WALKING
By Allen O’Neal
The Ten Commandments are a statement of normalcy. They spell out the elements of a normal relationship between man and God, between man and his fellowman, and between a man and his inner self. The law opens with “the Lord thy God", closes with "thy neighbor", and in the middle “thou”. It introduces me to a relationship with God on one hand, and with my neighbor on the other. It places me as the pier in the bridge between God and my neighbor
An expression commonly used in Scripture to describe the normal relationship between God and man is the now-old-fashioned word walking. Picture in your mind the fellowship and communion enjoyed in Bible times by two people walking together, not from house to house, but from town to town. In some cultures this privilege is still enjoyed, in countries, which are still unspoiled by the mechanized motion of so-called civilization. Here, Christian believers will walk not for hours, but days, to attend a Christian camp meeting. I can imagine the unforgettable association they enjoy as they walk along together. For as they walk, they do not stop talking, and laughing, and singing, to them walking is communication, togetherness, friendship, oneness in purpose.
The Bible has an amazing lot to say about walking. Enoch walked with God. Abraham and Isaac walked before God. God said of David that he walk before him. The Psalms open with a blessing on the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.
Paul admonishes those who bury their old lives in the waters of baptism that they should walk in newness of life. He says that Christ's followers should walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Furthermore, we should walk in good works, walk worthy of our calling, and walk circumspectly.
John takes up the same strand. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed us from all sin. He that said he abides in him ought himself also to walk, even as he walked.
What does walking with Jesus involve? The Bible gives us some clear answers. This is love that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, that as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. This truth is emphasized repeatedly in the Bible.
When God brought his people out of Egypt, he sent manna from heaven six days but not on the seventh to prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not. He promised them that if they would walk in his statutes and keep his commandments, he would walk among them and be their God, and they would be his people.
Joshua appealed to them to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. We have in this verse a meaningful sequence of verbs: love, walk, keep, cleave, and serve. In Ezekiel, God promises us that when he gives us a new heart and puts his spirit within us, we will walk in his statutes and keep his judgments and do them.
Yes, being a Christian is not all talk. It is a walk. And God wants us to enjoy that walk. Walking with Jesus is a love relationship with him. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3. Walking together involves walking in the same direction. The Living Bible renders Amos 3:3, “How can we walk together with your sins between us?" Sin brings separation. Isaiah says, but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear. Walking with Jesus is to renounce sin.
This does not mean we have to reach the point of sinless perfection before we can walk with Jesus, for it is only by walking with Jesus that we can ever reach the point of sinless perfection. It does mean that our attitude toward sin will be one of distaste. A love relationship with Jesus is a loving obedience relationship. The keeping of the commandments does not, however, lead us into a relationship with Jesus; a relationship with Jesus leads us into the keeping of his commandments.
Walking with Jesus is to be in agreement with the principles involved in our association with him. It means to do his will, and to follow his example. He said, If you love me, keep my commandments. If you keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2:4. Wow! What a statement!
Friend, if we love Jesus we will walk with him daily. We will walk even as he walked. We will walk in his ways. But remember, we do not start with the commandments, we start with Jesus.