“He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” – Micah 6:8
Charles Spurgeon believed that the “worship of God is the subject of revelation, not of invention.” He believed that “true religion” was not of “new design” but rather “framed and fixed by the Lord himself.” Christians were to “follow a path well defined,” not one of their own.
Spurgeon knew that “True worship” cannot be “will worship,” the exaltation of the thoughts of man. Rather “We are to bring to God that which God requires of us,” “to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with him.” Indeed, Spurgeon believed that living a life of genuine, sanctified obedience was an act of worship.
First, Spurgeon noted that the Christian “does justly.” Here he remarked that “If faith does not make a man honest, it is not an honest faith; if our conversion has not made us upright, may the Lord convert us again.”
Second, Spurgeon observed that Christians “love mercy.” Simply, “the man who is loved by the All-merciful is one who loves mercy,” for “the God of mercy cannot take pleasure in the churlish and brutal.”
Finally, Spurgeon placed the “highest importance” on the command to “walk humbly with thy God.” This was an “inward thing” and “very apt to be overlooked.” But Spurgeon believed it was just as “needful as to do justly and to love mercy” and so he called his congregation to take heed.
In the first section of his sermon, Spurgeon noted that “It is excellent in itself.” He noted that such humble walking was “good, good morally, good in present effect, good in eternal results.” This was because Spurgeon knew that “To have a real God is the backbone of character, and to keep company with him day by day is the right arm of godliness.” Those who walked humbly with God would be “moved to action, helped in endurance, nerved with courage, fired with zeal, elevated with devotion, and purified in life by the presence of God.” Indeed, to walk with God was a “good thing.”
In the second section of his sermon, Spurgeon noted that “It is a test of salvation.” Here Spurgeon stated plainly that “the man that walks humbly with God is a saved man; the man who does not…should question his condition.” God’s gracious salvation was freely given, and it was to be received freely without human vainglory. Pride simply had no place, after all “Christ will save us from the beginning to the end, or he will have nothing to do with our salvation.”
In the third section of his sermon, Spurgeon declared that “It is a symptom of spiritual health.” Here Spurgeon asserted that “you can tell…whether your new life is in a growing state, by examining whether you are walking humbly with God.” He advised his congregation to have “lowly views of ourselves before God” because all our successes were of him and our failures of ourselves. Rather, Christians were to rely on God’s bounteous grace and not mere human effort in their lives and service.
In the fourth section of his sermon, Spurgeon also noted that “It is a cause of great anxiety.” Spurgeon spoke of anxiety because “walking humbly” was more “easily said than done.” Simply, “This is no child’s play.” “Humility of spirit” was a virtue “likely to be overlooked,” and yet “so difficult to come at.” It was “easy to think yourself humble,” but another thing entirely to be truly humble before God.
In the fifth, and final, section of his sermon, Spurgeon declared “It is the source of the deepest conceivable pleasure.” Here Spurgeon said, “If you walk humbly with God you will feel safe.” Indeed, “what can harm the man who sits at the feet of the great Lord and waits his will?” Walking humbly gives “peace” and when the “tempest rolls overhead” the Christian would be “calm below when the heart has learned full surrender.” Indeed, then the Christian’s spirit “must rest” for it “cannot help resting” because it rests “in God.”
Why you should take up and read:
Charles Spurgeon believed that the “worship of God is the subject of revelation, not of invention.” And in this Scripture God had commanded his people “to do justly,” to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” In this sermon Spurgeon dwelled on the deep richness of walking humbly with God with all its implications. For those wanting to grow in walking humbly with God please take up and read.
Here is a link to the Sermon of the Week:https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/walking-humbly-with-god#flipbook/
Phillip Ort serves as the Director of The Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City while studying in The Residency Ph.D. program.
