9-23-2001 Walk Worthy of the Lord
A. Armstrong
COLOSSIANS 1:9-10
[9] For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
[10] That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Notice the importance Paul places on being ‘filled with the knowledge of his [God’s] will ‘in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, and relates that to walking worthy of the Lord.
When you see someone who does not ‘walk in the Spirit’; who is still evidently fulfilling the lusts of the flesh [yet claiming Christ], you may be sure that they have not received the knowledge of his will.
Paul’s first prayer for them was to know God’s will.
But note exactly what this Scripture says: we are to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. It is not enough to just know God’s will; we are to be filled with the knowledge of His will.
The will of God is to permeate our very being.
But note: what is being talked about is not God’s will for a particular thing nor for a few things. What is being talked about is the whole scope of life. God’s will involves all of life, everything we do every moment of every day. The will of God involves what we do, say, and even think.
Simply stated, we are to live and move and have our being in the will of God. God has willed a life that he wants us to live. We are to learn about that life and be filled with the knowledge of that life.
Briefly stated, God’s will for us involves our very behavior and conduct; it even reaches down into the depth of imagination and thought. Imagine! Even every thought is to be controlled by God’s will.
2Cor. 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
God tells us how to live life, and what He tells us is His will. Therefore, we are to study what God has said. We are to study God’s Word: learn and gain all the knowledge we can about His will—about how to live. We are to study and learn until the knowledge of His will just floods our lives—floods us to such a degree that doing His will flows out into conduct and behavior.
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”
And if we lack in this spiritual wisdom and knowledge of God, we can pray and ask for it...
Ehp. 1:17
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
What is the point of getting this knowledge and wisdom that we evidently should have?
THAT YE MIGHT WALK WORTHY.
The critical point is putting what we know into practice. We are to live out the will of God; we are to practice and do the will of God. Knowing the will of God is of no value until we have committed our lives to do it.
SCRIPTURES CONCERNING THIS ‘WORTHY WALK’
Rom 6:4
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Eph 4:1
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 5:15
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Phil 1:27
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ:
Col 2:6
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
1Thes 2:12
12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
One man wrote…“our conduct is to conform to the will of God as much as the conduct of Christ. We are to live a life just as worthy as the life of Christ. The will of God is to control our behavior as much as it did the behavior of Christ.
Christ is the pattern, and we are the copy.”
Walking worthy of the Lord will mean being fruitful in every good work. Everything that God says is to be done. Dealing with God is just like dealing with anyone. No person is pleased when we do only half of what he says. To please anyone we have to do all that he says. How much more true with God! If we are to please Him, we must do every good work and we must do it fruitfully, bearing as much fruit as possible.
James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
1Tim. 6:18
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.
Titus 2:7
In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity.
Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.
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There is a purpose for walking ‘worthy of the Lord’.
There is a reason why it is the will of God for us to walk circumspectly.
There is a reason why we are to walk in such a way as ‘becometh the gospel of Christ’.
Yes, it is for our own good, but not only that.
Titus 2:5
…that the word of God be not blasphemed.
1 Tim 5:14
…give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
1 Tim 6:1
…that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 Pet 2:2
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
1 Tim 3:7
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Neh 5:9
…ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
To walk any other way than we have read [walking worthy of our calling] is to dishonor Christ and bring a reproach upon his gospel.
It is to deny the power of God’s salvation….
2 Tim 3:5
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
To claim the salvation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and still walk in the wicked ways of this world is the same as to preach that there is no power in Christ to deliver from the power of sin.
{I read about a young minister who was invited by another minister of repute to go down to the town and preach the gospel with him. He considered this a great honor to be chosen, so he readily consented and they set off for town.
When they got to town, he walked with the famous minister up one street and down another and finally wound up where they had begun.
The young man said, ‘Have you forgotten what our purpose was when we set out? It was to preach the gospel.’
The older man said, ‘Everywhere we went, we preached the gospel of Jesus Christ because everyone who seen us saw Christ in our walk.’}
There is a story of a queen who wanted to go to parties without being recognized so she would go ‘incognito’. But it never worked, because she was famous for her walk and everywhere she went she was recognized by the way she walked.
They say she walked regally.
That is how we should walk also. We represent Christ’s kingdom and we should walk ‘worthily’. As the queen walked regally because she was regal, our walk should proclaim that we are the children of God.
The Psalmist understood when he said…
Ps 23:3
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE.
Isaiah wrote a word-picture of what our Lord has done for us…
Isa 42:16
16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
I Jn 2:6
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
II Th 1:11-12
11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is what motivated Paul to live a blameless life: He was jealous for the glory and name of Jesus!
And not only does walking worthily bring glory to Christ because it is evidence of his grace to save and power to deliver, but it will have an effect on those who behold it.
People who see the effect of the gospel in our lives have hope given to them in the day when God deals with their hearts.
1 Pet 2:11-12
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
This may be taken out of context, for the commentaries disagree to as to what ‘the day of visitation’ means.
But I will just relate this to you…
Once a man called to ask for prayer from this church for himself and his family. While talking with him, he said…
‘If I ever start going to church, I am going to go to ’...church’, because I can tell by your lives that what you have is really from God. The people there live what they preach.’
When we ‘walk worthy’ of the calling of God, our lives should preach ….the forgiveness of God [salvation], …the cleansing of the washing of water by the word [sanctification], ….the keeping power of God.
If they see us walking after the manner of the world, then they see nothing in us to recommend Christ to them.
Why walk in the paths of righteousness??????
FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE!!!!!!!!!!
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What happens when we walk uprightly before God?
I. We find favor with God.
Prov 3:1... 4
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:………………….
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Prov 12:2
2 A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD:
Prov 14:9
9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
To walk worthily is to keep the commandments of the Lord, and we read that Jesus said…
John 14:21
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 14:23
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
NOW THAT IS HAVING FAVOR WITH GOD!
One wise man said…
“A good reputation is a coin to be spent for God’s glory. It is to be used to impact people and nations. And God gives the righteous a good name so they can use it to glorify Him in greater measure!”
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When you set your heart to walk blamelessly before God - laying down your besetting sins, living in a way that’s pleasing to the Lord - your life will be a witness and a conviction to those who claim Christ but do not walk worthily.
Lukewarm or compromised Christians will be disturbed by your life!
Saul was a man who had ‘walked worthily’ but had disobeyed the Lord’s commandment and had ‘done his own thing.’
And he lost the favor of God because of it. Then when he saw David walking worthily, he was greatly troubled. He recognized that he was no longer in favor with God…
1Samuel 18:12...15
And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.... And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him"
David’s blameless behavior struck fear in Saul’s heart! Whenever Saul was around David, he remembered the time he had enjoyed the favor of God and the high esteem of men. But disobedience, envy, pride and self-will had cost Saul every bit of power with God. And it robbed him of the respect of the people.
David’s favor with God would not have bothered Saul at all if he had not lost God’s favor himself.
Saul had come face to face with a younger man - a less experienced, maybe even less articulate man - but one who exuded the power and integrity of holiness.
He was pure in heart, and God was with him. And Saul was afraid of him!
Keep in mind, Saul was no idolatrous Canaanite.
No - Saul was a man who had known the power of the Holy Spirit! He stood head and shoulders above David. And he had been God’s anointed. He once was a mighty man, chosen of God!
Sadly, Saul represents the compromised church today - those Christians who have compromised and lost the anointing of God. He is a type of believer who once was full of the Holy Ghost, on fire for God. But disobedience, pride and lust robbed him of everything he once knew of God!
David walked before the people as a defender of God’s holy name. His battle cry when he had faced Goliath was…"I come to thee in the name of the Lord!"
Then Saul set out to try to get rid of David. He hated him and was afraid of him because God was with David, and no longer with him.
It seems the worthy walk of the Christian will do one of two things to those who have fallen from where they should be. It will either convict them to bring them back into a right relationship with God, or it will make them angry.
I tell you there is nothing that will stir up a compromised Christian more than a holy blameless life! And the more your life lines up with the Lord’s will and His holiness, the more repelling you will become to backslidden believers.
Your worst opposition will come from within the ‘church’ - from compromised people who have secret sins they don’t want to give up! They will call you legalistic, unbalanced, strange. They will attempt to disgrace you, to destroy your name and your blameless walk before God.
Yet, we are commanded to ‘walk worthy.’
When we do, it is then that we are …
Matt 5:14
14 Ye are THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Matt 5:16
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Walking ’worthy of the Lord’is for God’s name’s sake, for your own good, and for those who still need to see the light of Christ in you.
