Walk in Him: Continuing on in the Christian Life

Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father (Phil 2:11). He is Lord of all (Acts 10:36); and Christians submit to His Lordship because He is Lord of every lord (1 Tim 6:15). In order to subject oneself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, one must first receive Him (Jn 1:12–13; Col 2:6).

In this matter of receiving Jesus Christ, many are deceived into believing they are the catalyst. Like sheep who choose which shepherd is worthy; or slaves choosing their preferred master; or dead branches deciding to graft themselves in to their preferred tree, or orphans who discern who will be their parents, the free will decision makers delight in boasting about their wise decision that enables Jesus to be their Savior. My hope is that my reader can detect the tomfoolery in this practice of man-centered theology. Simply put, we do not choose Christ; He chooses us.

In truth, when spiritually dead men are made alive together with Him (Eph 2:1, 5), it is God’s free will choice that determines who His remnant vessels of mercy will be in election, redemption, regeneration, and glorification (Jn 1:12–13; Rom 9:23; 11:5–6; 2 Thess 2:13).

The means by which sinners are transferred from the domain of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son is by the will of God informing the grace of God, which is the work of God causing one to be born again of God (Jn 1:12–13; 3:1–8; Eph 1:13; 2:8–9; 1 Pet 1:3).

We preach not ourselves, as free will choosers of lucky-to-have-us saviors, but we preach Jesus Christ as Lord (2 Cor 4:5; Phil 2:11). The Holy Spirit implants the Word of Christ in the hearts of each elect, redeemed soul and that is good soil, indeed (Mt 13:8, 23; Jn 1:21). Faith then comes from hearing this Word (Rom 10:17).

The Spirit and the Word are permanent indwellers of the regenerated heart and mind (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11). Once the Word of God is rooted in the soul, it begins to grow. The believer’s union with Christ is not just His indwelling Spirit in us; it is us in Him (1 Cor 1:30; 1 Jn 4:16). The kingdom transfer (Col 1:13), accomplished by the Holy Spirit, positions the born again “in Christ.” Believers are those who are being built up in Christ, our firm foundation (Col 2:7).

The reader of Colossians 1 knows the riches of this wisdom, which is Christ in us the hope of glory (1 Cor 1:24; Col 1:27). The Christian faith is a body of knowledge to be believed (2 Pet 1:1); but it is also one’s personal trust in the Person and work of the One revealed to us as our creator (Col 1:16; Heb 1:2), sustainer (Col 1:17; Heb 1:3), and federal Head (Acts 16:31; Col 1:18). Seeing Jesus as our all and in all, the grace-filled response is faith (Eph 2:8–9). The Christian trusts in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, with all his or her heart (Prv 3:5–6).

The Christian life is marked by gratitude to God for all of the great things He has done (Dt 10:21; 1 Sam 12:24; Ps 126:3; Joel 2:21; Mk 5:19–20; Lk 1:49; 8:39), which are blessings secured by and found only in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3). A life that is pleasing to God is one of faith provided by the indwelling Spirit of Christ (Gal 2:20). In this spiritual life, new at regeneration and abundant throughout (Jn 10:10; Rom 6:4; 2 Cor 5:17), the Christian continues by “walking in Him.”

Christ lives in the Christian by His Spirit, sent to him or her (Jn 14:26; 15:26); and the saint sojourns for the remainder of his or her days in the Spirit, who teaches (Jn 14:17), guides (Jn 16:13), leads (Is 63:14; Mt 4:1; Lk 4:1; Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18), empowers (Eccl 5:19; 6:2), helps (Jn 14:26), comforts (Jn 14:16), sanctifies (Rom 15:16; 1 Cor 6:11; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2), etc.

Like branches attached to the true and living Vine, we now draw everything from Christ (Jn 15:1–5). It is the Lord who establishes our new life of faith by grafting us into Christ. It is the Lord, the Spirit, who nourishes every aspect of one’s Christian life.

The child of God walks in love (Eph 5:2). God is love (1 Jn 4:8). The believer walks by faith (2 Cor 5:7) — the faith given to him as a gift of God’s grace when God gave him His Spirit (Acts 2:38; 10:45; Phil 1:29). Thus, the spiritual man (1 Cor 2:15), in contrast with the natural man (1 Cor 2:14), walks by the Spirit (Gal 5:16; 25). This is to walk in truth (2 Jn 1:4; 3 Jn 1:3–4), as it is in Jesus (Eph 4:21), who is Himself the truth (Jn 14:6).

Jesus is the Light of the world (Jn 8:12); therefore, those who walk in Him (Col 2:6), walk in the Light as children of light (Jn 12:35; Eph 5:8; 1 Jn 1:7), whose light shines before men (Mt 5:16), who live in darkness (Jn 11:10). Christ is a marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9), who illumines our whole eternal life in the New Jerusalem of the new heavens and the new earth (Rev 21:23). Thus, we are on display like a city set on a hill (Mt 5:14).

Walking in a manner worthy of our calling to follow Christ Jesus the Lord (Eph 4:1; Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12; 1 Jn 2:6), will produce endless gratitude to God (Col 2:7; 1 Tim 4:4; Heb 12:28). This is rather peculiar for those who have not received the Holy Spirit nor the love of the truth. Without the indwelling Spirit of truth, the natural man is deceived by the father of lies, Satan (Jn 8:44), even to the point of being blinded from seeing the Gospel and the kingdom (2 Cor 4:4).

Those who do not believe in Christ do not know Him, personally, even though they may have heard of Him. It is Christ Jesus versus every philosophy, demon-inspired doctrine, traditions of men under the influence of deceitful spirits, and the elementary principles of the world that deny people the goodness of God (Col 2:8).

In conclusion, we have received something, or rather, someone better than anything put forward as an alternative by the world. This was Paul’s argument for the church at Colossae and for us to embrace. Christ is superior. Christ is supreme. There is nothing and no one beside Him, which is why stewards entrusted with this mystery only proclaim Him, so that every man may be found complete in Christ on the day of His glorious appearing. Until then, we must walk in Him, continuing on in our journey of faith.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

February 18, 2024

Colossians 2:6–7