WALKING WITH GOD

Rev Samuel Joseph

To “walk with God” is a description used of some of the great men of faith in scripture. Enoch “walked with God” (Gen 5:22). Noah “walked with God” (Gen 6:9). Every believer, in fact, is commanded to “walk humbly with thy God” (Mic 6:8). It is important for every Christian to walk with God, and therefore we must know what it means to walk with God.

There are some who take this idea literally — I remember once hearing someone talk about “walking with God” by going on long walks, “hand in hand” with God, as it were. Now there is nothing wrong with taking a long walk, and there is certainly nothing wrong with spending such a walk in quiet meditation, prayer, and communion with the Lord. But the true, biblical meaning of “walking with God” goes far deeper than the simple idea of a prayerful stroll in the park.

What does it mean to “walk”?

Let us first consider the meaning of the word “walk,” in this context. Biblically, the verb “walk” is often used not literally, but figuratively, as a metaphor to describe one’s life. The picture is that of life as a journey; to “walk” is then to progress along the pathway of life’s journey. With this understanding we can make sense of descriptions such as that of Omri, king of the northern kingdom of Israel and father of Ahab: “he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat” (1 Kgs 16:26) — he “walked” in the way of Jeroboam, meaning that he lived after the same manner as Jeroboam. Omri’s life was characterised by the same sin and wickedness that characterised Jeroboam’s life (specifically, causing the people of Israel to sin against God by idolatry).

Again, we can make sense of the description of Jehu, that he “took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart” (2 Kgs 10:31) — he did not “walk” in the law of God, meaning that he did not live according to that law. In the journey of his life, the path he was treading was not the one marked out by the signposts and fences of God’s law. To “walk,” then, in this context, describes the whole life of a person, and the way it is lived from day to day.

What does it mean to walk “with” someone?

Next, let us consider the meaning of the word “with,” in this context. In our familiar, everyday understanding of walking, there are certain implications when we say we are walking “with” someone. In the first place, it implies that both parties are going in the same direction — if a colleague of mine says he is walking across the road to buy lunch, and I say, “I’ll walk with you,” the obvious implication is that I am also intending to go to the same place. Secondly, to walk “with” someone implies a certain level of familiarity and friendship — if I am walking along and a total stranger comes up next to me, falls in step with me, and walks with me, I will not be comfortable!

The biblical picture of walking “with” someone is somewhat similar, but goes further. The idea of going in the same direction, and the idea of friendship or companionship, can be summed up in the concept of “agreement.” Biblically, to walk “with” someone implies agreement — hence the prophet Amos asks, rhetorically, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). The word “agreed” here has the idea of meeting or assembling by appointment; the same word is used in Job 2:11 to describe the agreement of Job’s three friends to meet together to mourn with Job and to comfort him.

To walk “with” someone, therefore, in the biblical sense of the term, implies an agreement or compact — a willing, agreed relationship that exists between the two parties. It is a close relationship; a close communion. And since the idea of “walking” in this context extends to all of life, the relationship implied here is far more than just a casual or a superficial relationship — to walk “with” someone in this biblical context implies a relationship that impacts and influences every aspect of one’s life.

What does it mean to walk with “God”?

Finally, let us consider the implications of the word “God” in this context. We are dealing not with an agreement or relationship between two creatures, but a relationship between a man and his God — between creature and Creator. Two men can “walk together,” if they are “agreed,” and they can walk together as equals: but no man can walk with God as His equal!

The relationship is thus not one of mutual agreement and companionship, but is necessarily one of obedience and submission. There can be no mutual agreement with God! He is God, and we must agree with Him, not the other way around.

Putting all this together, we can see that to “walk with God” simply means to live day by day in obedient submission to God’s will, seeking constantly to conform every aspect of our lives to His law, and enjoying the communion with Him that He created us to have.

Walking with God is a command, not an option: every one of us is commanded to “walk humbly with thy God.” At the same time, walking with God is also a great privilege. As fallen sinners, while we were lost and dead in our sins we could not hope to walk with God. But in His great love and mercy He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and rise again from the dead — so that by repenting of our sins and believing in Him, we can have life, and spend that life in walking with God.

BEWARE OF PRIDE, BE HUMBLE

John Calvin

Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory”

Nothing through strife or vain-glory. These are two most dangerous pests for disturbing the peace of the Church. Strife is awakened when every one is prepared to maintain pertinaciously his own opinion; and when it has once begun to rage it rushes headlong in the direction from which it has entered. Vain-glory tickles men’s minds, so that every one is delighted with his own inventions. Hence the only way of guarding against dissensions is — when we avoid strifes by deliberating and acting peacefully, especially if we are not actuated by ambition. For ambition is a means of fanning all strifes. Vain-glory means any glorying in the flesh; for what ground of glorying have men in themselves that is not vanity?

“But in lowliness of mind”

But by humility. For both diseases he brings forward one remedy — humility, and with good reason, for it is the mother of moderation, the effect of which is that, yielding up our own right, we give the preference to others, and are not easily thrown into agitation. He gives a definition of true humility — when every one esteems himself less than others. Now, if anything in our whole life is difficult, this above everything else is so. Hence it is not to be wondered if humility is so rare a virtue. For, as one says, “Every one has in himself the mind of a king, by claiming everything for himself.” See! here is pride. Afterwards from a foolish admiration of ourselves arises contempt of the brethren. And so far are we from what Paul here enjoins, that one can hardly endure that others should be on a level with him, for there is no one that is not eager to have superiority.

“Let each esteem other better than themselves”

But it is asked, how it is possible that one who is in reality distinguished above others can reckon those to be superior to him who he knows are greatly beneath him? I answer, that this altogether depends on a right estimate of God’s gifts, and our own infirmities. For however any one may be distinguished by illustrious endowments, he ought to consider with himself that they have not been conferred upon him that he might be self-complacent, that he might exalt himself, or even that he might hold himself in esteem. Let him, instead of this, employ himself in correcting and detecting his faults, and he will have abundant occasion for humility. In others, on the other hand, he will regard with honor whatever there is of excellences, and will by means of love bury their faults. The man who will observe this rule, will feel no difficulty in preferring others before himself. And this, too, Paul meant when he added, that they ought not to have every one a regard to themselves, but to their neighbors, or that they ought not to be devoted to themselves. Hence it is quite possible that a pious man, even though he should be aware that he is superior, may nevertheless hold others in greater esteem.

FEBC students celebrating Matron Ivy Tow’s 86th birthday in February 2024