Does Your Walk Match Your Talk?

1 Peter 2:11–12 (NKJV)
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
 
We will never do anything great for the Lord until we decide, once and for all, that we are going to live a disciplined life for Him. The word “Christian” means Christ-like. God has put His Spirit inside of us, and we are to live our lives before others in such a way where we reflect Him. You may teach a Sunday School class or a Bible study. Your class may listen to your words, but they are watching your life. Does your walk match your talk?

When I was in my early 20’s, I was in youth ministry, and I held a part-time job at a local gym for extra income. Monday through Friday, I had the responsibility of unlocking the doors, opening up the gym, and making sure all of the other employees were there for work. I was also in charge of the wellness floor where people work out as early as 5:00 AM. Every morning, I came to work hungry. So, I got in the habit of stopping by the donut shop or a fast-food place and getting a big combo each morning. You can imagine the scene. Fifty or sixty men and women are working out with weights, using the machines, or doing cardio on the treadmills or other activities. You must be serious to exercise at that time of day. Here I am, stuffing my face with donuts, sugary drinks, and enough calories for the day. That became a season where I was unhealthy and put on extra weight. People would often ask me questions about fitness and health. They would say, “I'm really trying to lose some weight - what do I need to do?” Among other things, I would tell them, “You need to avoid certain types of foods.” Now, the next day, they would watch me as I walked in with my bag of fast-food or my unhealthy sugary drink. Sometimes, I felt so ashamed I would go into my office and turn the light off so they couldn’t see me while I ate! My walk didn’t match my talk. As a young man, I had to learn that in order to teach others how to live healthy lives, I myself had to be healthy. It didn’t mean that I never ate another donut or something that was fried, but I needed to learn self-control. Praise the Lord, I learned a valuable lesson during that season of my life.

Spiritually speaking, Christians can sometimes talk a big talk, but their walk doesn’t match their talk. They speak of the power of the Holy Spirit. They shout about how Jesus changed them. They sing about how they are no longer bound in sin. Yet, they are not living the way they are talking, and the world takes notice.

In Power Through Prayer, Robert Murray McCheyne is quoted as saying, “Your sermons last but an hour or two; your life preaches all the week.”[1] Christians should be living what we are saying. Our walk should match our talk. This will only happen through discipline, which is a fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22 says "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Self-control is synonymous with discipline. We should strive toward discipline in our daily lives. Why? 1 Timothy 4:6 says, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” (NASB) The purpose of discipline for a Christian is to express godliness. The Phillips paraphrases this verse, “Take the time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.” Spiritual growth or godliness comes through discipline and self-control.

When I use the word “godliness” people often think of a list of do’s and don’ts. One pastor was concerned that some of his church members were smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. He decided that he would dramatically convince them one Sunday, but it backfired. He chose to illustrate his lesson like this.

He came to the pulpit with three jars with lids. The first jar was filled with cigarette smoke. The second jar was filled with alcohol. The third jar was filled with healthy soil. During the introduction of his sermon, he explained the three different jars, held up some worms and said, “You're kind of like this worm.” He took the lids off, placed some of the worms in each jar, and closed the lids. In his sermon, he pointed out different verses of Scripture that would highlight the dangers of smoking and drinking alcohol. At the conclusion of his sermon, he drew their attention back to the jars to see how the worms fared in each environment. He pointed out the jar filled with cigarette smoke that was full of dead worms. Next, he pointed out the jar filled with alcohol that was full of dead worms. Then he said, “Notice the worms that are in the healthy soil. Notice how they are just moving around. They are healthy, and all of them are alive.” He finished with this question, “Can any of you tell me what the moral of this lesson is?” A sweet, older lady stood up and said, “Pastor, I know that if I don’t want to deal with a case of the worms, I need to smoke a lot of cigarettes and I need to drink plenty of alcohol!” This pastor would have to try a different approach next time.

Godliness should include saying “no” to lifestyle habits that would hinder our witness before others. Godliness should include avoiding certain music or television programs. Godliness should include removing certain words from our vocabulary. If we have given our lives to Christ, people know that we are Christians, and they are watching us. You are on a stage, and you have the spotlight on you. We do not need to be afraid of the spotlight. We do not need to be afraid of the stage. We need to say, “Come watch my life. I'm not perfect, but I'm living my life under the lordship of Jesus Christ. I have been changed by the power of God. Sin no longer has its hold on me.”

What is the motivation or reason for the disciplined life? Peter says in verse eleven that Christians are “sojourners” and “pilgrims”. Peter uses these words to show a parallel between their earthly citizenship and their spiritual citizenship. They were Roman citizens, who used to live in Rome. They had been displaced and now lived in Roman colonies in Asia Minor (or, modern-day Turkey). Their primary citizenship was Rome, but they lived elsewhere.

Peter’s audience would recognize this parallel, and hear Peter saying, “You are a Christian. Your spiritual citizenship is with God in heaven. But, you live here in this world among Gentiles and pagans who are lost. Your primary loyalty is to the Lord Jesus Christ. You are temporary residents here.” The word “sojourner” and “pilgrim” means “a displaced person” or “a temporary resident.” These words imply that this place is not your home. Christians are in this world but not of this world.

John 17:14–16 (NKJV)
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
 
Because the Christian’s permanent home is heaven, our primary loyalty should be to God. Our time in this life is so brief. Time passes so fast, and then we go out into eternity. Christians will spend forever in the presence of God. Therefore, while living in this world, whenever the loyalties of this world and heaven conflict, the Christian’s primary loyalty should be to Jesus Christ. One motivation to holy living or to living a disciplined life is our loyalty to Jesus.

However, the primary motivation to live a disciplined life should be love. Peter uses the word “beloved” in 1 Peter 2:11. He is not simply calling the Christian beloved by God, though that is true. He is identifying you with Jesus, Who was the first to be called “Beloved” by God the Father when He was baptized by John the Baptist.

Matthew 3:16–17 (NKJV)
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
 
When you, as a Christian, said, “Jesus, be my Lord” (Romans 10:9-10, 13), God put His Spirit inside of you, and now you are in Christ, and Christ is in you. Galatians 2:20 says, “Christ lives in me.” Ephesians 3:17 says, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Romans 8:1 says those who are “in Christ” do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says new believers are “in Christ” where old things have passed away and all things have become new.

The primary reason we live a disciplined life is that we love God. He has transformed us, and His love motivates me to live a disciplined life. John 14:15 says, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”

“Dear God, I pray that my walk before others matches my talk! As a child of God, you have set me free from sin. You are my Lord. I pray that I will be an example to others and draw people to You. I love You, and I pray that I will live a more disciplined life because of my loyalty to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  [1] Edward M. Bounds, Power through Prayer (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999), chapter 1.