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Summary
The podcast explores what it means for Christians to live a “holy walk,” addressing questions like: What does a life of faith look like? and How can we reflect God in our daily lives? A holy walk is about becoming more like Jesus—living in obedience to God’s Word and showing love through meaningful actions. Holiness isn’t about mystical experiences or rigid rules; it’s about practical, everyday faith guided by Scripture. Christians aren’t called to withdraw from the world but to live distinctly within it—being kind, hardworking, and upright, whether in relationships, work, or community life. Rejecting legalism and isolationism, the podcast highlights that holiness begins with a renewed mind shaped by God’s truth. It’s not about appearing “spiritual” but about genuine transformation, where faith is reflected in actions that glorify God and bless others.
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Transcript
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
holy, walk, god, paul, chapter, love, jesus, conformed, heart, separate, pastor, heaven, galatians, law, subjective, emphasis, grace, employee employer, called, regulated
SPEAKERS
Pastor Mike Kirkpatrick, Wim Kerkhoff, Pastor Jim Butler
Wim Kerkhoff 00:08
What does a holy walk look like in a Christian?
Pastor Jim Butler 00:15
I would suggest a holy walk looks like conformity to our Lord Jesus Christ. Those whom He foreknew, these He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. So Christ, you know, I’m not the big let’s just imitate Jesus, or what would Jesus do? But a holy walk looks like what Jesus did for 33 years, and that holy walk was not (holy walk, it sounds like a dance ), that holy walk was not subjective. It was not, it wasn’t mystical. It was regulated by the law of God. You know when Paul tells us to love one another in Romans 13, you know that can look like a lot of things. Well, if I buy my wife flowers, or if I take my husband golfing, these are, yeah these are nice tokens. But love, according to Paul, is not murdering each other. It’s not stealing from each other. It’s not committing adultery with one another. So, you know, a holy walk, l would suggest, A, looks like Jesus. B, is regulated by the Word of God. You know, you see that emphasis in the New Testament epistles, that it’s God’s will, that we function in a particular way. And when we see that in the New Testament, it’s not disconnected from the Old Testament. When Paul comes to condemn the Corinthians because a man had his father’s wife, the Book of Leviticus tells you all about that. So, it’s a transgression of God’s law would be an unholy walk. Then by grace, keeping that law would be a holy walk. Now, of course, you know so A, Jesus, B, law, C, good works, things that you know our neighbors need, things that are conducive to demonstrating that we love Jesus, we love our neighbors, and we try to be faithful human beings, and we try to carry out those things so that men may see our good works and give glory to God. So I don’t think it’s this nebulous, subjective, you know, always looking miserable, you know, always wearing the garments. Or, you know what I mean, like the Pharisees were easy targets because they made themselves easy targets. Jesus says, don’t be like them. They stand on the street corners to pray. Obviously, they’re doing that to be congratulated by people. So you know, we, in our holy walk, could end up being Pharisaic if we don’t walk the way Jesus does, and we don’t walk according to the law of God. And then, as I said, lots of liberty there, lots of, you know, promotion of good works in terms of, you know, within the household of faith, we love our brothers and sisters. We try to serve them. Outside the church, we adorn the confession of our faith, very often, by the way that we live. If we’re jerks and we’re unkind and we’re unpleasant, people don’t want to hear us preach the gospel to them. It’s just kind of the way it is. So, a holy walk, we don’t have halos, we don’t separate ourselves. I think that’s been a push in the history of the church. Sort of a withdrawal would be monasticism. You know the monks go live out in the wilderness and chasten the flesh, and you’ll be holy. Well, they got their wicked, wretched hearts with them. So they’re not holy. But this idea of separation, a bad reading of First Corinthians chapter five, would basically end in me separating from all the dirty, filthy sinners around me. Well, that’s not a holy walk. That’s not, you know, what we’re called to do. I mean, if we can separate and it’s not a sin, or it’s not against the law, I’m not saying everybody has to live in a city. People are free to go move into rural areas, but this idea that I got to get away from the filthy sinners. I think that’s a 1 Corinthians 5 approach. And so, I think holy walk, at times we have an idea of what it is, and then we impose that upon others, and if they don’t follow through, then they’re not holy.
Pastor Mike Kirkpatrick 04:36
I also think sometimes people make holy walk as if someone has to be a pastor or in some sort of place in the ministry or seen by everybody, but the reality and they overcomplicate it as well. The reality is, it’s not rocket science. And the reality is, most of the time, it’s very ordinary in the lives that we live. I think first Peter is very instructive as far as this is concerned. I mean, he does say in chapter one, therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, so our minds need to be operated now this head, heart, sort of stuff, be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, be holy, for I am holy. And so we have been separated by God, we’ve been given that new heart. And our hearts have been circumcised. And so we ought to resemble what it means to be a citizen of heaven as we live in this, in the citizenship of Canada or the United States or wherever we live, and really, throughout the rest of the book, he unpacks what that means. Even says in verse 11 of chapter two, I beg you, as sojourners and pilgrims, so this world is not our home. We’re not going to usher in the King of heaven here. Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. So we fight. And certainly, Paul picks that up in Galatians 5. But there is this discussion about government and how we function in society. And he talks about slaves and masters, or how we apply employee employer relationships. You know, I remember the first sermon I heard, one of the first sermons I heard from Pastor Butler, everyone’s got to pour the coffee. Someone’s got to pour the coffee at McDonald’s from Galatians or Colossians, chapter three, I still remember that. But he highlighted that there’s dignity in all that we do, you know, and so that’s how we can walk in a way that,
Pastor Jim Butler 06:30
it ain’t gonna pour itself
Pastor Mike Kirkpatrick 06:33
But there’s dignity in all those jobs and any job that’s not sinful. And that’s how we can be holy and honor and glorify God. The reality is, we should be the best workers out there. Christians should be the best workers out there. But they talk about husbands and wives and how our relationships look there, how we deal and handle suffering. You know, all those, how pastors should shepherd the flock. Those are all ways in which we ought to honor and glorify God and be separate and different from the world while still living in the world as pilgrims and sojourners. So,
Pastor Jim Butler 07:08
Yeah, and the other emphasis, or the other a similar emphasis in Romans by the apostle Paul that were in chapter 12, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed. How? By the renewing of your mind. So it first begins with, you know, cleansing out the filth that you’ve stored up there for however long, by putting in the Word of God. And I think that we need to out think non Christians. We need to be able to think biblically consistently with good theology, if we want to be soul winners, if we want to, you know, have a holy walk that is impactful. I think we tend to think that a holy walk means I don’t go to this place, I do go to that place, where Paul and Peter emphasize the renewing of the mind. Your mind needs help, and God’s word is in the business of providing that help. And the idea, I think, is clear and growing the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, Christ. The idea is that the more we know of God, the more we fear Him, and the more that we want to walk in a manner that’s consistent with who He is and what He’s called us to do.
Wim Kerkhoff 08:23
Yep, being hearers of the word, but also doers.
Pastor Jim Butler
That’s right.
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