Epaggelia

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise ~ Ephesians 5:15

Diligent, carefully, circumspectly and perfectly are all 4 English words used to translate the Greek word “akribos”. It’s not the word usually translated “wise or wisdom”. The Greek word “sophos” is consistently translated wise, which appears at the end of the verse. Walking diligently is best described as fully knowing your entire environment while you’re walking. Being aware of all your options when you make any decision in life is good practice. Circumspectly is an old word we don’t use in modern English, but “perfect” is a word we all use in common, the same way circumspectly can be used. When a child receives his report card with straight “A”s on it, his parents can appropriately proclaim “PERFECT”! That doesn’t mean the child was an absolutely perfect student, it simply means that the child fully understood every assignment and did all the work expected of him to prepare for his exams. It’s better than the old saying “B’s & C’s get degrees”, because his straight A’s, are above that, in a sense, he was the “AKRIBOS” (perfect) student. A Christian’s goal should be to have a lifestyle or walk that is carefully diligent. The Governor Felix had an AKRIBOS knowledge of The Way, which the apostle Paul was being tried upon, see Acts 24:22.

A good example of a physical application of the word in the Bible is the way evil Herod told the wise men to search “carefully” for baby Jesus and then return to him and tell him his location, see Matthew 2:8. If we lived our life in a careful search for Jesus, we would be so blessed!

A good example of how the same word is used to treat the Bible itself is in Acts 18:25-26. Apollos was a (AKRIBOS) careful preacher of Jesus Christ, but only knew the baptism of John, however Apollos was blessed with Aquila & Priscilla teaching him the way of the Lord more perfectly (AKRIBOS). Apollos shows a progression of diligence in learning the truth of the gospel.

Factually, none of us are perfect if we use the word in the absolute sense, but if we use it the way Paul did, we can appreciate what Jesus said in Matthew 5:44-48. The word perfect is in the Greek “TELEIOS”, it actually means fully mature. Loving your enemies is as fully mature as God created us to be. His image he created us in, was for this goal to be met, with a spirit that can grow the fruit of His Spirit, and come to love our enemies. That is what it means to both walk in love, Eph. 5:2, and walk circumspectly!

For We Walk By Faith, Not By Sight ~ 2nd Corinthians 5:7

At least 28 times, the Hebrew writer tells us what people did by faith. Genuine faith is action which shows trust in some type of promise. That action is often referred to in the scriptures as “walking by faith”. A.W. Tozer said, “Faith is not a conclusion you reach; it is a journey you live”. Or another way to put it is that faith is not like medicine to take, but more like a muscle we should exercise. This doesn’t mean that the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 were really strong and perfect, they were actually weak and full of flaws, but they had hearts that led them to follow the promises of God into some kind of action! 

Abraham did not understand how God could keep his promise if he were to kill his son, but He believed God was able to do whatever He said – even if it meant that God had to raise Isaac from the dead. Therefore, Abraham obeyed God and offered his son. Walking by faith is being fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promised – not wavering at the promises of God (Rom. 4:20-21). Therefore, those walking by faith obey God.

Here are 3 very basic commands that should test our ability to walk by faith in obedience to God’s example in Jesus.

1. The royal law of love, Matthew 7:12 & James 2:8-9.
2. The law of Christ to participate in the gospel, 1st Corinthians 9:19-23.
3. The perfect law of liberty practicing pure religion and pure speech, James 1:25-27.

The promise of a blessing is very helpful in motivating us to walk by faith! It’s who we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going! William Cowper was a renowned poet who wrote in 3 languages but suffered mental illness and survived 2 suicide attempts in the 1760s, but he managed his healing with faith in Christ. One of his songs is “O For A Closer Walk With God”, wherein he emphasizes our need to walk in faith that Jesus is the light we need to survive the worst of darkness in our life, John 8:12. The last time Jesus walked by faith was with his cross on his back, even then, he collapsed! Do not expect walking by faith to be easy, sometimes we fall. When this happens, follow the example of Jesus, “deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow him, daily”, Luke 9:23.

“Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1st John 2:6)

Prophetically God promised through Isaiah that holiness would be like a highway humanity could walk through, and John the immersionist prepared this way for Jesus entering our world. Compare Isaiah 35:5-8 & Malachi 3:1 and see if it points to what God did in Jesus?

One of the common themes of Christ’s ministry was that he was always “going about doing good”, Acts 10:38. In following Jesus, we should aim to be “do-gooders”. Paul instructs us through Titus 3:8-14, that we are to be devoted to, and/or maintain “good works”. A good example of a man being devoted to good works is the life and work of Washington Gladden, who wrote the song “O Master Let Me Walk With Thee”, he was a University professor (1879) and the song emphasized work, service and a life that shares the “peace” only God can give. Mr. Gladden wrote 40 books and many songs, he was also a preacher in the denomination of “Congregational Churches”. He also worked with the formation of Unions, by prohibiting child labor and promoted a social gospel that publicly helped the poor. He is noted for rejecting Rockefeller’s donation of $100,000 towards the mission ministry of the Congregational Churches, calling the money “tainted”. In 1883 he was known for his success in fighting the corrupt “Tweed Ring”, arbitrating in the Telegraphers’ Strike and the Hocking Valley Coal Strike. He truly practiced what he preached from Pennsylvania to Ohio for 32 years. 

What do you think it means to “walk as Jesus did”? See 1st John 1:5-9

Holiness can only be derived or gifted from Jesus, no other mediator between God & man exists according to the New Testament. Galatians 3:20 & 1st Timothy 2:5.

See Hebrews 12:14,  Humanity can not be saved without ______________

We can not dance with the devil and walk with Jesus simultaneously. Trying to do so, will cause us to either hate one or love the other, sooner or later we end up so frustrated we are forced to choose. Spiritually we can not sit on a fence, we must walk on one side or the other, Luke 16:13. One side is a straight & narrow way of Holiness in Jesus, the other side is wide & worldly. There are only two sides to every fence

Despite the danger of evil associates, David remained confident that he would not slip, and that he would securely stand in an even place!

v1-3, It is not David’s reputation in the eyes of other people that concerns him but rather God’s reputation that he desires. What does our heart really desire? Read John 3:19-21.

David expressed a desire to be “evaluated” by God from inside himself “kidneys & heart” is a Hebrew phrase of expressing all our inner feelings & even logic. Today we talk about “mind & heart” containing logic & feelings but in ancient times, people spoke of this internal examination as focusing on our kidneys & heart.

Are we brave enough to ask God to evaluate us? Consider 1st Corinthians 11:26-28 and ask ourselves this: Do we really know who’s presence we are in when we are being instructed to examine ourselves?

“God’s Loyalty motivated David’s integrity” Do we really believe God is faithful? 

v4-8, David tried to live pure, under the assumption that at least some kind of association with these people was morally wrong. We might say that he took 1st Corinthians 15:33 to heart a thousand years before Paul wrote the words by inspiration of the Holy Spirit: Evil company corrupts good habits. If we considered the possibility of not being able to “appear before God’s altar”, then maybe more of us would make it to worship with God’s people, but instead, church attendance remains small. See Hebrews 10:24-25.

Most of a Christians’ associations in the world begin in this threefold order: 1-Entertainment. 2-Employment. 3-Education. Then when we are grown adults, we have already grown well rooted associations with evil. Consider how evil entertainment can be? Or how school sports is presented as ‘fun’ but quickly turns into the no#1 priority for getting into college? How money from employment can be an object of love? Also, consider lies we are taught in our education by the actions of teachers, which speak louder then their words. The biggest lie we are all told in school is this: “Religion is valuable and good for you, but not important enough to be in your curriculum” , or, “The muslim’s God is the same monotheistic God of the christian”, and also, the lie that says “The theory of evolution is more credible than the theory of creation or the theory of a supreme designer over all the design we see in our universe & biology.

v9-12, Note David’s confident proclamation. Despite the danger to his life, despite the presence of the wicked, (with God helping him) he would walk in his integrity. David’s declaration of his “foot standing in an even place”, may be a reminder of what Jesus taught about building our house on the rock and not sand. Compare Psalm 40:2, Luke 6:48 with Matthew 16:18, and decide who the rock is on which we should stand?