WALKING WORTHILY OF GOD
We have placed a strong emphasis on the fact that, according to 1:1, the church is an entity in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now let us go on to consider 2:12: “That you should walk worthily of God, Who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” What does it mean to walk worthily of God? To walk worthily of God is to have a life in the Lord Jesus Christ. First Thessalonians 2:12 is an explanation of 1:1. What does it mean for the church to be in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? For the church to be in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in a practical way is for there to be a company of human beings who walk worthily of God.
What can compare with God? What can match Him? The answer to these questions is that only God Himself can compare with God or match Him. This indicates that to walk worthily of God actually means to live God. Our daily life must actually be God Himself, since only God can be worthy of God, match God, or compare with God. Therefore, in our living we must express God.
Because we have God’s life, we can live God. A dog obviously has a dog’s life and therefore lives a dog. In the same principle, we have God’s life and therefore we can live God. Hallelujah, God is our Father, and we are His children! As God’s children with His life, it is possible for us to live Him.
Whereas 1:1 speaks of the church in God the Father, many Christians instead speak of the church in God the Almighty. In Christian services often that hymn is sung which begins, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” To you, is God only the Almighty, or is He also your Father? Because we have been born of Him, God is now our Father. As the Almighty, God does not have any life relationship with you, and you may not have anything to do with Him. You may be apart from Him and outside of Him. But if God has become your Father, you now have a life relationship with Him, and you are in Him.
Whom do you love more, the President of the United States, or your own father? The President may be wealthy, and your father may be poor, but certainly you love your father more than you love the President. In a far deeper way, we love God more as our Father than as merely the Almighty. Hallelujah, because we are children of God we can live God! We all should declare boldly, “Because I have God’s life, I can live Him.”
Now we see what it means to walk worthily of God. Only God can be worthy of Himself, and only God can match Himself or be compared with Himself. Therefore, to walk worthily of God is to live God. Praise the Lord that we have God’s life and that we can walk worthily of Him by living Him!
(Life-Study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 10, by Witness Lee)
