Walk In Newness of Life Pt. 8 Walk in the Steps of Faith

 We are learning more about what it means to "Walk In Newness of Life" from the scriptures. "Walking" in the spiritual sense as used in the Bible refers to the pattern of our lives, the path marked out by the moral decisions that we make. Does our walk honor God or disgrace Him? 

We need to keep in mind that the word "walk" is a transitive verb that must transfer or connect the action of walking to something or someone. Therefore, the "walk" of a believer is to be connected to the Word of God and to Jesus Christ. 

Abraham is the father of all who believe God.

Romans 4:1-3  What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.  

Abraham is a man from the Old Testament who is called "The Father of Faith". God made a covenant with Abraham based upon faith not works. In this chapter of his letter to the church at Rome, Paul is going to tell us about another aspect of how we walk as believers. Thus, we will look at the context to gain a better understanding of how the verb "walk" is used to instruct us in the right ways to live. 

Paul was Jewish by birth and a free born Roman citizen. First, he lets us know that if Abraham was justified by his own works, then he could "glory" about what he had done in order to "justify" himself. The word "glory" means to brag about something or to be a boastful and proud person. 

Essentially, Paul is telling us that if Abraham could have been justified by his own works then he could brag about it to other men, but not before God.  Why? Repeatedly, God's word tells us that the just shall live by faith and that by the works of the flesh no man can be justified (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16). 

The Bible makes it clear that what made Abraham special was his faith in Jehovah. He listened to what God told him He was going to do and then he believed. He exercised faith in Jehovah, the covenant making, promise keeping God. The apostle connected his teaching to the Old Testament scriptures (Psalm 15:6) where it is written that Abraham believed God and this was counted for righteousness for Abraham. 

Abraham believed God. The word "believed" means that he was confident and fully persuaded by what God said to him. It means Abraham was convinced of the truth and that he placed his full trust in God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Abraham heard words directly from God and he responded with faith, belief and trust in Jehovah.

When Abraham believed God his action was "counted for him as righteousness." The word "counted" is an accounting term and it means that God credited His righteousness to Abrahams account. It is also a technical term that refers to God justifying those who believe by imputing or crediting His righteousness to their account.

When righteousness is counted or imputed to a believer, it means that righteousness is counted or imputed to the believer in a substitutionary manner. Why? Because Jesus Christ took our place, on the cross, suffered for our sins and died the death that we deserve. Therefore, it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world, that is counted for us. He took our sins away and He gives us His righteousness when we put our faith in Him. 

Abraham believed God and God counted his faith for righteousness. 

Why does it matter that righteousness is counted or credited or imputed to us by God? Because we will stand before God in the day of judgment. If we are born again, Christ's righteousness covered and removed all of our sins and we will stand robed in His righteousness before God.

We will give an account to God for our lives. 

Matthew 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Jesus taught His disciples that they (and we) will give an account to God at the day of judgment. God has a book in heaven that contains the summary of all our thoughts, words and actions. We are born as sinners descended from Adam (as in Adam all die). We will stand condemned by our own works if we do not repent of our sins and turn to Jesus Christ in faith. 

Romans 14:11-12  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12) So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 

When we are born again, the believer will not be judged according to his or her works. Rather, Christ's righteousness has been counted as our righteousness. We will stand at the "Bema" seat of Christ to receive a reward or loss of reward for our love and service for God (1 Corinthians 3:11-23). 

Philippians 4:15-17  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16) For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 17) Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. 

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi and thanked them for their ongoing support for his needs while he was imprisoned. Paul's heart was that they continue to do so in order that much fruit would be credited to their account in the day of judgment. 

Revelation 20:11-12  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

The Great White throne judgment is for lost people, the unsaved wicked ones who have persisted in rebellion against God. They will stand before God in their sins because they refused to believe on Jesus Christ and did not receive His righteousness.

Walking in steps of faith with Christ's imputed righteousness.

Romans 4:11-12  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12) And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 

In Romans 4:4-10, Paul goes into more detail about God imputing, crediting our account with the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ, as our own righteousness because of our faith in Him. Then, he turned back to Abraham and noted that Abraham received this wonderful covenant while he was still uncircumcised. He was given the sign of circumcision and he is the father of faith to all who believe, Jew or Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

This is where we find out about those who "walk" in the steps of faith. Thus, we can learn much by studying about Abraham's life after he believed God and was credited with God's righteousness. He was called the friend of God. He had moments of great faith and moments when he had a lapse in faith. 

We can also study the "steps of that faith" in the lives of many others who believed God and to whom God imputed righteousness. It is a specific faith in that there is only One, True God of heaven that we can and must have faith in. This is why God has given us both the Old and New Testaments. They contain the details of those faithful men, women and even young people who trusted God, believed God and had faith that God would do what He promised to do. 

They were not perfect people but were faithful and flawed, just like us. They made progress and sometimes regressed in their "walk" with the Lord. Yet, their lives could be measured by the steps of faith that each one took while they lived on earth as believers in Jehovah. 

May our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ help us see the joy, blessing and peace that comes to all who will "walk in the steps of that faith."

Bob