The word “walk” is often used in reference to our pilgrimage through this life. John wrote, “…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7). Many are the passages that tell us we are to walk in a manner that is in harmony with God’s word, or in other words, walk as God instructs us to walk. Israel of old was told, “Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God ” (Lev. 18:4). To apostate Israel, God, through the prophet Jeremiah, said to them, “…Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls, But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16). The apostle John told the elect lady, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments…” (II John 6). God’s word has been present on earth even prior to the existence of man on earth. “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6). Thus, man has co-existed with God’s word since the creation of man. And, it has been the instructions of God for man to walk in accordance with that word. The instructions for man to follow have not always been the same, for there have been three distinct dispensations since the creation of man, the Patriarchal, the Mosaic and the Christian, but those living under each of those systems of law were required to walk according to His commandments for that system.

Thus, we have a responsibility to walk with God or in accordance with His commands. Since the word “walk” carries the idea of taking steps, we wish to note some steps in our walk with God that will put us in heaven. Admittedly, one can divide the journey into different bits and pieces and have a different number of steps, but we wish to show five steps that will take us to heaven.

Our first step in our relationship with God’s word is that of investigation. We have recently had an entire article on investigation of God’s word, so we will keep this step short. Common sense will tell us, we cannot walk in accordance with God’s word without knowing what God’s word says. Paul said, to “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15). Paul wrote of those who were failing to walk in the righteousness of God because of an ignorance of the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:2-3). We must investigate our practices as compared to the word of God

Our second step is to initiate. This is the step where we put into action that which we have deemed to be what God would have us to do. It is kind of like hitting the “enter” button on the keyboard. James tells us that after we have “…received with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21), we are to “…be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). The word “obedience” would fit well with this initiate step. Obey the gospel of Christ in becoming a child of God, as every example of conversion in the book of Acts reveals (Acts 2:37-41; 8:35-39) and also continue to obey the gospel of Christ in our lives as Christians (Col. 1:23). Paul said that when the Lord returned, He would come, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (II Thess. 1:7-8).

Our third step toward heaven will be that of eradication. We will have to cast aside all our beliefs and practices that are not in harmony with God’s word. James said, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness…” (James 1:21) and the Hebrew writer said we were to, “…lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1). There is both a positive and a negative to obedience to God’s word. One must do that which God has commanded and stop doing that which God has prohibited.

Step four is to demonstrate. This simply means to live what you teach. As Paul told Timothy, “…be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (I Tim. 4:12). Jesus said to “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

The last step we need to take is that of education. We will have a responsibility to educate others of the need to walk in accordance with God’s word, and the manner of who one is to walk in order to find that walk concluding at the gates of heaven after having stood before the judgment seat of Christ. As Paul told Timothy, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also (II Tim. 2:2).

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By Robert C. Oliver

Contributing columnist

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