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I. THE GREAT BLESSING. "Ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord."

1. Acceptance of Christ. A voluntary act.

2. Possession of Christ. Having received Him He is ours, and we share all His acts.

(1) Christ died: we die with Him (Galatians 2:20), and so are free from the penalty of sin in the eyes of the law.

(2) Christ was buried (ver. 12) and we with Him, and so became dead to our former life (Romans 6:4).

(3) Christ rose, and we rise with Him into newness of life (ver. 13).

(4) Christ is at the right hand of God, and we ascend with Him into the honours and safety of the heavenly life (Colossians 3:1-3).

II. THE URGENT DUTY.

1. Walk, implying —

(1) Progress, not only motion. There may be motion in the sap of a plant, but the plant is fixed; and in a ball struck by a bat, but that is forced, not voluntary; but 8 walk implies personal activity. So in the Christian walk.

(a)  We must not stay at the starting-point.

(b)  We must not loiter, "Forgetting the things behind."

(c)  We must not walk as in a circle, "laying again the foundation of repentance," etc.

(2) Change of scene, in a walk our eyes are ever dwelling on something fresh. So we must ever be finding something new in Christ.

(3) Our walk is to be "in Him." He is to be seen in us. Others are to know our Master by our life.

2. Rooted in Him.

(1) The root gives stability to the tree. Those trees are most stable whose roots take the largest and deepest hold.

(2) The life of a tree depends upon its rootedness; uproot it and you destroy it. So we die if not rooted in Christ our Life.

3. Built up in Him.

(1)  Constant additions.

(2)  Growing solidity.

(3)  Ultimate perfection.

(4)  Exhibition of the Architect's skill, patience, and power.

4. Stablished in the faith. We must have Christ in us or we shall be overthrown. We are not to be a vane turning at every breath of wind, nor a plant taking such slight hold that some stronger blast will overthrow; but like an oak or a house on a rock, so stablished that no power can move. This is necessary in view of the various influences to which Christian life is exposed.

III. The STRONG MOTIVE.

1. The obligation — "As." Having received Christ we are bound to walk in Him.

2. The appeal — "Ye." Think of what you were and what Christ has made you. Show your gratitude by walking in Him.

(J. Gill.)

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KJV: As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

WEB: As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,