In Philippians 3:16 Paul says, “Only this, whereunto we have attained, by the same rule let us walk.” According to the context of this chapter, the rule in verse 16 is the pursuing after Christ mentioned in verse 12. Because Paul wanted to gain more of Christ, he pursued Christ. Thus, to walk by the same rule is to walk by the rule of pursuing Christ. This rule is even more narrow than that of the Spirit and the new creation. Paul was not pursuing success in his work; he was pursuing Christ. If we are merely pursuing success in our work, we shall be distracted from the highway.
We know that Paul wrote the book of Philippians from a prison in Rome. Although as a prisoner Paul had been deprived of many things, no one could deprive him of Christ. When he was in prison, he was still pursuing Christ in order to gain more of Him. In Philippians 3:14 he said, “I pursue toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” He was one forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before (v. 13). Paul’s desire was to reach the goal and gain the prize. The rule, therefore, in Philippians 3:16 is the rule of pursuing Christ in order to gain Him. In order to have the second walk, we must walk not only by the Spirit and by the new creation, but also by the rule of pursuing Christ and gaining Him. This is the rule, the principle, and the lane by which we must walk. This is the second walk to reach the goal that we may win the prize.
If we read Paul’s writings carefully, we shall find yet another rule by which we must walk. This rule is the church life, the Body life as revealed in Romans 12:1-5 and Ephesians 4:1-16. Thus, the second walk is by the Spirit, by the new creation, by pursuing and gaining Christ, and by practicing the church life. The church life also is a lane in which we must walk. It is a rule, a principle, which leads us to God’s goal.
Today even many of those Christians who have the first walk by the Spirit do not have the church life. Because they do not have the second kind of walk by the Spirit, they are not able to fulfill God’s purpose or reach His goal.
It is imperative that we all have the first kind of walk by the Spirit. In our daily life there should be the virtues, the fruit of the Spirit mentioned by Paul in Galatians 5:22 and 23: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. A proper daily walk by the Spirit will qualify us and equip us for the second walk by the Spirit, the walk which accomplishes God’s purpose. This second walk involves four rules or principles: the Spirit, the new creation, the gaining of Christ, and the church life. In order to have the second walk, and not just the first, we need to be under the regulation of the spirit, living by the new creation, pursuing Christ in order to gain Him, and practicing the church life. If we have the first walk by the Spirit but not the second, we may be regarded by others as “holy,” “spiritual,” or “victorious.” However, we shall actually be purposeless. Even though we may have so-called holiness, spirituality, or victory, we shall be without purpose, for we shall lack the second kind of walk by the Spirit to reach the goal. We need both the first kind of walk to equip us and the second kind of walk to carry out God’s purpose that we may reach the goal and win the prize of the full enjoyment of Christ and experience of Christ.
On God’s highway there are not only lanes or rules, but also steps. We have seen that in Romans 4:12 Paul speaks of walking in the steps of the faith of Abraham. For salvation, we must walk in the steps of Abraham. But for the accomplishment of God’s eternal purpose, we need to walk in the steps of Paul. Paul said of himself that God had made him to be a pattern or example (1 Tim. 1:16). Paul is an example to all those who are running the New Testament race. For this reason, we need to follow in his steps.
I wish to emphasize repeatedly that to walk by these rules and in these steps is not related to our ordinary, common, daily walk; it is related to the specific and particular walk for the fulfillment of God’s purpose and reaching His goal. As those who love the Lord Jesus and who are seeking Him, we need to have both kinds of walk by the Spirit. We need to have a proper daily living to qualify us, equip us, and empower us for the second walk to reach God’s goal. Both walks are by the Spirit. Only by the Spirit can we have a proper daily life, and only by the Spirit can we walk toward God’s goal. But as we practice the second kind of walk by the Spirit, we need to care also for the new creation, the gaining of Christ, and the church life. Then we shall reach God’s goal and receive the glorious prize of the full enjoyment of Christ and experience of Christ.