And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
We do our best around the Gray house to try and stay in shape. My wife is primarily a walker, while I am a “runner” (“runner” meaning I jog extremely slowly until I give out, then I walk until I can begin again jogging extremely slowly). Our consistency does not always match our mental commitment, however. Life intervenes, and there are times when we look up and realize that we have neglected for too long our dedication to maintaining our physical health. Usually this precipitates a re-commitment—a renewal of purpose insofar as our heart health is concerned. And so it goes. To walk (or run) is to put one foot in front of the other with the intention of heading in a certain direction. It has a literal meaning. This is true in both English and Greek (the language in which our NT was written). At the same time, to walk is to follow a certain figurative path—to purposefully choose a “life direction.” To do this is to decide to live in a particular way—usually as a result of following someone who has already set for us a course. Again, this figurative use works in both English and Greek. Thus when Paul writes that we must “walk in love,” we understand his meaning—we are to purposefully follow a direction in our lives that imitates the love that Christ has shown to others. We are to live in imitation of Him in every way. We are to “walk in love” in the exact same way as Jesus did. In so doing we not only participate in Him and His life, but we also “offer up” ourselves to God as obedient and willing servants.
–Ricky