Do You Want To Walk With God?

Q: What does the Bible say about walking with God?

The Bible expresses that walking with God means living in agreement with Him and nurturing a relationship through faith. Walking with God is a biblical concept that embodies living in harmony with God's will and commandments. In Genesis, Enoch and Noah are examples of individuals who walked with God, demonstrating their obedience and faithfulness. This symbolizes a continuous relationship where believers are thought to walk after the Spirit, living not in the flesh but in accord with God's desires. It emphasizes the believer's journey, marked by faith, repentance, and a growing communion with God throughout their life.

Q: How do we know that repentance is essential to walk with God?

Repentance is essential as it signifies taking sides with God against our sinful nature, enabling us to truly walk with Him. Repentance is foundational for a relationship with God because it indicates a change of heart and mind, aligning oneself with God's truth. To walk with God involves acknowledging one's sinful nature and embracing God's grace for redemption. In biblical terms, true repentance means being reconciled with God, as demonstrated by figures like Enoch and Noah, who, despite their sinful backgrounds, found grace and walked faithfully with the Lord. This signifies that a genuinely transformative relationship with God begins with repentance and leads to a life of walking in harmony with His will.

Q: Why is the concept of walking with God important for Christians?

Walking with God is vital for Christians as it fosters spiritual life, peace, and a deeper relationship with the Lord. The importance of walking with God for Christians lies in the transformative and sustaining effects of such a relationship. Walking with God provides spiritual life and peace, allowing believers to live in freedom from condemnation, as noted in Romans 8. It also frames the believer's daily experience, guiding them towards living in alignment with God's truth and purposes. Additionally, this relationship is not merely personal but involves walking within the community of faith, encouraging fellowship and mutual growth amongst believers. Thus, the call to walk with God is an invitation to cultivate a deep, abiding faith that influences every aspect of life.

Q: How can a sinner walk with God?

A sinner can walk with God through faith in Jesus Christ, who reconciles them to God. A sinner can walk with God only through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament reveals that it is through faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice that anyone, regardless of their past, can be reconciled with God. This reconciliation allows sinners to come into a relationship where they can walk in spiritual life, guided by the Holy Spirit. As highlighted in the sermon, just as Enoch and Noah were once considered sinners but found grace, the path to walking with God begins with accepting Christ. It is through His righteousness that believers are enabled to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Turn to Genesis chapter 5. Genesis chapter 5, and I'll look at one verse in
chapter 6. In Genesis chapter 5, verse 21. Enoch lived sixty-five years
and begat Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he
begat Methuselah three hundred years and begat sons and daughters. All the days of Enoch were three
hundred and sixty-five years. I don't believe had a greater
testimony to be written, especially when God gives it. God gave this
to Moses to write down about this man. And Enoch walked with
God. I titled this message, Do You
Want to Walk with God? It's been on my mind for a while,
but not really as a message, but as a desire. It's something
that I've been thinking about. It's been like a hunger to walk
with God. I want that to grow. I want you
to have it. And I want it to grow in us.
in this life. I'm not talking about that new
heaven, new earth. I'm talking about right now,
day by day, walking with God. Adam, at one time, I was thinking
about this as I was putting this together. At one time, he walked,
he and Eve with God. Look in Genesis chapter 3. Genesis
chapter 3 and verse 8. And they, Adam and
Eve, heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in
the cool of the day. I believe That was a common occurrence
before the fall. Before the fall ever happened,
I believe this was a common occurrence. God came into the garden in the
cool of the day. And He walked with Adam and Eve. He walked with His creation. And Genesis 1 When creation begins, every time
God created, it would be another day. And he said, and it was
good. And God saw that it was good. And then when he finally
finished creation, it says that he saw that it was very good.
And there was nothing. And we're talking about this
earth now. I'm not talking about, we're not talking about another
earth. We are talking about the one you and I are standing on,
that we live on. At one time, it was perfect. At one time, there was no sin
on this earth, in this world. It was perfect. And God came
into the garden, and there stands His chief creation, Adam and
Eve. Let us make man in our image. And He came into the garden in
the cool of the day. Doesn't that sound pleasant?
Doesn't that sound so serene and so peaceful and so mild? And he walked with them. He talked
with Adam and Eve. And we know that voice is Christ.
We know it's the Lord Jesus Christ. And he walked with them. Then the fall came. Hmm. What a fall. What a fall. The fall came and that walk in
that manner ceased for the human race. Like that, it ceased. A change had taken place. Look over in John chapter 1. In John chapter 1, remember, God walked in the garden
of the cool of the day with Adam and Eve, and then the fall happened,
and God cast Adam and Eve out. Look in verse 10. He was in the world. Who's that, speaking of? That's
the same voice that walked in the garden in the cool of the
day. That's the same one. The voice, the word of God, was
made flesh and dwelt among us. He was in the world. The world
was made by him, his own creation. And the world knew him not. His
own creation would not recognize him, would not have anything
to do with him. He came unto his own, his own
people, and his own received him not. What a fall. What a fall. However, however, it goes on
to read there, God, as many as received him, all is not lost. Paul's not lost. We have in God's
Word of men. Now, we know that many men, Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, but there's two men mentioned back here in Genesis
that walked with God. Enoch, and over in Genesis chapter
6 and verse 9, these are the generations of Noah. Noah was
a just man and perfect in his generations. And Noah walked
with God. He walked with God. He walked
with God, God walked with them. Those two men, and we know he's
walked with several men over the years. I want us to take some encouragement
from this. Who walked with God? It does
not say Michael, the archangel, Gabriel, these mighty angels,
a man, Enoch, a son of Adam, just like you and I. A man of
like passion, like you and I. Noah walked with God. It says, Noah found grace in
the eyes of the Lord. That suggests that he was guilty.
He wouldn't need grace. Enoch and Noah walked with God. These men were sinners. They
were born from Adam. It is said over in Hebrews that
Enoch, no I think it's in Jude, Jude or Hebrews, that Enoch was
a Sabbath from Adam. He's a son of Adam. He's a product
of Adam. He's a sinner. Noah, what happened
when he got off the boat? He grew a vineyard and he got
drunk. A sinner, like you and I. They were children of wrath
by nature, just like you and I. That's what it says in Ephesians
2. We were children of wrath by nature, even as others. Enoch
and Noah were first rebels before they were saints. They were rebels. I want you to notice here, let
me find it here. In Enoch, in Genesis 5, 21, Enoch
lived 65 years, he beget Methuselah, and Enoch walked with God when? After he beget Methuselah. So for 65 years, in reading this,
for 65 years, Enoch walked after the flesh. But after he had Methuselah,
it says he walked with God. He heard the gospel. He heard
God spoke to him. And he believed God. And from
that day forward, he walked with God. For 300 years after that,
he walked with God. Enoch walked with God. A sinner
walked with God. A man like you and I, of like
passions, walk with God. Everyone that comes into this
world comes into this world first lost. Not everyone goes out of
this world saved. Those whom the Lord saves go
out of this world saved. But not everyone dies, knows
the Lord. But I know this, everyone born
into this world, every last one of them is born into this world
lost. Enoch was, Noah was, Abraham,
he was an idolater. For 75 years that man was an
idolater. Living down there with the Chaldeans,
doing just what they do. And then one day God called him. One day God spoke to him. One
day God revealed himself. And Abraham walked with God. What is it? to walk with God. Listen, I really, I want to know
this. I want to know it. I want you
to know it. And I want to do it. I want us
to walk with God. Well, first it starts with a
new birth. It starts with a new birth. You cannot walk with anyone
until you have life. Dead people don't walk with anyone.
God does not walk with the dead. He walks with those who are spiritually
alive, those whom He has made alive in Christ. There has to
be spiritual life in order to have a walk with God. Mike read
this in the study in Romans 8. Look in Romans chapter 8. There is therefore," Romans chapter
8, there is therefore now, at this present time, no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. They walk after God. For the
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death. for what the law could not do,
and that it was weak to the flesh, God sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemns sin in the flesh,
that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,
who walk," who walk, this walk denotes this, it's an everyday
continuance. It's a walk. It's not a run. We don't make haste. We're not
afraid. We're walking. Who walk not after
the flesh, but after the spirit. They that are after the flesh
do mind the things of the flesh. They walk after the flesh. You're
walking after the things of this world. That's what has your heart.
That's what has your attention. That's what has you. But they
that are after the spirit, The things of the Spirit were to
be carnally minded as death, but to be spiritually minded,
or if you look in the margin, it's to mind the Spirit. It's life and peace. It's life and peace. To walk
with God is life and peace, he's saying. Well, the evidence, let
me get back here, the evidence of spiritual life is faith and
repentance. Look over to Hebrews 11. In Hebrews
chapter 11, in verse 5, by faith Enoch was translated. He was taken. They said one day
he went out, didn't come back. Sent a search party out, couldn't
find him. God took him. God took him. He was translated
that he should not see death. And he was not found because
God had translated him. For before his translation, before
this happened, He had this testimony from God. This is not what his wife wrote
about him. This is not what the kids wrote
about him. You know, we do write things about our parents and
things when they pass on and things we remember. This is what
God wrote about him. He pleased God. He pleased God. It doesn't say anything else,
does it? It just says this, by faith,
Enoch was translated. He was not. He didn't see death.
He was not found. God translated him. Before his
translation, he had this testimony. He pleased God for 300 years. You're going to say, for 300
years? You mean that man didn't stumble? You mean that man didn't fall? No, he's just like you and me. He had to battle with indwelling
sin like you and I. He had to battle with doubts
and fears. He battled with them. But for
300 years, this man walked with God through all the fears, through
all the ups and downs. He never quit believing God.
He believed God. And that's what walking with
God is. Walk with God by faith. The just shall live by faith,
it says. that just shall live, that just
shall walk. When the clouds roll over, how
does the just live? By faith. When the sun shines
on him, how does he live? How does he walk? By faith. When
he's successful, how does he walk? By faith. When he's not
successful, when he fails, how does he walk? By faith. But he never quits walking with
God. He walked with God. And he walked
with God, this means that he agreed with God. This means that
he took sides with God, not just against his generation. You know, he walked with God
like Noah in his generation. And you know, it says that God
looked down from heaven. And the only thing God saw was that
the wickedness of man, the imagination of man was evil, and that continually. Can you imagine millions living
at this time? And there's one man, he walked
with God, and he was in agreement with God. He took sides with
God, not just against his generation, but listen, and this is what
true repentance is. Here it is. is taking sides with
God against yourself. That's true repentance. He says,
you're right. None good, no, not one. You're
right. Not even me. Not even me. To walk with God is to walk in
agreement with God. Let me read you something here
in Amos. I already have it here in Amos.
In Amos 3.3. Can two walk together except
they be agreed." Now, you might see two guys walking
down the road arguing with each other, incident with each other. They ain't walking together,
they're just walking in the same direction. But to walk with each other is to
walk in total agreement. And if you walk in total agreement,
what does that say? What does this say? Any walk
with God? It says this, the enmity that Enoch was born with, that
was in his mind, that's in our minds that we're born with, was
gone. Reconciled. Reconciled. To walk with God is to walk with
God according to the Word of God. Listen to Isaiah 30, 21. This is the way, walk you Enoch. This is the way. You'll hear
a voice behind you saying, this is the way. It's to walk according
to the Word of God. It's to walk in the fear of the
Lord. Look over in Acts chapter 9.
In Acts chapter 9. In Acts chapter 9. Look in verse 31, I believe it is, Acts 9, 31. Then had the churches rest throughout
all Judea and Galilee, Samaria, and were edified, and walking
in the fear of the Lord, continually walking in the fear of the Lord
and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, that were multiplied. This walking with God is walking
according to the Word of God. It's walking in agreement with
God. It's walking in fear of the Lord. And that means this,
walking in awe of Him. Does my heart really stand in
awe of God? Because it's standing in awe
of Him that He would even walk with me. That He would allow me to walk
with Him, to walk with God. And it's to walk in the truth.
Look over in 2 John. Look and find this in the Word
of God. To walk in truth. He says here in 2 John, in verse
4, I rejoiced greatly that I found thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment
from the Father. Look in verse 6. And this is
love, that we walk after his commandments. I said walking
according to his word. walking in fear, walking in truth. Mike sang this song, walking
in the light there in 1 John 1, 7, walking in the light. And it's walking in communion
with God. There's a real feeling, you know,
it would be hard for me to walk with you somewhere, so we're
walking with each other and we don't say a word to each other.
What are we walking for? Not to say a word, not to commune
with each other, not to enjoy each other's company? It suggests communion with God. You're not walking with someone
if you're not communing with them. You're both just going
in the same direction. Look here in 1 John 1. In verse 1, 1 John, that which was
from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen
with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have
handled of the word of life, for the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that
eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested
unto us, that which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you,
that ye also may have fellowship with us." And truly, our fellowship,
our communion is with the Father and with His
Son, Jesus Christ. It is a real experience. It is a real living union with
Christ. It is a real communion with God
in Christ. It's real. And then to walk with God is
to walk with the family of God. Paul said, don't forsake the
assembling of yourself together as a matter of some is. A person who does not enjoy this,
who does not enjoy gathering together with the family of God
while the Word of God being preached to the fellowship that we have
here does not believe God, is not walking with God. God is
here in His people. Now, if you want to walk with
God, walk where He is. And where is He? He's in His
church. He's in the local assembly. is to walk with the family of
God. That's what it is to walk with
God. And then it is a spiritual walk. This walk with God is a spiritual
walk. You could walk with someone and
not walk with them. You can. You could walk with
someone and not walk with them. Your heart, now really, You can
be walking with someone, but your heart is somewhere else.
In your heart you could be wishing, I wish I was somewhere else. And your heart's there. This walk, and I read it to you
there in Romans 8. It's a spiritual walk. It's not
a physical walk. I'm not talking about a physical
walk. It is a day-to-day walk of faith,
walk of believing God daily. It is a walk of calling upon
God daily. Where your heart is, where is
your heart? Where is my heart? There your
treasure is also. That's where you're, listen,
that's where you're walking, where your heart is. That's where
you're walking. Now the result of walking with
God. First of all, in this life, it's written over in 2 Timothy
3, he that is godly in this life shall suffer persecution. It's
not a skipping down the road, happy all the time. It's not
that way. In this life, Walking with God will bring persecution. In this life, it will bring loss
of earthly friends. In this life, it will bring loss
of popularity. You cannot walk with the world
and walk with God. That's not even possible. It's
like trying to chase two rabbits at the same time going two different
directions. You can't do it. You can't do it. I think it's an old Chinese proverb.
I'm not going to say this verbatim. I know it's not. He who chases
two rabbits at the same time catches neither one. You don't
get either one. It's going to involve persecution.
It's going to involve loss of earthly friends. It's going to
involve loss of popularity. Paul said he counted all things
but love. They stoned Paul. Paul at one time was their champion. He was the Pharisee of the Pharisees. He was their bright and shining
star. He's had the feet of Gamaliel.
He probably would have replaced him. And now they kicked him out and
stoned him and left him for dead at one time because he walked with God. However, the spiritual result of walking
with God in this life, as well as the life to come, is joy. There's a real joy that the world
can't give, that God gives in walking with him. Peace, I read that to you in
Romans 8, life and peace, either walks after the Spirit, minds
the things of the Spirit, or minds the Spirit, life and peace,
now and hereafter. And listen, this may come into play as we
get older. We find ourselves sitting alone in a nursing home.
Those who walk with God are never alone. They're never, never alone. Not if you're walking with God.
You're never alone. And eternal life, now and forevermore. It says Enoch was not, for the
Lord took him. And just as He took him, He will
take every one of His children sooner or later. Sooner or later,
one by one. One by one, He'll take us. I think we've been together here
about what, six and a half, going on seven years? And the Lord's
taken four, I think four, here. One by one. One by one, one day you'll say,
and John was not. Don't say John died. I won't
say you died. You don't have to say I died.
I can say Roy was not, for the Lord took him. He had this testimony. He pleased
God by faith. I pray that God, we can say that
that can be said of every one of us here. And those who walk with God shall
be with God, and they shall stay with Him. They shall stay with
Him. Every walk has a beginning, every
walk has an ending, a destination, and that destination will be finalized when we stand
in His presence on that new heaven and on that new earth. That new
heaven, new earth. Walk right into glory. And I'm
going to close with this. Can I walk with God? Will God
let me walk with Him? Will God let someone like me
walk with Him? If you believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, you can. You can walk with God. If you
desire to. If you desire to walk with God,
you can. Because that desire of God. Noah preached to his generation
for 120 years and built the ark. I'm sure he did more than that,
or before that. For 120 years, no one believed Him. They did not want to walk with
God. They didn't want anything to do with God. God became vain
in their imaginations. They walked after their imaginations.
They conjured up a God. They conjured up some God that
they could get along with. They conjured up a God that would
allow them to live like they wanted to live. And they died in the flood. But
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and Noah walked
with God. Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ,
is the way that a sinner can walk with God. He's the only
way a sinner can walk. Through his blood, through his
righteousness, by his spirit, a sinner, no matter how black
his past is or her past, can walk with God. Can you imagine
that? Do you want to walk with God?
I'm serious. Do you want to walk with God?
I want to walk with God. I believe you want to walk with
God. That, I believe, is to be our aim every morning we wake up. The time we wake up, the
time we go to bed. And between that time, I want
to walk with God. Whether it's on the job, or I
don't care if it's playing golf, or shooting ducks, I don't care
what it is. walking with God. And we can do that. Enoch did
it. Noah did it. Why can't I do it? Maybe the
Lord will let me do it.

Do You Want To Walk With God?

What does the Bible say about walking with God?

How do we know that repentance is essential to walk with God?

Why is the concept of walking with God important for Christians?

How can a sinner walk with God?

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Do You Want To Walk With God?

What does the Bible say about walking with God?

How do we know that repentance is essential to walk with God?

Why is the concept of walking with God important for Christians?

How can a sinner walk with God?

Sermon Transcript

About John Chapman

Comments

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