WALK AS GOD WALKS (3)

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children WALK in TRUTH” – 3John 1:4

The Word of God is Truth; hence to WALK AS GOD WALKS is to Walk in Truth: ““For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you WALK IN THE TRUTH. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children WALK in TRUTH” (3 Jh.3-4). These were the words of John the apostle to his friend, Gaius, and by extension, to all who follow Christ. Gaius was a man with an open house and open heart. He walked in God’s truth, and so can we. John’s letter reveals vital benefits to walking in truth: (a) A roundly blessed life (v.2); (b) one that testifies to truth (v.3); (c) a heart that aligns with Jesus.

Jesus Himself is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jh.14:6). He also equated God’s Word with Truth: “Sanctify them by Your Truth. Your Word is Truth” (Jh.17:17). If walking in truth could give John the Beloved so much Joy, God is extremely pleased when we walk like Him – in the Truth: “Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us HOW you ought to WALK and to PLEASE GOD” (1The.4:6).

Walking in Truth is not peculiar to the New Testament. In teaching him meditation, Moses’ father-in-law instructed him as follows: “And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the WAY in which they MUST WALK and the work they must do” (Exo.18:20). David also prayed: “Teach me YOUR WAY, O LORD; I will WALK IN THE TRUTH; unite my heart to fear Your name” (Psa. 86:11). David asked God to teach him His Way, in order to walk in His Truth, and direct his heart to reverence and submission to God alone. We learn from his prayers, how we can remain teachable, malleable, and adaptable to God’s plans even while passing through life’s challenges. David surrendered to God, choosing to let the Lord be his Guide, walking in the truth.

David prayed: “Unite my heart to fear Your name” (Psa.86:11b). Like David, the more we learn of God’s Way in His Word, the better equipped we’ll be to walk in the Truth, and cultivate a united heart – a fixed heart of faith. The opposite of a united heart is a divided heart that’s caught between multiple opinions or possibilities. James 1:8 describes such a person as “a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” An undivided, single-hearted loyalty to God is one of the vital benefits of walking in the Truth!

The enemy wants nothing more than to distract us from God’s plan for our lives. The nature of the times the world is passing through makes it particularly easy to lose focus on God. It’s easy to be distracted or distanced from God’s plan for our lives. It’s easy to lose focus, and begin to look at our circumstances and trials rather than to look to God. We’re therefore challenged to cultivate an undivided heart before God rather than allow mundane circumstances sway us from all that God has for us.

When we have given up every iota of rebellion against God, He will teach us His Way, He will help us WALK in His Way of Truth through the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Truth: “However, when He, the SPIRIT of TRUTH, has come, He will guide you into ALL TRUTH; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (Jh.16:13). The Holy Spirit is ever available to guide us and lead us (Rom.8:14). We need only recognise and reverence His Presence within us. When we yield to the Spirit of God – the Spirit of Truth – we cannot veer into deception or error.