Walking
In Truth
Solomon said we can make sense of life
only by our relationship with the Heavenly Father. "Fear God and keep His
commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into
judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."
(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.) God's truth must make an impact on our life. John
said, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in
truth." (III John 4.) The best evidence for our having the truth is our
walking in the truth.
Those who walk in truth
first obey the truth. Paul spoke
of "obeying the truth" in Romans 10:16. To obey the truth the New
Testament requires you to believe (Mark 16:16), repent of sins (Acts 2:38),
confess Christ as Lord (Romans 10:9-10), and to be baptized (Romans 6:3-4, I
Peter 3:21). You need Christ now! Jesus Christ: (1) is our Savior
(II Timothy 2:10), (2) offers rest to your soul (Matthew 11:28-30), (3) has the
words of eternal life (John 6:68), and (4) is the only way to the Father (John
14:6). Alien sinners need to obey Christ's gospel plan of salvation
immediately.
Those who walk in truth keep the
word of God. In explain the parable of the Sower Jesus said, "But
the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with
a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." (Luke
8:15.) The good ground which bears fruit for God is an honest and good heart.
This is a person who follows God's instructions with a willing heart. David
said, "Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe
of Your word." (Psalm 119:161.) We should also have hearts which stand in
awe at God's word. The man to whom God will look is described in this way in
Isaiah 66:2. "...But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a
contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word."
Those who walk in truth add the
Christian graces to their life. Peter gave powerful instructions
concerning Christian growth in II Peter 1:5-11. "But also for this very
reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to
knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance
godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For
if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is
shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from
his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and
election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an
entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." These people had already reached the
point of "faith". Now they need to "...grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and
forever. Amen." (II Peter 3:18.) Christians must continually press
forward to obtain more grace. Spiritual growth is something about which
Christians must be very diligent. Christian must put forth every effort to
enter heaven through the narrow gate. "Strive to enter through the narrow
gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."
(Luke 13:24.)
Those who walk in the truth overcome
evil with good. Paul wrote to Christians in
Those who walk in truth treat others
as they want to be treated. Those who would be righteous toward God
must be right toward men. To accomplish this Jesus said, "Therefore,
whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and
the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12.) Our life among men must be a life which
produces a good report. This would mean our life must be fair, kind, honest and
honorable. This is the ground work for carrying out the second great
commandment. "Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and
great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as
yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39.) You must, in every aspect of life, put
yourself in the place of the other person and act accordingly.
Those who walk in truth must
run the Christian race. The
Hebrew writer wrote, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so
easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before
us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat
down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2.) As
Christians we must lay aside every unChristlike thing from our lives. As a
Christian you are trying to always move upward. Therefore, you must rid
yourself of anything that would pull you down.
Christians have a race to run. The course
is set out for you by the word of God. It is a well marked course. There are no
short cuts. The race is to be run with perseverance, patience, faith and hope.
The thing that keeps you on course is that you keep "looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith."
Those that walk in the truth do good
to all men. Paul encouraged the Galatians
Christians with these words, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us
do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."
(Galatians 6:10.) Christian must do all the good they can, where they are, with
what they have, while they can. It is not enough for Christians to
"be" good. We must also "do" good. We must be ready to
serve all who need us in any way we are capable. The business of our life
should be that of doing good to others.
Those who walk in truth must also: (1) worship in spirit
and in truth, (2) visit widows and orphans, (3) bear the burdens of others, (4)
preach the gospel to the world, and (5) put God first in all of life. It is
time for each of us to take a serious look at our life and ask; Are we pleasing
God? "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test
yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless
indeed you are disqualified." (II Corinthians 13:5.)
By Charles Box,