Introduction: Many people are trying to figure out what this “Christian” thing is all about. What
should we experience after we have been saved. We hear about change, but what should change? Then once I have changed, will it get old? What about it all?
Another angle on this question, though it may seem from a long way out, is that of modern spirituality. I’m saying that many people today are claiming spirituality, claiming a relationship with God, claiming to be saved, but demonstrate nothing of what God has said is evidence of such. They demonstrate nothing of a genuine walk with the Lord. They may think they have changed, but all that’s changed is their attendance at church and their God-talk. Their everyday practices have not been affected. They still curse, still lie, cheat and steal, they are still unforgiving, loveless, and in bondage to fear. They are still bound to their flesh, and they still practice divisiveness. They act as though their relationship to God is as though putting on a mask of religiosity will draw the love of an all-knowing Holy God. His Word declares He wants a relationship with us, pure and unadulterated. So what is this Walk of Faith, not of sight all about if it isn’t just “Looking like we are saved”?
We should examine ourselves in light of God’s word, and if in the process, we are doubtful of our
being on the right path, then we have no better time than now to get it right, repent, change directions,
and get going in the way that is right.
Well, may I propose to you that there are 7 aspects that our walk with Christ will reflect, and
each requires change in us. The sinful way, the world’s way, has led us the wrong direction from the
beginning. Each aspect is a worthy goal - a goal with perfection as the standard. But whether we like it
or not, that standard is the yardstick by which God measures us. Well, it is the second yardstick. The
first is whether you’ve been born again, whether you’ve taken Christ as your Savior. If you’ve done that, then your reward in heaven will be based upon this yardstick of perfection. Certainly no one will reach perfection this side of glory, but the question is this: Is your life taking a direction toward that perfection or away?
We should experience:
A New Walk of Life
An Honest Walk
A Selfless Walk
A Unified Walk
A Spiritual Walk
A Worthy Walk
A Lighted Walk
We will look at each one individually over the course of the next several weeks. The first is a
New Walk of Life.
READ ROMANS 6:4
God wants us to live life and to live it more abundantly (Jn 10:10). But to do that, we must make
changes. Not to do so is to reject Jesus’ offer, and choose to continue in the drudgery, and boredom,
and misery of life. We must choose another way, and there is only one way to true life - Jesus. As Eddy
Ketchursid says, “If your horse is dead, for goodness sake, dismount!”
Our New Walk of Life will involve many changes that can be immediately implemented into any
Believer’s life. These changes are also gradual in some ways, for they begin immediately, but continue
their transformation throughout our life as we learn and grow.
We should see our lives showing we have:
A New Heart
New Rules
New Ends
New Principles
New Paths
New Leaders
I. A New Heart (Good , pure) (Eze 36:26)
When God measures a man, he puts the tape measure around the heart, not his head.
A. No Longer a Heart of Stone, but a Heart of Flesh (2Co 3:3)
B. No Longer a Heart of Sin, but a Heart that’s Clean (Ps 51:10)
II. New Rules
A. Law of Love (Gal 5:14)
B. Law of Faith (Rom 3:27)
C. Law of Liberty (Jas 1:25; 2:12)
III. New Ends
A. Heaven (Heb 12:25-29) - the END
The teacher asked her preschool class, “Now how many of you would like to go to heaven?” All
of the kids but Tommy raised their hands. “Tommy,” asked the teacher, “Why don’t you want to go to
heaven?” He answered, “I’m sorry, but I can’t. My mother told me to come right home after Sunday
School.”
B. Evangelism (Matt 28:18-20) - the MEANS
C. Glory to God (1Co 6:20) - the PURPOSE
IV. New Principles
A. Moral - right or wrong conduct
B. Ethical - the principles guiding conduct
C. Spiritual - the conduct of morality and ethics in relation to God
V. New Paths
A. Righteousness - of or relating to correctness and goodness (Pr. 2:9)
B. Truth - relating to reality; seen or unseen (Ps 25:10)
A Soapmaker, who was not saved, walked along the road with a preacher one day. He said to
the preacher, “The gospel you preach has not done much good. There is still a lot of wickedness in the
world, and wicked people, too.” Quietly they walked on. The preacher did not reply to his friend’s
comment until they passed a dirty little child making mudpies in the gutter. With this before them, the
preacher spoke, “Soap has not done much good in the world, I see; for there is still much dirt in the world,
and many dirty people about.”
“O, well, you know,” said the Soapmaker, “soap is only useful when it is applied.”
“Exactly,” said the preacher, “so it is with the gospel we proclaim.”
VI. New Leadership
A. Christ - the head over man (1Co 11:3)
B. Church Leaders - appointed by Christ and recognized by man (Tit 1:5; 1Pe 5:5)
C. Bible - Word of Christ whereby all authority is revealed to mankind (2Ti 3:16)
Conclusion:
This morning, God wants us to examine our lives. Are they heading into newer, greener pastures, or
sliding down a long, steep slope to destruction? Are we heading into greater alignment with the Word of
God, or are we not? Are we allowing Christ to become our authority, our church leadership, and the
Bible to help us through life, or are we still trusting our own ways? Are we living a life that brings greater glory to God than yesterday? or are we living for self? Are we walking in the newness of life, or the old ways? You are invited to cry out to God this morning and change your ways. Cry out to Him for help, and then follow Him. Christian or no, we all need Jesus Christ today.
