I like walking. In 1998 I gave up running and switched to racewalking. Since then, I have completed a dozen marathons (26.2 miles). This past weekend, I completed a virtual half marathon. That is, I walked 13.1 miles, but by myself in my own neighborhood.
I like to walk with people. That is why I like races better than training. I mostly train by myself. For the past year or so, Mike Lii has joined me often on my Saturday long walks. It makes the walks much more enjoyable since we discuss theology, ministry, and our lives.
The words walk and walking occur a lot in the Bible in a figurative sense in terms of living in a God-pleasing manner.
BDAG says that the Greek verb peripateō means to conduct one’s life, to behave, to live.
Here are some famous expressions using the word walk related to the way in which believers should conduct their lives:
Walk in the Light (1 John 1:7)
Walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 25)
Walk according to the Spirit (Rom 8:1, 4)
Walk in Him (Col 2:6)
Walk in a worthy manner (Eph 4:1; Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12)
Walk in the fear of the Lord (Acts 9:31)
Walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4)
Walk properly (Rom 13:13; 1 Thess 4:12)
Walking in love (Eph 5:2; cf. Rom 14:15)
Walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7)
Walk in good works (Eph 2:10)
Walk worthy of the Lord (Col 1:10)
Walk as children of light (Eph 5:8)
Walk circumspectly (Eph 5:15)
Walk just as He walked (1 John 2:6)
Walk in truth (2 John 4; 3 John 3, 4)
Walk according to His commandments (2 John 6)
Walk with God (Gen 5:22, 24)
Walk before Yahweh (Gen 17:1; 48:15)
Walk in God’s law/ordinances (Exod 16:4; Lev 18:4; 26:3)
Walk in His ways (1 Kings 2:3)
Those expressions are various ways of speaking of conducting one’s life in a manner that is pleasing to God.
Walking with the Lord is the same as walking in the Light, since He is Light and in Him is no darkness.
Walking in the Spirit means living in the freedom we have in Christ (Gal 5:1ff.). The Spirit of God transforms our lives by renewing our minds (Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 3:18).
Walking with the Lord is walking by faith, not by sight, because He is not present with us at this time but will be soon.
Walking with the Lord is walking as He walked.
Walking with the Lord is walking in good works, because He is good.
The only way to walk properly is to walk with the Lord.
Walking worthy of the Lord means that our walk is Christlike (cf. 1 John 3:16). The worthy walk is not sinless, for all Christians sin (1 John 1:8, 10). But it is a walk that is Christlike and hence pleasing to Him.
Walking according to His commandments means walking in a manner consistent with His commands. It does not mean walking by focusing on those commands. We are to focus on Christ (2 Cor 3:18).
Walking with the Lord is walking in truth because God is truth.
Walking in the Lord is walking in love because God is love.
Walking in newness of life refers to walking consistently with who we are in our born-of-God inner selves (cf. 1 John 3:9).
In an article called “What does it mean to walk with God,” GotQuestions.Org says,
To walk with God means that you and God are in agreement about your life. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3, KJV). To walk with God means you have aligned your will with His and seek every day to consider yourself “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). You don’t have to be perfect, as none of us is (Romans 3:10). But your heart’s desire is to be pleasing to God, and you are willing to let His Spirit conform you to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).
Acts 4:13 says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Walking with Jesus has a profound impact on our lives.
A sanctified walk is conducting our lives in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord on a day-by-day basis. It is not a sinless walk. But it is walking in the light of God’s Word. Our attitudes and actions are informed by the Word of God.
Tying this blog with one I did last week about the spiritual believer (see here), the pneumatikos, the one who has the mind of Christ is experiencing the sanctified walk.
Physical walking is reminiscent of spiritual walking in many ways:
- We can only walk one step at a time.
- We need to pace ourselves as we walk, so we do not burn out.
- We can improve as a walker by receiving instruction and watching others.
- We need to be alert to the danger of falling.
- We need to be alert to dangers around us.
- Walking is better in community than on our own. Others encourage us to keep on walking.
- God has given us what we need to be able to walk well.
- The Christian life is a lifelong race (2 Tim 4:6-8). Will we, like Paul, finish the race?
Keep grace in focus as you walk in the light!
