THE CHRISTIAN WALK
Text: 1 John 1:7
INTRODUCTION
1. Read Text
2. The term "walk" is reference to the life we live
a. Enoch walked with God and was no more for God took him the Hebrew writer says
b. We talk about people in all "walks of life"
c. Walk is how we live and is determined by what guides us in life
3. So how do we walk?
a. We will discuss the steps we must follow in order to walk the Christian walk and be found in the light of God
b. These steps we take are to be guided by the Bible which is the lamp to our feet and light to our path
4. Let’s all determine the walk the Christian walk and be a blessing to others and be found living for Him when He returns
TRANSITION: Step one:
I. Practice stewardship (1 John 2 15-24)
A. 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For 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"
1. There will be an accounting at the day of judgment of how you handled the blessings of God in your life
2. The question is whether I have done as God desired with His gifts:
a. Of time
b. Of resources
c. Of health
3. How did I use the blessings of Jesus in my life?
B. After all, remember that as a Christian you are not even yours
1. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s"
2. We, as Christians, were bought with a price, that means we are not ours anymore
a. I buy a car, I determine how it gets used
b. Not its former owner and not the car
c. Neither should we determine what we do without God
C. Whatever you have that God did not create and give to you can be used as you wish, all other things must involve Christian stewardship, being used in His service
TRANSITION: Step two:
II. Master yourself (1 John 2:27-29)
A. Be in control of your own faculties, physical, mental, and emotional
1. Self-control is the summative point of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:23)
2. God wants you to be in control of you
B. Paul further preaches self-control
1. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, "And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified"
2. We all want to win the prize, that is why we compete
3. Winning takes self-control
4. Paul says that he buffets his body (Not buffet-ed) so that he would be like the message of God, working on self-control
C. Conduct yourself so that you are what God is building in the Bible
TRANSITION: Step three:
III. Love your neighbor as yourself (1 John 3:17)
A. The 2nd commandment like the first, Matthew 22:39, "And the second is like it: ’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"
1. The "lawyer" was testing Jesus to get Him to make a mistake
2. Instead we get the ultimate theology lesson on God’s love
3. Love God above all else
4. Love other people at least as much as you love yourself
B. If we don’t then we are murderers according to 1 John 3:15
1. And no murderer has eternal life in him
2. We want eternal life so we must love our neighbors
TRANSITION: Step 4:
IV. Behave respectfully (1 John 3:8)
A. 1 Corinthians 13:5, "[Love] does not behave rudely…"
1. That’s how live acts toward others
2. And we must have love to have eternal life
B. Rude behavior comes from a lack of love and concern for others
1. Coarse talk and harsh words hurt those who hear
2. Dirty jokes and malicious gossip tears other people down
3. Our job as Christians is to build others up in the most holy faith and rude behavior undermines that work
C. Rude and unbecoming behavior is sinful and destructive and walking in darkness not in the light of God
TRANSITION: Step 5:
V. Do not encourage others to sin (1 John 3:10)
A. Romans 14:20-21, "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak"
1. Being as God’s work is to build other people up and Paul says not to destroy the work of God
2. Our lives must not lead other people to sin
a. When they look at me and are lead to sin then I have sinned
b. I must do things in my life that encourage others toward life and godliness not toward sin and shame
B. Matthew 18:6, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea"
1. It does matter what others do because of what they see in you
2. If your actions undo the work of God of salvation in the life of someone else then God has destruction awaiting you
3. So how do you avoid that destruction
4. Remember Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
5. Make sure that when others see you they see the work of God going on and being done and they will be brought to glorify God in the process
C. Walking in the light of Christ will not lead others away from Him but will lead them toward Him
D. Making you the needle in the compass that points others toward Jesus Christ for forgiveness of their sins
TRANSITION: Step 6:
VI. Do not violate your conscience (1 John 3:19-20)
A. Conscience is not always the best guide
1. There are times when it can steer you wrong
2. Paul served God with a clear conscience all his life (2 Timothy 1:3)
a. Even when he was persecuting the church he had a clear conscience
b. Even though he was wrong
c. 1 Corinthians 4:4, "I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord"
d. He had a clean conscience, but that is not the final judgment with God
3. Our conscience is a good guide if it is properly trained
B. Romans 14:22-23, "Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned"
1. Set your heart on the truth of God by teaching it His ways
2. Then follow it through by God’s guidance into His eternal light in heaven
CONCLUSION
1. So here’s what you got, if you want to boil Christianity down
2. Love God first, enough that it is your genuine desire to please Him
3. Love His creation, other people were the object of His sacrifice also
4. Make it your desire to use all the wonderful things God has given you to further His cause and to accomplish His purpose on earth of seeking and saving the lost
5. And live a life that backs up His word and shows others just how to live a life that please and praises God
6. That is walking in the light
