 12-13 refer to our service not our salvation. The salvation issue has already been settled; Christ stays faithful to what He did on the cross. When we accept that there is nothing we can do we become righteous when we believe what Jesus Christ did on the cross - we are sealed. Our salvation is secure. In these particular verses Paul is referring to our service and walk.
Some think because we are saved by grace through faith we can walk any way we please. However, there is a purpose for which we are saved and that is so that we can produce good works.
(Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast. {10} For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are saved by grace through faith; the faith is that which we place in the finished work of Christ. We place our faith in what He did; we then stand before God complete. Now we have to walk the Christian walk.
Paul speaks over and over of how we ought to walk to please God. The blessed truth is that we can walk pleasing to God, we can have victory over sin.
In Ephesians 4:1, Paul writes, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called". He wrote "therefore" referring to what he had previously written. He had just told the Ephesians what they have in Christ, the fellowship of the mystery, that their standing in Christ in Christ is complete. THEREFORE walk worthy in the vocation in which ye are called. (Eph 2:8-10)
(Ephesians 5:2 KJV) 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.
He then goes on to tell them to walk in love, as Christ loved us.
(Ephesians 5:15-17 KJV) See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, {16} Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. {17} Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
We are wise when we understand what is the will of the Lord. How do we understand what the will of the Lord is? The scriptures reveal what the will of God is for us (2 Tim 3:16).
(Romans 8:3-4 KJV) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: {4} That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
We are to walk after the Spirit not the flesh.
(Romans 6:4 KJV) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: 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.
How do we walk in the newness of life? We need to be made a new man; understand what Christ did for us on the cross.
(Colossians 2:6 KJV) As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
How did you receive Christ? Completely, Colossians 2:10 says that we are complete in Him.
(Colossians 4:5 KJV) Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
We are to walk in wisdom (in the will of God), redeeming the time. Our walk is to be pleasing to God; this is not accomplished by living under a program that says, "You must do this" and "you must do that", and "if you do not do these things then you are not part of the family. If you are not doing these things then you are out of the will of God." The only way that we can walk the walk that is pleasing to God is to get into God’s word and study it rightly divided.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: {17} That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
We are furnished unto all good works only by the Word of God. Our Christian walk deals with our state not our standing. We need to walk the talk! Before we were saved by grace we were not able to say "No" to the flesh. However, although we are saved by grace we still have the struggle with the flesh. The way we deal with the flesh is to understand who and what we are in Christ. Once we understand who and what we are in Christ we are able to overcome the flesh. Our victory over the flesh is based on the Word of God, the Spirit, and what Christ did for us.
(Romans 12:1-2 KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We are transformed by the renewing of our mind. We renew our mind by understanding who we are in Christ.
(Titus 3:4-6 KJV) But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, {5} Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; {6} Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
(Romans 6:23 KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ paid the wages of sin for us; under grace, the Holy Spirit empowers us, saves us from the dominion of sin.
(Galatians 5:17 KJV) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Here we see that the flesh and Spirit war against one another. As long as we try NOT to do something we find that it is our flesh at work. We should stop trying and start relying on the word of God to work effectually in those who believe. (1 Thess 2:13)
(Romans 7:23-25 KJV) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. {24} O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? {25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
There is a warfare going on in our lives. Where is our hope, our deliverance from this warfare? It is found through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is through our understanding what Christ has don in our lives that we can be delivered from our flesh and the law of sin.
(Romans 8:1-2 KJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. {2} For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
These verses are referring to our service (our walk) not our salvation. Paul has already dealt with the salvation issue in the first five chapters of Romans. When we have moments of when we are walking in the flesh (serving the law of sin) there is no condemnation because we are in Christ. We need to have our concentration on Christ not ourselves.
When we are living in the flesh we will always produce sin. When we live in the Spirit we can be free from the dominion of sin.
(Romans 8:11-13 KJV) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. {12} Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. {13} For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
We have within us the power that raised Christ from the dead and it is through that power that we are able to mortify the deeds of the flesh.
(Ephesians 1:15-20 KJV) Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, {16} Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; {17} That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: {18} The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, {19} And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, {20} Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
That same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is to us-ward who believe. We have that same power with us to say "No" to sin. We all have received that same portion; we all received the same in Christ Jesus to walk after the Spirit not the flesh. We do this by faith, taking God at His word and believing that He is faithful to do what He has said He will do.
In God’s provision, He has provided motivation in our Christian walk. How are we motivated?
(Titus 2:11-14 KJV) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, {12} Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; {13} Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; {14} Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
It is because of the grace of God that we ought to be zealous of good works as we look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Our motivation is that we know that He is coming for us. We need to fix our eyes upon Jesus Christ; if that is our focus then we will be able to walk a walk that is pleasing to God. The struggle with our flesh will still be there, but our motivation is Christ and His coming. It is because we have hope that we are motivated and because we are motivated we walk pleasing to God. If we do not have the hope of His appearing we have no motivation.
Three words to understanding the provision and principle of our Christian walk:
- Know
- Reckon
- Yield
KNOW
(Romans 6:3-10 KJV) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? {4} Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: 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. {5} For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: {6} Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. {7} For he that is dead is freed from sin. {8} Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: {9} Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. {10} For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
- We need to KNOW that we were baptized into the death of Christ. (vs. 3-4)
- We need to KNOW that our old man is crucified with Him so that we do not serve sin. (vs. 6-7)
- We need to KNOW that we are dead to with Christ and died to sin. (vs. 8-10)
RECKON
(Romans 6:11-12 KJV) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. {12} Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts hereof.
To reckon means to count it as true.
We need to RECKON ourselves to be dead to sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
YIELD
(Romans 6:13-19 KJV) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. {14} For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. {15} What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. {16} Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? {17} But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. {18} Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. {19} I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
We need to YIELD ourselves to God as though we are alive to God and dead to sin and we need to YIELD our members as instruments of righteousness. (vs. 13-14)
If we reckon ourselves as sinners then we will yield to sin. If we reckon ourselves as dead to sin then we can be free from the dominion of sin.
We need to YIELD our members servants to righteousness unto holiness. God has called us to live a life of holiness, free from sin. (Vs 19)
(Romans 6:23 KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We do not have to pay the wages for sin by dying anymore; we have the gift through Jesus Christ our Lord.
While we wait for that blessed hope, let us occupy; let us work out our salvation that God has provided for us. Let us yield to what God has provided for us. Let us walk pleasing unto God.