Walking in the Way Undefiled
The world is an unfriendly, unsafe place. It is ruled by a usurper, a deceiver and destroyer of men (Jn 8:44; 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), who have tragically joined forces with him (2 Cor 4:4). Being a wicked partner in crime, Satan has taken dominion from man and enslaved him in misery (Acts 26:18).
The way of Lucifer is destruction. It is wide, and there are many who travel it (Mt 7:13). It is depicted in the Bible as vanity fair. It is a carnival of amusement, filled with sketchy subjects who intend to rob you through trickery, games, and gambling. With bright lights and bad food, the entanglements of vanity occupy men until the day of their deaths.
There is another way in this world of darkness. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world and took on flesh (Jn 1:14; 3:16). He declared, “I am the way (Jn 14:6).” Jesus Christ is the way of the undefiled, and blessed is the man who finds himself in Him (Ps 119:1; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 1:21). He Himself is the path of righteousness, which is the straight and narrow way to God and eternal life (Jn 3:36).
The antinomian is careless in his libertine leanings (see Jude). He either finds no need for the one and only way of holiness, or he claims justification by faith, before continuing his reckless way of sinning in self-deception.
The legalist has no confidence in Christ Jesus, either. Whereas the antinomian gives no thought to the day of judgment and eternal punishment, the legalist muses on these matters with utmost sincerity. He justifies himself by the record of his earnest good works (see Galatians). Neither of these men is truly trusting in Jesus Christ as their Savior.
The hopeless, who realize their helpless state before the just judgment throne of God (2 Cor 5:10; Eph 2:12), flee to Christ, as their only hope of glory (Col 1:27). Having received the grace of God through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3), the born again believer wholly trusts in the impeccable person and perfect works of the Messiah of God (Ps 118:8; Prv 3:5–6; Is 26:12; Heb 4:3, 15).
It is right to call the Christian, “blessed.” Being adopted into the family of God (Rom 8:15, 23; Eph 1:4–5), the beloved child of God has been brought into inseparable union with Christ (Heb 13:5; 1 Jn 4:13; ). Christ is now the believer’s life and all of God’s spiritual blessings are in Him (Gal 2:20; Eph 1:3). For those, “in Christ,” a new life has begun (Rom 6:4; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 1:21; 5:17).
With a new mind (1 Cor 2:16), a new heart (Ezek 36:26), and a new will (Ps 110:3), there is a new way to live life in this fallen world. This is the way of triumph (2 Cor 2:14), of victory (1 Cor 15:57; 1 Jn 5:4), and although there are few that find it (Mt 7:14), Jesus promised that not one of those God intends to walk in this undefiled way will fail to do so. Grace assures God’s will is done in His perfect providence.
The saint is subject to defilement through the remainder of her life, but her sanctification has been willed by God (1 Thess 4:3). He will cause her to walk in His statues (Ezek 36:27) because she walks by the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 25). She prays in the Spirit, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts, 24 and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way (Ps 139: 23–24).”
The way undefiled is the way of the Spirit of Christ, the Almighty. There is no other way and no other power to walk blameless before God (1 Pet 1:15–16). It is for this reason that God chose a people for His own possession before the foundation of the world (Rom 11:5)…that we would be holy and blameless before Him (Eph 1:4; 1 Pet 2:9).
The church to be presented holy and blameless is the bride of Christ, on the day of the marriage feast (Mt 22; Rev 19:9). God set His love upon His chosen bride (Dt 7:7), and while her members were in the company of ungodly sinners (Rom 5:8), Christ laid down His life for her (Eph 5:25), propitiating her sins (Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 1 Jn 2:2; 4:10), forgiving her (Mt 26:28; Eph 1:7), by bearing her sins in His body on the tree (1 Pet 2:24).
The elect, redeemed church of Jesus Christ has been washed white as snow by His precious blood (1 Pet 1:19; Rev 7:14). Jesus Christ came for this purpose (Eph 3:11), to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). He saved us (Tit 3:5), and He sent His Spirit to awaken us, to illumine us to His covenant ways (Ps 25:4, 14), and His unbreakable promises to give us hope and a future (Jer 29:11)
The Christian has Christ in her, willing and working His good pleasure (Gal 2:20; Phil 2:13). He will never leave, nor forsake her (Heb 13:5) because He who began His good work in her will bring it to its perfect end (Phil 1:6). In the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23), He has appointed His elect for eternal life (Acts 13:48). She hears her Father say, “I am Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect (Gen 17:1).”
The Christian’s perfect walk in the way undefiled is Christ. Having put on Christ, she wears His robe of righteousness. Although she was prostituted in the world by her pimpish old boyfriend, the devil, God looks at her as a pure virgin because of Christ, the Holy One of Israel. She is in Him, and He is in her. Where He walks, she is sure to follow. He Himself is the way undefiled, and she walks in Christ (Col 2:6), who alone has loved her with His everlasting love (Jer 31:3).
David Norczyk
Springfield, Oregon
June 11, 2022
