Three Fundamental Principles - Spiritual Walk

by R.A Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England, U.K. | Category: Spiritual Growth | Oct 1987

When persons receive spiritual life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ they are expected by the Lord to walk according to their attainment level. "Only, whereunto we have already attained, by that same rule let us walk" (Phil. 3:16). The Acts illustrates cases of men and women who lived and walked according to the Spirit's revelation or who failed to live up to the standard or rule already attained. The one hundred and twenty together on the first day of the week were obeying the commandment not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait (Acts 1:4). They had not yet grasped the significance of the 50th day. There were no doubts left in their minds and hearts when the Spirit came to abide in them. Their willing minds and hearts grasped, by His help, the import of the event, so that Peter declares on their behalf, "this is that which hath been spoken" (2:16).

It was the Spirit who filled them and it was the Spirit who gave them utterance (2:4). To the men and women of Pentecost, there was but one supreme rule, "we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard" (4:20). Their action was with boldness (4:13,31). Their attitude was one of thankfulness to God and generosity to one another, "and great grace was upon them all" (4:33). In contrast to this we have the example of Ananias and Sapphira who did not walk by the rule unto which they had attained and so the Holy Spirit directed against them in judgement (5:3,4). In the prosecution of the work, there was to be no diminution of the standards attained. Threats and indictments did not change the minds of the men of Pentecost, as Peter said to the council, "we must obey God rather than men" (5:29).

When we come to the outline of Paul's conversion, it is instructive to note his response, "but Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews" (9:22). Walking according to the level attained is not only a rule for ourselves, but one by which others can be measured. When Paul and Barnabas took with them John Mark as their attendant (13:5) we find, for reasons not

given, that John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem (13:13). At a later date, when Paul suggested to Barnabas that they revisit the brethren in every city to see how they fared, Barnabas thought they should take John Mark with them. Paul, however, saw the attainment of the younger man in a different way. He thought it not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. But Paul chose Silas (15:36-40).

Another character example is Apollos, the Alexandrian, who knew John's baptism and had taught carefully the things concerning Jesus. When, however, the way of God was expounded to him more carefully, he helped them much who had believed through grace (18:26,27). In this case we see how soon he adjusted himself to a better and more accurate understanding of the mind and will of the Lord. There may be occasions when it is essential to withdraw from a certain course of action because to go on would inevitably lead to a lowering of spiritual standards already achieved. When the occasion arose, in which those who were walking by the light they had received were affected by some who were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, Paul departed from the disobedient ones. He then separated the disciples to preserve their walk (19:9).

Even to the end of his life, Paul never lowered his standards of attainment so that we read,

He abode... in his own hired dwelling, and received all that went in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him (28:30,31).

We have therefore in the Scriptures an infallible guide to spiritual comprehension and understanding which is not of the flesh but of the Spirit; to our spiritual attainment which is step by step according to His will;

till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Eph. 4:13) and to our spiritual walk so that we may "walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called" (Eph. 4:1).

The observance of these three principles in our spiritual lives will enable us like Paul to "press on, if so be that I may apprehend that for which also I was apprehended by Christ Jesus... Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded ... only, whereunto we have already attained, by that same rule let us walk" (Phil. 3:12, 15, 16).

R.A Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England, U.K. | Oct 1987
Spiritual Growth