The Christian walk.
"Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." We now come to the practical part of the Epistle, and the first exhortation is a striking one. Paul attached great importance to the element of walk or character. He skillfully puts two things in connection with each other—vocation on the one hand, and walk on the other. The preceding chapters had shown the wonderful glory of the Christian vocation. The succeeding chapters are directed to secure a correspondingly elevated Christian walk. Two main topics present themselves.
1. Generally, the value of the Christian walk or character.
2. The kind of walk required—"worthy of the vocation," etc.
I. VALUE OF CHRISTIAN WALK OR CHARACTER. This may be shown in three aspects. As a plea for Christianity, or evidence of the reality of Christian faith; as a persuasive towards it, and as a pattern for imitation.
1. A plea. Skeptical tendencies of the present age; logic not sufficient to meet them. Strongest popular evidence of Christianity is its inherent truthfulness, its self-commending power. But next in power is the consistent lives of earnest Christians. Men and women consistently following Christ, breathing his spirit, and moving heavenwards, show that his religion is not a sham or a deception, but a great reality.
2. A persuasive. Such lives appeal to the heart as well as the head. They show religion to be, not only a reality, but a great obligation and a great blessing; appeal to the conscience and force it to say, "That is what we ought to be." Men feel they ought to live like such, and certainly they would fain die like them.
3. A pattern. Do we need it? Have we not other and more perfect patterns? Sermon on mount; life of Christ? Yes, but human nature desiderates something on its own level—something visible and tangible, a stepping-stone between heaven and earth. Hence Paul gave thanks that the Thessalonians became followers of him and of the Lord, and he told the Philippians that he and others were given them "for an ensample." Every Christian congregation should have a number of model Christians fitted to be examples to the rest—the elders and elderly people especially. Men may sneer at model Christians, but they do not sneer at model soldiers or model servants, and certainly every Christian worthy of the name should aim at being as near Christ as possible.
II. THE KIND OF WALK. "Worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." We have all an idea of consistency; inconsistency should be the object of our abhorrence. The world has a keen eye for inconsistencies of Christians, and exposes them mercilessly. It takes comfort from them to continue in sin. Sins detestable in the godly are thought nothing of in the worldly. If what David did in re Uriah had been done by Nebuchadnezzar, no one would have said anything. A consistent walk is, by God's help, within the reach of all. It is an impressive sermon to the world, a continual sermon, an unanswerable sermon. Let all preach this sermon, though it be their only one. The "walk worthy" is a walk of holiness, humility, forbearance, forgiveness, patience, charity. It is also a walk of brightness and beneficence. It seeks to make the world brighter and better. Let us be urged to it by the sins of the world, by the miseries of the world, by the dangers of the world, as regards the soul. In order to promote it, let us be much with Christ, and as far as we can, with those who are like Christ. Let us study the biographies of Christ-like men and aim at conformity to their example. Let us often pray the prayer of the third chapter of this book, and other prayers of the like tenor. Let us use earnestly our means of grace, praying that each sabbath, each sermon, each sacrament, may serve to make us more worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.