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Support and Encouragement in the Believer's Walk with Christ

The Christian life is often described as a "walk," emphasizing a continuous journey of faith and obedience that requires ongoing support and encouragement [1, 3, 6]. This journey is not meant to be undertaken in isolation, but within a community where believers can mutually strengthen one another [2].

Scripture highlights the importance of encouragement in maintaining a walk "worthy of God" [1]. Paul, for instance, encouraged the Thessalonians, comforting them and urging them to live in a manner consistent with God's call into His kingdom and glory [1]. Similarly, he expressed a desire to be mutually encouraged with the Roman believers through their shared faith [2]. This mutual encouragement fosters a partnership in faith, leading to a fuller acknowledgment of the blessings believers possess in Christ [4].

The concept of "walking" in faith involves several key aspects. It means believing and fearing God, loving and obeying Him, and rejoicing in Him [6]. It also entails believing in Christ, loving Him, following His example, and obeying His commands [6]. This walk is characterized by living righteously, soberly, and godly [6]. The apostle Paul exhorted believers to walk in a way that is "well-pleasing to God," bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God [11]. This growth is often described as "abiding in Christ," which involves continuing in a state of salvation and growing in devotion and obedience [13]. John Gill notes that walking in integrity is a characteristic of saints, expressing a desire to walk in uprightness and purity with Christ [16].

Believers are called to persevere in their faith, which is seen as evidence of reconciliation with God and belonging to Christ [7]. This perseverance is maintained through the power of God and Christ, Christ's intercession, and the fear of God [7]. It involves seeking God, waiting upon Him, persistent prayer, and continuing in good works and the faith [7]. The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in this walk, influencing believers to confess Christ and providing hope [8, 9].

Support and encouragement are also understood in terms of God's direct involvement in the believer's life. God is a refuge and strength for the afflicted, comforting, preserving, and delivering them [5]. Christ is also present with believers, supporting, comforting, preserving, and delivering them [5]. This divine support is often experienced through "union with Christ," a concept where believers are described as being "in Christ" and Christ being "in us" [10]. This union includes union with the Father and is maintained through faith, abiding in Christ, His word abiding in believers, feeding on Him, and obeying Him [10]. Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, experiencing resurrection both now and in the future [12].

The strengthening of believers is a prayerful request, that they might be "strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man" [15]. This strength enables believers to exercise grace, perform duties, and resist spiritual adversaries [15]. The Christian walk is also characterized by humility and meekness, showing itself in having a low opinion of oneself and a high regard for others, and in submission to God's will [14]. A confident hope for believers is the anticipation of Christ’s return and the future blessings they will share as joint heirs with Him [17]. This hope is rooted in God, Christ, God's promises, and His mercy, and is a work of the Holy Spirit obtained through grace, the Word, patience, and faith [9].

Sources

  1. I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 2:12 (BSB) — encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
  2. Romans “Romans 1:12 (LEB) — that is, to be encouraged together with you through ⌞our mutual faith⌟, both yours and mine.”
  3. I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 4:1 (Rotherham) — For the rest, brethren, we request and exhort you, in our Lord Jesus, [that], even as ye received from us, how ye must needs walk and please God,—even as ye also do walk, that ye would abound still more.”
  4. Philemon “Philemon 1:6 (BSB) — I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted Saints — God is with -- Ps 46:5,7; Isa 43:2. God is a refuge and strength to -- Ps 27:5,6; Isa 25:4; Jer 16:19; Na 1:7. God comforts -- Isa 49:13; Jer 31:13; Mt 5:4; 2Co 1:4,5; 7:6. God preserves -- Ps 34:20. God delivers -- Ps 34:4,19; Pr 12:13; Jer 39:17,18. Christ is with -- Joh 14:18. Christ supports -- 2Ti 4:17; Heb 2:18. Christ comforts -- Isa 61:2; Mt 11:28-30; Lu 7:13; Joh 14:1; 16:33. Christ preserves -- Isa 63:9; Lu 21:18. Christ delivers -- Re 3:10. Should praise God -- Ps 13:5,6; 56:8-10; 57:6,7; 71:20-23. Should imitate Christ -- Heb 12:1-3; 1P”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Conduct, Christian — Believing God -- Mr 11:22; Joh 14:11,12. Fearing God -- Ec 12:13; 1Pe 2:17. Loving God -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Following God -- Eph 5:1; 1Pe 1:15,16. Obeying God -- Lu 1:6; 1Jo 5:3. Rejoicing in God -- Ps 33:1; Hab 3:18. Believing in Christ -- Joh 6:29; 1Jo 3:23. Loving Christ -- Joh 21:15; 1Pe 1:7,8. Following the example of Christ -- Joh 13:15; 1Pe 2:21-24. Obeying Christ -- Joh 14:21; 15:14. Living To Christ. -- Ro 14:8; 2Co 5:15. To righteousness. -- Mic 6:8; Ro 6:18; 1Pe 2:24. Soberly, righteously, and godly. -- Tit 2:12. Walking Honestly. -- 1”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Perseverance — An evidence of reconciliation with God -- Col 1:21-23. An evidence of belonging to Christ -- Joh 8:31; Heb 3:6,14. A characteristic of saints -- Pr 4:18. To be manifested in Seeking God. -- 1Ch 16:11. Waiting upon god. -- Ho 12:6. Prayer. -- Ro 12:12; Eph 6:18. Well-doing. -- Ro 2:7; 2Th 3:13. Continuing in the faith. -- Ac 14:22; Col 1:23; 2Ti 4:7. Holding fast hope. -- Heb 3:6. Maintained through The power of God. -- Ps 37:24; Php 1:6. The power of Christ. -- Joh 10:28. The intercession of Christ. -- Lu 22:31,32; Joh 17:11. The fear of God. -- Jer 32”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Confessing Christ — Influences of the Holy Spirit necessary to -- 1Co 12:3; 1Jo 4:2. A test of being saints -- 1Jo 2:23; 4:2,3. An evidence of union with God -- 1Jo 4:15. Necessary to salvation -- Ro 10:9,10. Ensures his confessing us -- Mt 10:32. The fear of man prevents -- Joh 7:13; 12:42,43. Persecution should not prevent us from -- Mr 8:35; 2Ti 2:12. Must be connected with faith -- Ro 10:9. Consequences of not -- Mt 10:33. Exemplified Nathanael. -- Joh 1:49. Peter. -- Joh 6:68,69; Ac 2:22-36. Man born blind. -- Joh 9:25,33. Martha. -- Joh 11:27. Peter and John. -”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hope — In God -- Ps 39:7; 1Pe 1:21. In Christ -- 1Co 15:19; 1Ti 1:1. In God's promises -- Ac 26:6,7; Tit 1:2. In the mercy of God -- Ps 33:18. Is the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5. Obtained through Grace. -- 2Th 2:16. The word. -- Ps 119:81. Patience and comfort of the Scriptures. -- Ro 15:4. The gospel. -- Col 1:5,23. Faith. -- Ro 5:1,2; Ga 5:5. The result of experience -- Ro 5:4. A better hope brought in by Christ -- Heb 7:19. Described as Good. -- 2Th 2:16. Lively. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure and steadfast. -- Heb 6:19. Gladdening. -- Pr 10:28. Blessed. -- Tit ”
  10. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Union With Christ — As Head of the Church -- Eph 1:22,23; 4:15,16; Col 1:18. Christ prayed that all saints might have -- Joh 17:21,23. Described as Christ being in us. -- Eph 3:17; Col 1:27. Our being in Christ. -- 2Co 12:2; 1Jo 5:20. Includes union with the Father -- Joh 17:21; 1Jo 2:24. Is of God -- 1Co 1:30. Maintained by Faith. -- Ga 2:20; Eph 3:17. Abiding in him. -- Joh 15:4,7. His word abiding in us. -- Joh 15:7; 1Jo 2:24; 2Jo 1:9. Feeding on him. -- Joh 6:56. Obeying him. -- 1Jo 3:24. The Holy Spirit witnesses -- 1Jo 3:24. The gift of the Holy Spirit is an ev”
  11. Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:10: Greek, "So as to walk"; so that ye may walk. True knowledge of God's will is inseparable from walking conformably to it. worthy of the Lord-- (Eph 4:1). unto--so as in every way to be well-pleasing to God. pleasing--literally, "desire of pleasing." being fruitful--Greek, "bearing fruit." This is the first manifestation of their "walking worthy of the Lord." The second is, "increasing (growing) in the knowledge of God (or as the oldest manuscripts read, 'growing BY the full knowledge of God')"; thus, as the Gospel word (Col 1:6) was said to ”
  12. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:6: 2:6 united with Christ Jesus: Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, and experience resurrection both now and in the future (see Rom 6:4-14; Col 2:12-13; 3:1-4).”
  13. 1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 2:6: Abideth in him - He who not only professes to have known Christ, but also that he has communion with him, and abides in his favor, should prove the truth of his profession by walking as Christ walked; living a life of devotion and obedience to God, and of benevolence and beneficence to his neighbor. Thus Christ walked; and he has left us an example that we should follow his steps. To be in Christ, Jo1 2:5, is to be converted to the Christian faith, and to have received the remission of sins. To abide in Christ, Jo1 2:6, is to continue in that state of salvation, grow”
  14. Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 4:2: With all lowliness and meekness,..... In the exercise of humility, which shows itself in believers, in entertaining and expressing the meanest thoughts of themselves, and the best of others; in not envying the gifts and graces of others, but rejoicing at them, and at every increase of them; in a willingness to receive instruction from the meanest saints; in submission to the will of God in all adverse dispensations of Providence; and in ascribing all they have, and are, to the grace of God: and so to behave, is to walk agreeably to their calling of God; and what the”
  15. Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:15: That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory,.... Or according to, and out of that rich, plenteous, and glorious fulness of grace and strength in Christ Jesus. To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; this is the petition which the apostle puts up on his bended knees to the Father of Christ, that he would strengthen these saints, that so they might not faint at the tribulations which either he or they endured. Believers in Christ need fresh supplies of strength to enable them to exercise grace, to perform duties, to resist Sat”
  16. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 26:11: But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity,.... In which he had hitherto walked, Psa 26:1; or it may express his faith, that after he was gathered by death he should walk in uprightness and righteousness, in purity and perfection, with Christ in white, and behold the face of God in righteousness; see Isa 57:1; redeem me; from the vain conversation of the wicked, from all troubles, and out of the hands of all enemies; and be merciful unto me; who was now in distress, being persecuted by Saul, and at a distance from the house of God: this shows that mercy is the ”
  17. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 1:18: 1:18 Confident hope for believers is the anticipation of Christ’s return and his future blessings that they will share. Joined with Christ, believers become joint heirs with him of all God’s promised blessings.”
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