Articles
Walk The [Right] Walk
The apostle Paul reminded the brethren of Ephesus that, as ones who had heard and been taught by Christ, they could “no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk,…who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph. 4:17-21), and that they were to “put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Eph. 4:22). He lists some behaviors that had to be put away in the following verses (Eph. 4:25-31) such as lying, unjust anger, stealing, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, loud and evil speaking and, if we ignore the chapter division, continues to contrast the two paths one may walk in this world — one that pleases God and the other that does not.
In chapter five, he goes on to command that “fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you,…neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting” (5:3, 4). It should be obvious, but let it be clearly stated, that this is the path no Christian should walk, for it leads one away from holiness, righteousness, and salvation itself. This path does not bring one closer to God, nor is it pleasing to God, but leads to eternal destruction (Matt. 7:13).
As a contrast, Paul gives them [and us] the path every disciple should walk. To these same brethren, Paul would remind them that, after putting off the old man of sin, disciples were to “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). They were to “speak truth” (Eph. 4:25), “labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Eph. 4:28), speak “what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Eph. 4:29), “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32), and [again, ignoring the chapter division], “be imitators of God” (5:1), “walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us” (Eph. 5:2), “Walk as children of light…finding out what is acceptable to the Lord” (Eph. 5:9, 10), and “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Eph. 5:11). Quite the contrast, right?
If it is not clear, this is the path that is pleasing to God, for it brings us closer to Him, and walking this path itself means we have chosen the way of righteousness and holiness. For those washed in the blood of Christ, this is not an option; we either walk this path or we do not walk with God. Paul put it plainly in his words to those in Rome: “to be spiritually minded is life and peace” but “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:6-8). If it wasn't obvious by now, let it be said that we cannot walk both paths, either, for one cannot be both pleasing to God and displeasing at the same time.
And in case the reasons are not so obvious as to why we should avoid walking the path of the world, let us consider Paul's reasons as given in his letter to the Ephesians.
That is not the path taught by Christ. (Eph. 4:20) When Paul reminded these brethren they were to no longer walk as the unbelieving world, he argued that they should not because “you have not so learned Christ.” Disciples of Jesus Christ do not learn lewdness, uncleanness, greediness, or deceitful lusts from listening to Christ or by following His example. Those who profess to be Christians but who look and act like the world have either forgotten what Christ taught, never really knew it, or never really were disciples.
It is not fitting for sanctified people. (Eph. 5:3, 4) The behavior Paul identified as that which should be “not named among” the disciples was forbidden for the simple fact that people who have been sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-11) do not live in a way that welcomes the pollution back into their lives! True disciples know the high price that was paid for them to be cleansed (Rev. 1:5) and strive not to be guilty of profaning such a precious thing as the blood of God's own Son by returning to the very way of life from which they had been made free, pure, and cleansed.
Such a life is “not fitting” because it doesn't match up with the claim of every disciple that he or she has been cleansed from sin and now lives a different way of life. Living like the world will convince no one that any change has been made!
This will prevent us from being a part of the kingdom of Christ and God. (Eph. 5:5) I know it is a shock to a great majority of people in this world, but God will not reward ungodly living with forgiveness of the very sins one continues to practice, and will certainly not reward such with eternal life in heaven with Him. And, yes, "little" sins like foolish talking, coarse jesting, sex outside the marriage relationship, and covetousness are the very things that will prevent one from obtaining forgiveness and eternal life in heaven. Of course, all of these things may be forgiven, provided one is willing to repent [turn away from; give up], but God will not forgive the one who purposefully continues in sin. In fact, what we may expect is “the wrath of God” (Eph. 5:6).
It is a life worthy of shame. (Eph. 5:12) I probably don't have to tell you that much of what used to be called "sin" [still called "sin" by God] is no longer a cause of shame to many in the world; in fact, some have worked hard to eliminate shame, guilt, and any negative connotations tied to sinful actions and/or behavior — all for the very purpose of removing any reason not to indulge in these acts. The efforts have been successful, in many ways, for there is little, if anything, left anymore that is deemed shameful — except maybe calling sin "sin." The world has, in fact, been successful in completely turning what used to be called "good" into something evil, while making the evil appear "good." Unfortunately, this is nothing new (cf. Isa. 5:20). As long as this world exists, there will be men who want to indulge in sinful acts without guilt or fear of condemnation, and they will stop at nothing to live this guilt-free life of indulgence — going so far as denying the very existence of God in the false hope that they will not one day have to stand before Him and give an account for what they have done on this earth. That will not change, for God's word plainly tells us, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). A hundred years from now, if this world still exists, those words will still read the same, no matter how far from God we have gone; it is beyond foolish to think denial will change reality, but so many live as if it does.
But that Judgment does not have to be a cause for dread; right now, if you are walking the wrong path, you have time to change your direction — change your path. As long as you are alive, you may turn from the path that leads to destruction and start walking the path that leads to forgiveness and, ultimately, eternal life with God in heaven. It would be supremely foolish to remain on the wrong path just because you've spent your entire life walking it.
Walk the walk, yes, but make sure you walk the right walk. —— Steven Harper
