When training my kids, I thought a lesson had a better chance of taking root if they were exposed to multiple sources reinforcing the same truth. After all, the more you hear the same thing—said in different ways, from different people—the better, right?!
I wonder if this philosophy has been riffed down from God, the Father? Especially when you consider the number of authors He used over time, using various terminologies, in teaching us.
Since the Bible is more about God and His relationship with His creation (more than it is a history or science or geography book), He consistently teaches, cover-to-cover, how we are to live in relationship with Him. And He has provided examples from both positive and negative angles. So, if I want to learn more about how to walk with Him, I can consult the biblical authors to learn various aspects of the whole.
I can consult Proverbs and learn that we are to walk in the way of righteousness (Prv 8:20) and in the way of wisdom (Prv 28:26).
I can consult John and learn that we are to walk in the light (Jn 8:12, 11:9). We are to walk in truth (2 Jn 1:4; 3 Jn 1:3-4). We are to walk in obedience and love (2 Jn 1:6). Summarily, but most importantly, we are to walk as Jesus did (1 Jn 2:6).
I can consult Paul and learn that we are to walk in newness of life (Rm 6:4). We are to walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7), doing good works (Eph 2:10), while practicing self-control (Rm 13:13).
To the Colossians, Paul explained that we once walked apart from God—alienated because of our behavior—but now that we have been reconciled (1:21-22) and filled with the Spirit, we are to continue to live our lives in Him (2:6). We do so by continually putting to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature (3:5).
Paul further teaches us that we used to walk in impurity, greed, and such (3:5), but we are to do the work, by God’s grace and the Spirit’s power, of ridding our lives of anger, malice, and slander (3:8). We are to walk with our Lord wearing His compassion, kindness, patience, and humility (3:12)—filled with His peace, sharing His forgiveness, drenched in His Word, and devoted to worship and prayer. And, just like his epistle to the Ephesians, he provided teaching on relationships within Christian households (3:18-4:6).
But, first and foremost, we should consult Jesus. We can begin with His teaching for our walk in the Beatitudes (shared in a previous post).
As we walk with the Lord, He works out our sanctification. While walking with him, He changes how we walk.
Once we come to the cross and are justified by the grace that comes through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, we begin our walk. Learning how to walk is how we walk. Then, we keep walking. And each step moves us further away from our old self, and closer to the masterpiece He is recreating.
This is how to walk with the Lord.
(Part 6 in a 6 part series)
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