| Christian Life and Doctrine | November 1974 |
Walking With God
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” —Amos 3:3
THE Amplified Version of our text reads, “Do two walk together, except they make an appointment and have agreed?” Walking with God is one of the great privileges of the Christian. But as the Amplified Version states, to truly walk with him there must first be an appointment with him—an agreement to walk as he directs. This was true in respect to God’s relationship with natural Israel. Through the Law Covenant they made an appointment with God to walk with him and in his ways, but they did not continue to keep this appointment so God did not continue to walk with them. In Leviticus 26:40,41 we are informed that the Israelites walked contrary to God and he walked contrary to them.
In Genesis 5:24 we read that Enoch walked with God. We do not know the extent of Enoch’s understanding of God’s will and of his plans, but from this word of explanation we are assured that he adhered closely to what he did know and strove diligently to walk in the way that God would have him walk. In Genesis 6:9 we are informed that Noah walked with God. We know a little of Noah’s walk with God in the sense that we see his faithfulness in connection with the building of the Ark, of preaching righteousness and, as a result of this close walk with God, of being instrumental in saving eight souls to be carried over into the new world—the world that now is.
According to Imagination
In Jeremiah 11:8 we are told of those who walk according to the imagination of their own hearts. As an antidote for this the Apostle Paul wrote, II Corinthians 10:5, that we are to cast down “imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.” Only through the instruction of God’s Word and the example given us in Christ can we surely determine the difference between our own imaginations and the will of God. Our own imaginations tend to be on the side of selfishness and self-gratification. We would like to think that such would be in harmony with the Lord, but in most instances they are not.
In Ephesians 2:2 we read of those who walk according to the course of this world. We know that the course of this world is a selfish one. It seeks self-gratification. It seeks joy, regardless of how others might be affected. Those who walk according to the course of this world give little or no consideration as to how the Lord may desire to have them walk. In other words, they have not made an appointment with him through consecration to know and to do his will. They are simply following what seems good in their own sight.
In I Peter 1:14 we read of those who walk according to their former lusts. Here again is described the selfish course of those who, assuming they have made an appointment with the Lord, are not keeping it, but would rather serve the interests of their flesh as they did in former days. This is not walking with God.
From Behind
Isaiah 30:21 reads, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” The voice from behind here mentioned by the prophet is undoubtedly the voice of God speaking through his Holy Word. Every true follower of the Lord reaches crisis times in his life—times when a decision has to be made as to which direction to take in order to be pleasing to the Lord—and here we are reminded that these decisions should be made in keeping with the instructions of the Word of God.
If we change our plans—symbolized here by turning to the right hand or to the left—it should be only as we are assured that such change would be pleasing to the Lord. Would it better our spiritual condition? Would it make it easier for us to fellowship with the brethren? Or will the change tend to isolate us from the Lord’s people? These are considerations the answers to which are found in the voice from behind.
Gaius and the Elect Lady
Enjoying the fellowship of the brethren in the Early Church was a brother named Gaius, and also a sister referred to only as the “elect lady.” The Apostle John was in touch with these friends, and refers to them. In the first three verses of his second epistle we read, “The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; for the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”
And then concerning Gaius he writes, “The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”—III John 1-4
Walking in the truth is the same as walking with God, because God is the Author of the truth. And how it rejoiced John’s heart to know that the elect lady and her children, and also Gaius, his beloved friend in the Lord, were all standing steadfast in the truth—rejoicing in it, walking in it. This meant that they were living close to the Lord and enjoying the bright smile of his countenance as day by day they sought to know the will of God better and to perform it more faithfully.
Walking in the truth and with the Lord is a vital thing in every Christian’s life. John wrote, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (I John 2:6) Jesus walked according to the word from behind, not his own words, nor did he do his own works. He was continually in touch with his Heavenly Father, and all things that he said and did were his Father’s words and works.
This high standard of what it means to walk with God is not attained by half-hearted measures. It takes the full concentration of all our powers of thought and will and determination. We cannot say that we will slacken our effort today and pick it up tomorrow. That would not be pleasing to the Lord. We cannot walk with God that way, because he will leave us behind.
The fully consecrated Christian should walk in newness of life. Paul wrote, “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.” (Rom. 6:4) The Christian’s new life is one of full devotion to the Lord. And because he walks closely with the Lord he has the joy of the Lord. It is a blessed and happy life.
It is a life filled with assurance and hope and expectation—but only upon the condition of his faithfulness in walking with God.
The Apostle Paul wrote again, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16) The Spirit leads in the direction of sacrifice. It never leads one in a course of self-gratification. Those who walk in the Spirit do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Instead, they follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who was being led by the Spirit—led as a lamb to the slaughter. And so it will be with us if we are faithful in walking with God.
By Faith
In II Corinthians 5:7 we read, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” Hebrews 11:6 reads, “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” To walk by faith means that we follow the things that are set forth in the Word of God, but which are invisible except to the eye of faith.
This is a severe test. The flesh is so prone to reach out to take hold of something which is tangible in order that our resolution to serve the Lord might be strengthened. But this is not the Lord’s way. The Lord’s way is for us to look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal and the things which are not seen are eternal.
It requires constant waiting upon the Lord in order to do this. We must keep our eyes fastened upon him and upon his promises. If we do that, we will have strength to walk with him and the rich reward of faith will be daily our portion. Isaiah wrote, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”—Isa. 40:31
What the Lord requires
Micah 6:8 gives us an important summary of what the Lord requires of those who walk with him: “What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” To do justly means simply to follow the precepts of the Golden Rule. The word mercy in the expression “love mercy” is properly translated loving-kindness. In other words, our whole being should rejoice in that great principle, that divine principle of loving-kindness. Otherwise we could not walk acceptably with God.
Then we are to walk humbly with our God. This means that we are humbly to seek his Instructions, and when we find them unhesitatingly to do his bidding, regardless of what the cost may be to us. This is a real test of our faith and devotion; and if we do not meet this test, we will find ourselves walking, not with God, but in ways contrary to him. It will mean that we have forgotten the appointment that we made with him through consecration, and we will find ourselves walking alone.
A similar thought is expressed by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:1,2: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” How sweet would be the fellowship of the Lord’s people if they could only follow these instructions as they walk together with the Lord and with one another! Failure to walk meekly with the Lord could also mean we would find ourselves at times more or less out of harmony with the brethren.
Paul adds to this the thought in Philippians 3:16, where we read, “Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.” The same thing here is “this one thing” which Paul was so wholeheartedly devoted to doing. We cannot walk with the Lord and go separate ways. But when we walk together with him and with one another, what added joys are really ours! The psalmist expresses this, saying, “How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”—Ps. 133:1
Actually With Him
While we are still in the flesh our walk together is upon the basis of faith. We do not see the Lord except by the eyes of faith, and that through the rich promises of his Word. But if we walk faithfully with him, humbly with him, the time will come when we will be actually with him. We read concerning this: “They shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”—Rev. 3:4,5
Can we think of any reward greater than to have Jesus confess our names before the Father and before his angels? Actually, in this text it is Jesus who is speaking, emphasizing that those who are faithful in walking with God now, will have the privilege in glory of walking with him in white, for they are worthy.
In one of the beatitudes Jesus spoke of those who are pure in heart, assuring us that they shall see God. Purity of heart includes humility and meekness. If we desire to be a real partner of God and of his people, we must walk humbly with him. And what a blessed privilege it is thus to walk with him and to tell him all our sorrows and all our joys, and to have him tell us what to do—with the assurance of needed grace to help in every time of need!
A promise was made to Jesus: “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Ps. 16:11) These and other joys set before Jesus enabled him to endure the cross and despise the shame—experiences which were his because he is our example and walked with God. These same joys are set before us, and we can lay hold upon them by faith if we are walking humbly with our God. May this, indeed, be the great goal of our lives as we endeavor to fulfill our appointment with God—the appointment that we made with him in that covenant of sacrifice which will be completed only when we have been faithful even unto death.