What's a Worthy Walk? Romans 13:11-14

Every Saturday, Pastor Mike and Sherry write our congregation a letter of encouragement as well an introduction for the sermon topic he will preach the following morning.  Below you will find the letter from June 30th, 2024.  To watch this sermon, follow this link: Your Present Walk, a sermon on Romans 13:11-14, in which Pastor Mike discusses what it means to walk worthy of our calling.

Week of June 30, 2024

Last week we looked at the fact that the day is approaching when Christ will return and the necessity for us to cease slumbering in light of that event. This week we’ll step back into that wonderful text in Romans 13 and lift up yet another element of Paul’s admonition to us.

“Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day,…” (Romans 13:11-13a)

The phrase I want you to take note of is that last sentence; “Let us behave properly as in the day.” So what is Paul telling us? If you look at the Expanded Bible you get a wonderful clarity; “Let us ·live [walk] ·in a right way [properly; decently], like people who belong to the day.”

When you look at Paul’s letters, (as well as those of John, Peter and Jude), there is a great emphasis on how we are to “walk” or live a lifestyle that evidences our faith in Christ. In other places we see much the same charge: “I implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called”, “what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness”, “keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” Well, I think you get the idea.

Walking is an act that speaks of effort and of having a direction with a destination in mind. It speaks of steady motion, regularity, consistency, activity, movement, and progress.  God is telling us that it is time for us to walk in light of what we have already learned.

Scripture teaches us that people with no relationship to God walk aimlessly through life with no purpose or direction, heading toward a certain judgment. But God has a greater purpose in mind. He loves us and desires to redeem us from that fallen condition and place us wondrously and powerfully in the Kingdom of His Blessed Son, Jesus.

When we give our life to Him we realize that He bought us out of slavery to sin, adopted us into His family, and sealed us with the Holy Spirit. And if that were not enough, He then placed all His resources into our spiritual bank account so that we would have everything that we need to grow spiritually and daily walk worthy of so great salvation.

Now you may read verses like those I’ve mentioned and think, "I am in trouble. How could I ever be worthy? There is nothing I could ever do to deserve God's grace." And you’d be correct, but that is not what the word "worthy" means here.

This word could be translated as, "to balance the scales." In other words, what is on one side of the scale should be equal in weight to what is on the other side of the scale. Another way to translate it is, "I want you to live a balanced life.”

But what is the balance he is referring to? Paul was telling us that there needs to be a balance between our belief and our practice, between our doctrine and the way that we live. The two need to go together.  

Some people are lopsided. They may be strong in one area and weak in another. I have met people who have an incredible and impressive knowledge of the Bible, but their personal life is in shambles. The problem is that they are imbalanced. They have the knowledge. They have the doctrine. But their walk doesn’t balance with their talk.

Then there are those who don't know much doctrinally. They don't really know what the Bible teaches on certain subjects, but they love the Lord. They are passionate about their faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, you might hear them say something like, "Let's not quibble over doctrine. I just love Jesus."

That may sound admirable, but it is a dangerous statement. If they are not careful, they might end up loving the wrong Jesus. They might end up believing the wrong gospel, and that is where doctrine comes in. 

We need the balance of having both of these areas working together. Let our walk equal our talk, as it were. That is what it means to “behave properly as in the day” or to “walk worthy of the Lord.”

One last word before I close and get this sent along with the “Listening Guide” for tomorrow morning.  It was sure great to spend time with many of you who attended the church picnic today. We had a great time of food and fellowship. So, until we see each other in the morning, may God give each of you a great evening of resting in him.

In the Blessed Name of Jesus,

Mike and Sherry