Walk Worthy Of God

Alba 10-29-2023

WALK WORTHY OF GOD

I Thessalonians 2:9-12

You may have heard of a rather pompous-looking deacon who was speaking to a class of boys about the importance of living the Christian life. “Why do people call me a Christian?” the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, “Maybe it’s because they don’t know you.”

I am sure that is not the answer that man expected. But what answer would you receive if you asked the same question? It gives a person something to think about, doesn't it?

It boils down to how the way we live our lives compares with what we say we are in Christ. One of the common critiques leveled at present-day Christianity is that it’s a religion full of hypocritical people.

A 2016 Barna Group study examined the degree to which this perception may be accurate. The study explored how well Christians seem to reflect the actions and attitudes of Jesus in their interactions with others. They found the differences between the self-oriented behavior of born again Christians and that of national norms were small.

Sadly an earlier Barna Group survey in 2006 found that when measured for some moral behaviors, born-again believers were not much different from non-born-again adults.

Thankfully the Pew Research Center also released a study in 2016 of the ways religion influences the daily lives of Americans. And it found that people who are highly religious are more engaged with their extended families, more likely to volunteer, more involved in their communities and generally happier with the way things are going in their lives.

I think it all depends on whether the one who calls himself a Christian is making it a goal to walk worthy of God. That's what the apostle Paul called the church in Thessalonica to do in I Thessalonians 2:9-12. Let's read what it says.

9 For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

10 You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; 11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

And while Paul does give the church that charge, he does more. He sets the example of how walking worthy of God is done. He reminds them he had made it a point not to be a burden to them (verse 9). Paul was a tent maker and worked his trade as he taught the people in Thessalonica about Jesus and to walk worthy of God.

Paul had the right as an apostle to demand that the church support him financially. However, in this circumstance, Paul didn't want anything to get in the way of the Gospel message getting through, so he did not require money from them.

Because of this, there are people who think that the church shouldn't talk about money. But the Bible does. I Corinthians 9:5-6 says that giving should be a “matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.” And then it says, “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

There are a number of professing Christians who get fed up with the church because they feel that there is always a demand for money. What has happened is that these people were burdened with financial commitments to the church before they were spiritually mature and committed to Christ and the work of the church.

So, even though there is biblical instruction about money and how to use it, they had no joy in giving because there was no sense of involvement and no sense of delight in sharing a common goal.

But, “God loves a cheerful giver” (I Corinthians 9:7). And we see that the apostle Paul was one. He gave of himself so that others could know the saving power of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.

So, our presentation of the gospel should be presented the same way. Not for any personal or physical gain, but so that people will come to a place where they yield their lives in obedience to Jesus Christ.

And not only that but, as verse 10 says, the gospel needs to be presented devoutly, justly and blamelessly. That means that if we are wanting to be a witness of our faith to others, there should be some evidence to support it. We need to walk worthy of our calling. Let's take a closer look at these three verses.

What does it mean to be devout? Well it doesn't mean someone who is self-righteous, who tries to look “holier than thou.” But it is someone who endeavors to live a holy life.