“Whoever claims to live in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as Jesus walked and conducted Himself.” — 1 John 2:6 (AMP)
Let Our Walk = Our Talk
In the Church today, we live in a culture where few claim to be Christ-followers. And even with those, what they say and what they do don’t always line up. Simply put, their walk does not match what they claim.
In our verse above, John cuts to the chase. To sum it up, John is saying if we claim to be a Christ-follower, ones who have committed our lives to following Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, then we are expected to “walk as Jesus walked.” What we believe must line up with what we say and do.
Here is an example: Jesus said in the Great Commission (not the Great Suggestion), “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19).
If we claim to be a Christ-follower but never “go and make disciples,” then what we say with our words are not lining up with our actions as one who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ. It really is that simple.
We can sugarcoat it any way we want; however, the world is looking for authentic disciples of Jesus Christ. People are watching our character and our conduct very closely. It should look and sound very different from their lives.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, making disciples is a non-negotiable. It is not up for debate. It is what all followers of Jesus Christ are expected to obey and do. The world is not looking for Christians who claim one thing and then live their lives completely contrary to the character and conduct of Jesus Christ.
I remind all of us to “live the life, lead others and leverage our influence” as authentic disciples of Jesus Christ. Make an impact for the Kingdom with the life you’ve been given. Let your walk match your talk. You won’t regret it!
— Kevin Burrell
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