August 23, 2019 WALK AS HE WALKED
1 John 2:5-6 “but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him; the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”
Colossians 1:10 “so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Many believers have difficulty accepting what these, and many other similar verses, say to us about the lives we live. Our natural response is to reject the idea of ‘walking as Jesus walked’ as unattainable or something that was unique to the apostles. If we do accept the fact that these verses are intended to be a reality for believers, our natural response is that we must ‘try harder’ and ‘be more committed’ to walking as Jesus walked. Others may feel condemnation when reading these verses and come to the conclusion that they are spiritual failures. These responses sound logical and we can understand the reasoning behind these responses. However, there is good news for us tucked away in the first scripture above that gives the answer to the dilemma of being told to walk as Jesus walked. The nugget of truth that we must not overlook is the power of the love of God. We often get the ‘horse before the cart’; we place the emphasis on keeping His word. Our emphasis and our desire should be focused on coming to experience the love of God in a personal way. The result of knowing His love personally is the keeping of His word. Note the phrase “has truly been perfected.” A believer may have an awareness to some degree of God’s love for them, but the love of God has not yet been perfected in them. In this case, there is a struggle in their spiritual life when it comes to consistently walking like Jesus walked. We should be growing in the faith, knowing that it is God’s plans and purposes for His love to be perfected in us. When His love is perfected in us, (and that time is not reserved for heaven) keeping His word becomes the natural thing for us to do-no more ‘trying harder’ or ‘being more committed!’ If you realize that His love is not yet perfected in you, do not condemn yourself; simply ask God to reveal to you a deeper understanding and awareness of the love He has for you. In addition to asking God to do this, read the scriptures with a seeking heart, depending on the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you. Focus not on your own effort, focus on the power of the love of God. God loves for us is perfect and complete-right now, we need to grow in our knowledge of that love. Experiencing the love of God is the most powerful force we will ever encounter-it changes us from the inside out. May we walk in His love.
Colossians 2:6 “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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