What Bible Teaches on How Christians Ought to Walk
1 Kings 3:1-10
Many people are frustrated about what Christian life is all about, but then they are trying to life this life in the power of the flesh, it is never going to work, the principles of the Christian life must be followed and adhered to if you are going to be a successful Christian fulfilling God’s plan and purpose.
The Biblical Christianity
We see the world is influencing Christians instead of Christians influencing the world. It is good for the ship to be in the ocean, but not good for the ocean to be in the ship because there will be catastrophic damages to lives. The principles of the Christian life are found in the word of God, and if we allow the Lord to guide us, he will do a better job.
Who determines how you ought to walk is God. It is not another Christian brothers or sisters, but God himself is the one who decided the way we ought to walk before we were ever alive to voice our opinion on this particular issue.
What does it mean to walk?
Hebrew Word is Halak, which means Behave one’s self, exercise, to live.
In our passage of the Scripture.
Solomon proclaimed that the reason why God blessed and showed great mercy to his father was because of his walk, because of how his father conducts himself in the sight of God, and God really honored blessed David.
Don’t forget that David had so many blemish in his life, but despite some of his questionable acts, he walked in a way that God in heaven is well pleased.
And from this passage, I want to share with you some things that are outlined in the passage about how David walked, and the way we ought to walk as believers.
Three Things we see in this passage about David’s Walk before God that should help every Christian about the principles of the Christian life
1. He walked in Truth
To walk in the truth means to live a consistent life before the Lord, and to show the integrity of our heart before the Lord.
1Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1Ki 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
David had a testimony of walking before the Lord in truth. In a society where truth is relative, I believe that there is nothing more glorifying is to seeing believers living consistent lifestyles, and not dubious in their way of life. The principles of the Christian life contained in the Bible work for everyone who is willing to allow God to work through him.
God sees what you do Christians, and he takes into record every path you tread. You cannot hide away from the Lord. His eyes are everywhere.
It brings joy, and delight to the heart of God when his children are walking in the truth. The word of God is the truth, and he is to live our lives consistently according to the truth of the Bible. Some reject it, refuse it, and renounce it, but a man that wants to see God is working, and moving in his life will receive it, rejoice in it, and resound it.
It also brings joy to the heart of the people that are mentoring you. What pains a pastor is a church member living inconsistently to the Bible that he receives, and hears every time.
3Jn 1:3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
3Jn 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
God’s blessing is upon those that are walking in the truth. Listen to me, just because a friend who is living a deceitful life gets physical gains do not mean that God is blessing him.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Ki 2:4 That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
God says, he is going to establish you, and he is going to bring to pass what he promised them, but the deal is, you must take heed to your ways.
2. He Walked in Righteousness
Righteousness is a simple as rightness. Doing things in the right way. Right is always right, and wrong is always wrong.
Everyone will get a crossroads where we will have to make decisions between right and wrong.
Remember to walk before the Lord in righteousness. Your righteousness will speak for you in that day when your good is evil spoken against.
Example: Jacob and Laban
Genesis 30:33
Why should I walk in righteousness?
God judges in righteousness
Psalm 7:8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
Psalm 9:8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
God loves righteousness
Psalm 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
God rewards righteousness
Psalm 18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Psalm 18:24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
When we walk before the Lord in righteousness, we have the opportunity to have close fellowship and intimacy with the Lord.
Psa 15:1 A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
Psa 15:2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
Cleanliness is next to closeness, you can get closer to the Lord when you maintain a closeness before the Lord. The reason why many people do not want to get closer to God is because of their evil practices, and ungodly lifestyles.
3. He Walked in the Uprightness of Heart
What does it mean?
Uprightness: Rectitude, is honesty and being honorable.
David walked in the uprightness of his heart by not condoning sins, hiding sins, and living in secret when confronted with sins. The opposite of uprightness is perverseness. To be perverse is to be to go wrong, go crooked
In another meaning, perverse is to twist, distort, pervert, make crooked
Many people are still adamant while living in sins. It shows that you are not upright in your heart. Do you seek justification for your sinful life? You are not upright in heart.
1Chronicles 29:17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
For More Preaching
When we walk in the uprightness of our heart, it brings peace, reverence to God, and his word. What do you have to gain when you are living a deceitful life?
Proverbs 14:2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
Proverbs 28:6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
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