Faith sets a man with God and, as an individual, alone with God. Abel acted as an individual; Enoch walked alone with God; Noah found grace in His sight; Abram was called out from all and was the friend of God. Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Daniel, and all the worthies of faith’s household each found his springs to be in God and each found his guidance to be from God.
The Perfect Pattern
How individual and solitary, too, was the blessed Lord (not only on the ground of His being the only sinless, perfect One, but also in the manner of His walk)! “Lo! I come to do Thy will, O God.” “The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?” These were the maxims of His life here below.
Faith for a Moment and a Lifetime
The thief’s faith set him alone (divinely taught) with God and he was able to condemn, not only his own past course, but all that the religious ones of that day were doing. He gave to Christ a title true of Him, alone from among men. “This man hath done nothing amiss.” The thief adds, “Lord, remember me... in Thy kingdom.” And the Lord’s word to Peter is to be noted as well: “If I will that he [ John] tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me.”
Walking in Practical Holiness
The secret of all practical holiness in a believer is found in his individual walk with God a walk which, as it keeps him in the light, where Christ is at the right hand of God, keeps him in humble self-judgment, because he sees the contrasts between Christ and himself-yet in firmness, because he has to do with God and acts for and from God.
The moment I see that God’s Word proclaims a thing to be unholy, I am to cease from it at once. It is unholy (to me at least) and to tamper with it would bring defilement. Every godly soul must say, “Obey God rather than man; obey God according to your light, and do not go beyond it.”
When I thus act in my individual life, some have asked (as a challenge), “Do you think you’re infallible? Are you going to lord it over the conscience of others?” My answer is simple: “I walk with God and judge myself. There is not an inch for me in the path which God’s Word seems to prohibit; I go right onward where the Word directs me to go forward.”
Then comes another challenge, “How do you know you are right?” I answer, “When walking in dependence upon God alone to lead me to see His mind that I may do it do you think He’ll not be faithful to Himself (John 7:1717If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17))? As to the consciences of others, I lord it over no soul. Each walks with God but let each remember, if I am truly walking with God, alas! for one whose walk is not in the same path, be he before me or behind me.”
There is no holiness in communion, no “communion of saints,” apart from this individual, solitary walk with God. It is the very restlessness of many believers which convinces me they aren’t individually, practically walking with God by faith.
G. V. Wigram (adapted)