This question was recently addressed to us, and, as it may be helpful to others, we propose to answer it somewhat in detail. That the difficulty may be first understood, we give the exact form in which it was put: Is Christ or the Holy Spirit our power for walk? Now, before we take it up in this way, it may be well to point out, what all will admit, that Christ is our example in His walk through this world. This is stated, indeed, distinctly by the Apostle John. He writes, "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." 1 John 2:66He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6). And if all the scriptures which speak of the example of Christ are collected, it will be seen that they are used in a twofold way—either, as John, to point out God's standard for the believer (see 1 Pet. 2:18-2518Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Peter 2:18‑25)); or to encourage us in following in H i s steps (Heb. 1218For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: (Hebrews 12:18‑25)), where Christ is set forth as the Leader and Completer of faith; as a perfect example of dependence from beginning to end; as One who died a martyr's death (though His death was much more than this); and we are exhorted to have His walk before our souls as an encouragement to a like endurance in the path of faith. "Ye," says the Apostle, "have not yet resisted unto blood" (as He did), "striving against sin."
Every believer will assent to these statements; and the question then now comes, By what power is such a walk to be attained? One or two scriptures will give us the needed information. "If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom. 8:13, 1413For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:13‑14). Again, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Gal. 5:2525If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25). Two things are here plainly taught: first, that the hindrance ( if we may so put it) to our walking as Christ walked, lies in the deeds of the body, or, as in Galatians, in the flesh which always lusts against the Spirit, and seeks to reassert its control over the child of God; and second, that the only power by which the flesh can be held in check—kept in the place of death, according to the judgment of God upon it in the cross of Christ—is the Holy Spirit. There is also the additional instruction, that we may be led of the Spirit; that is, that He is not only our power for repression, for the mortification of our members (Col. 325But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. (Colossians 3:25)), but He also enables us to walk—is therefore our power for progress in the divine path. We must hold by these teachings most tenaciously, because we thereby learn that we have absolutely no natural resource, that we are shut up entirely to the energy of the Holy Ghost for conflict and walk, as for every activity of the divine life.
This then, at first sight, would seem to settle the question at the head of our article. But there is another consideration; and this, if truly comprehended, will go to the root of the difficulty which is felt by so many souls. For, be it observed, that though it be accepted that the Holy Spirit is our only power for walk, the question may still arise, How then is it that He does not enable us to follow Christ more energetically? There are numbers of truehearted saints who long to be like Caleb, but who are disappointed at every step they take. They do follow, but instead of doing so fully, they feel that they are rather like Peter, following afar off.
Now it will help all such to understand that, notwithstanding they possess the spirit of adoption, and are thus sealed, He will be inoperative, put forth no energy, unless the eye is on Christ; that is, unless Christ is constantly before the soul as the Object of faith. As the Apostle says, "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)). That is, his faith had Christ as the Son of God as its Object—Christ glorified at the right hand of God, glorified as man, but withal the Son of God, being ever, in this connection, the true and proper Object of faith. He Himself said, "Ye believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:11Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)). And when we are living every hour, yea, moment by moment, in dependence, Christ, as so exhibited, filling the vision of our souls, the Object of our contemplation, the Spirit of God is ungrieved, and leads us on by His mighty power, so that the divine life which has been bestowed upon us flows out in the same channels, whatever the difference of volume, as those in which the life of Christ found expression when He was here in this world. It is on this account indeed that the Spirit is termed in Rom. 8:99But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9) the Spirit of Christ.
This also explains another difficulty. To walk like Christ, it is sometimes asked, Must we look at Him in His earthly pathway, or as seated at the right hand of God? We have already explained the uses made of the example of Christ in the Scriptures; and it will be readily seen that it is not Christ on earth, but Christ glorified, who is the Object of our faith. It is, of course, the same Christ, but Christ as He now is, in the condition of glory—not as He was "after the flesh"—that is always presented to our souls. We study the life of Christ as displayed in this scene to learn how He acted—comported Himself in the different circumstances through which He passed—and our souls are drawn out in adoring wonder as we behold the manifestations of His perfections, graces, and excellencies. But we know Him now only as glorified (see 2 Cor. 5); and it is therefore to Him as such, we repeat, that we now look.
Together with this is connected another thing. Contemplating the glory of the Lord, which shines forth without a veil, we are gradually transformed by the power of the Spirit—gradually, because it is from glory to glory—into the likeness of the One with whom we are thus occupied. And the same Spirit, who is the power of our transformation while our eyes are upon Christ, works mightily within us for exhibition of Christ in our walk. Walking as Christ walked is not, therefore, external imitation, but the display of the inner life, in proportion as we are changed into the same image, in and through us, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
We do not add more for the present; but our readers will see that, when we speak of power for walk, we cannot separate Christ from the Holy Spirit. I might scripturally say, with the Apostle, I can do all things through Him (doubtless, Chris t) who strengthens me, for He is both my life and my strength (Col. 3; 2 Cor. 12). And I can also scripturally say, It is through the Spirit alone I can mortify the deeds of the body. So in the life of our blessed Lord. He acted and wrought, and at the same time all that He did was by the Holy Ghost.