What Shall We Say to These Things

Let's look at seven rhetorical questions the apostle Paul asked in his epistle to the Romans, in order to learn what the Holy Spirit wants to teach us through them. Under each of the topical headings below, observe the recurring question he asked, "What shall we say?", followed by the the apostle's answer to his own question.


1. The Righteousness of God

Q: "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)" (Rom 3:5)

A: "May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?" (Rom 3:6).

This teaches us that God is righteous and that He alone is fit to judge the world.

2. The Righteousness of Abraham

Q. "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?" (Rom 4:1)

A: "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness..." (Rom 4:2-5).

This teaches us that Abraham found the righteousness that is by faith.

3. Freed from Sin 

Q: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?" (Rom 6:1)

A: "May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?...knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin." (Rom 6:2, 6-7).

It's wonderful to know we no longer have to sin. We are free not to sin, because two thousand years ago our old self was crucified with Him. That's amazing freedom!

4. The Law is Holy

Q: "What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? (Rom 7:7a)

A: "May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COVET'...So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good...For we know that the Law is spiritual..." (Rom 7:7b, 12, 14a).

This teaches us that no matter what anyone says of the Law, it is holy, righteous, good, and spiritual. The problem is not with the Law but with our weak, sinful nature. We are no longer under the Law but under grace. And by this faith we do not nullify the Law but uphold it (Ro 3:31).

5. All Things Work Together for Our Good

Q: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things?" (Rom 8:18, 28-31a)

A: "If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." (Rom 8:31b-34)

This teaches us about the awesome glory of God and His amazing love for us.

6. The Sovereign Justice of God

Q: "What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there?" (Rom 9:14a)

A: "May it never be! For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy." (Rom 9:14b-16, NIV*).

This teaches us that our salvation does not depend on our desire or effort, but on the mercy of God. It also teaches us that God doesn't have to ask anyone for permission to do anything. He doesn't report to anyone, and does whatever He pleases. Whenever a person goes to their eternal destruction in hell, it is because they deserve it and it is perfectly just. Whenever God chooses to have mercy on anyone or to have compassion on anyone because of His Son Jesus Christ, that is solely His prerogative beyond any doubt or scrutiny. He always acts in accordance with His perfectly just, sovereign will.

7. The Righteousness of the Faithful Remnant

Q: What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea, "I will call those who were not My people, 'My people,' and her who was not beloved, 'Beloved.'" And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' there they shall be called sons of the living God." Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; for the Lord will execute His Word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly." And just as Isaiah foretold, "Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left to us a posterity, we would have become like Sodom, and would have resembled Gomorrah. What shall we say then?" (Rom 9:22-29, 30a)

A: "That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law." (Rom 9:30b-31).

This teaches us about the amazing grace and mercy of God. Gentiles and Jews alike can attain the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by keeping the law.

Closing Words
From each of these seven rhetorical questions asked by the apostle, we have learned about the holiness of the Law, the sovereign justice of God, the righteousness of God, the righteousness of Abraham that is by faith, the righteousness of the faithful remnant, the freedom we have in Christ from sin, and that all things work together for our good, who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Such freedom! Such glory! Such love! What do you say of these things?

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, copyright The Lockman Foundation, used by permission, Other Scriptures where noted taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. The image may be subject to copyright, used according to the Fair Use Act for commentary and educational purposes only. *The first four words of this quote are from the NASB, and the remainder of it is from the NIV.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy No Flesh Will Be Justified By Works, The Conditional Security of the Believer, Life By the Spirit - Not Under Law, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Drifting Away, Is Obedience Optional?, The Apostasy Parables, Obedience by the Spirit, The Obedience of Faith, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Aim for Perfection, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Baptized with the Spirit, Holy Fire Baptism, The Straight and Narrow Path, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Pleasing the Lord, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Doing What is Right, The Ways of Life, Whatever You Do, Do All Like This, and Listen to Jesus, Who Upholds Moses and the Prophets. You can find more of my articles related to Working God's Way on the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Spiritual Do-It-Yourself

Dear brethren in the faith,

I want to write to you today about something that we don't hear much about these days, in my opinion. I certainly believe in preaching about what God and His Son Jesus Christ have done and continue to do for us, which is of paramount importance, and if you know me, then you know that I do preach that message.  For example, you will find articles of mine like Christ Alone, By Grace Alone, By Faith Alone, Righteousness By Faith Not Law, No Flesh Will Be Justified By Works, Election and Predestination, Keeping Power of God, You Must Be Born Again, God Forgives and Forgets, Who Intercedes for Us?, and The Witness of the Spirit.

However, today I want to talk to you about the things that God will not do for you, but which you must do yourself with the help of the Holy Spirit. I have written many articles on this topic, such as Faith Works!, because this is what the Word teaches and emphasizes to us as believers. So rather than rewrite all those articles, I would like to be concise and simply give you some examples. Some of the things God will not do for you include the following: repenting for your sin, Seeking the Lord, being Crucified with Christ, being water baptized, Living a Life Worthy of the Lord, Keeping a Good Conscience, Avoiding Becoming a Corrupted Christian, Walking in Truth, Righteousness, and Holiness, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Keeping Oneself from Being Polluted by the World, Overcoming the World, living a life of Separation from the World, Avoiding Worldly Worship, Pleasing the Lord, Being a Witness for Christ, giving offerings, Tithing, Fasting, humbling yourself beneath God's mighty hand, Having a Servant's Heart, Keeping the Marriage Bed Holy, doing everything For the Glory of God Alone, Loving Deeply, Abiding in Christ, Practicing the Presence of the Lord, Walking in the Light of His Presence, Reading the Bible, listening to the Word, praying and claiming His Promises, putting on The Wardrobe of the Saints, which includes the full armor of God; battling in Spiritual Warfare, resisting the devil, Inquiring of the Lord, maintaining Unbroken Communion with God, Listening to Jesus, Standing in the Gap, working out your Salvation with Fear and Trembling, obeying the Lord, Doing What is Right, doing everything the Lord has commanded, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, Practicing Your Righteousness, helping those who are weak, looking after orphans and widows, Pressing on Toward the Goal, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Aiming for Perfection, Leading a Blameless Life, Wearing Garments of Godliness, being Led by the Spirit, Doing Everything with Love, with Thanks, in the Name of Jesus, and as Unto the Lord; Praising the Lord, Laying on of Hands, Resting from Work, Keeping Sundays Holy, and Entering God's Rest. Remember that faith without deeds is useless (Js 2:26).

We should also understand that even some of the things that God does for us are not entirely without our involvement. We must still pray to receive His wonderful gifts of salvation, The Baptism with the Holy Spirit and The Baptism with Fire. On the other hand, even the things that He will not do for us, we cannot do without Him. For we must always remember that we can do nothing without Him, as Jesus said, "apart from Me you can do nothing." (Jn 15:5b, NIV). We need His help in all we do, so "Do-It-Yourself" is somewhat of a misnomer. We are not independent of God, but rather completely dependent upon Him. We put no confidence in the flesh, but our confidence is in the Lord.

I hope this has encouraged you in your walk with God to take an active role in it. He still loves you, but His standard for heaven is high. Be sure you don't miss heaven for anything.

Attribution notice: Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, "Faith Works" image courtesy Media Machine. The Do It Yourself and Faith Works images are used according to the Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also like The Conditional Security of the Believer, If -- A Picture Paints a Thousand Words, the other posts available through the links on the Home page.  You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Him.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

No Flesh Will Be Justified by Works

Let's remember what the apostle Paul said in his epistle to the Romans that no flesh will be made righteous by the works of the law. He said:

"By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin." (Rom 3:20)

Matthew Henry explained it like this: "Man, in his depraved state, under the power of such corruption, could never, by any works of his own, gain acceptance with God; but it must be resolved purely into the free grace of God, given through Jesus Christ to all true believers that receive it as a free gift."

He says that we are not "the judaizing Christians, who would needs join Christ and Moses together - owning Christ for the Messiah, and yet too fondly retaining the law, keeping up the ceremonies of it, and imposing it upon the Gentile converts."

According to Paul, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Rom 3:28). He also said, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom 5:1).

Nevertheless, Paul concluded this passage by saying, "Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law." (Rom 3:31)

Matthew Henry concluded with his own paraphrase of Romans 3:31: "...'though we do say that the law will not justify us, yet we do not therefore say that it was given in vain, or is of no use to us; no, we establish the right use of the law, and secure its standing, by fixing it on the right basis. The law is still of use to convince us of what is past, and to direct us for the future; though we cannot be saved by it as a covenant, yet we own it, and submit to it, as a rule in the hand of the Mediator, subordinate to the law of grace; and so are so far from overthrowing that we establish the law.' Let those consider this who deny the obligation of the moral law on believers."

According to Henry, we do not say the law will justify us. However, we don't teach that the law is of no use to us. We affirm the right use of the law on its correct basis. We submit to it as a rule in the hand of Christ, which is subordinate to the law of grace. It's still of use to convince us of what is past and direct us for the future. However, we cannot be saved by it as a covenant.

John Wesley paraphrased Romans 3:31 like this: "We establish the law - Both the authority, purity, and the end of it; by defending that which the law attests; by pointing out Christ, the end of it; and by showing how it may be fulfilled in its purity."

According to Wesley, Paul was saying that we establish the authority of the law. We also establish its purity. And we establish the end of the law, which is Christ. We do all of this by showing how it may be fulfilled in its purity.

We know that Paul did not teach us to disregard or violate the law, because he said, "For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified." (Rom 2:13). It is the doers of the law who will be justified.

Henry commented on this by saying, "The Jews prided themselves very much in the law; but, to confirm what he had said, the apostle shows (Rom_2:13) that their having, and hearing, and knowing the law, would not justify them, but their doing it. The Jewish doctors bolstered up their followers with an opinion that all that were Jews, how bad soever they lived, should have a place in the world to come. This the apostle here opposes: it was a great privilege that they had the law, but not a saving privilege, unless they lived up to the law they had, which it is certain the Jews did not, and therefore they had need of a righteousness wherein to appear before God. We may apply it to the gospel: it is not hearing, but doing that will save us, Joh_13:17; Jam_1:22." We must be doers of the Word and not merely hearers.

As James said, "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone." (Jas 2:24). Therefore, we do not teach that men should break the law or ignore the law, but that they should be doers of it, even though we know that no man will be justified by observing it. We establish the law and our moral obligation to it. However, you can never gain acceptance from God by any works of your own. You can only be accepted by the free grace of God, given through Jesus Christ to all true believers that receive it as a free gift. And we certainly don't seek to misuse the law by being so fond of it that we retain its rituals and ceremonies and impose them on Gentile Christians. We are not seeking to join Christ and Moses together.

If you have been trying to gain acceptance from God by the works of the law or simply by your own good works, please repent of your futile efforts. You need to come to God by grace through faith in Christ. He will confer upon you the very righteousness of God. And then as a disciple of Christ, you will be forgiven, accepted by God in Christ, set free from the power of sin to do what is right. Then you will be empowered to be a true doer of the law, not as a covenant, but as the rule of Christ that is subordinate to the law of grace.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted. The calligraphy and artwork by my daughter, Charity V. Lacroix, available at A Brush with Life.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Never Trust in Your Own Good Works, The Conditional Security of the Believer, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Drifting Away, Is Obedience Optional?, The Apostasy Parables, Obedience by the Spirit, The Obedience of Faith, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Aim for Perfection, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Baptized with the Spirit, Holy Fire Baptism, The Straight and Narrow Path, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Pleasing the Lord, The Burning Ones, Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Living a Life Worthy of the Lord, Keeping a Good Conscience, Separation from the World, Having a Servant's Heart, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Doing What is Right, The Ways of Life, Whatever You Do, Do All Like This, The Mark of the Beast (666), and Listen to Jesus, Who Upholds Moses and the Prophets. You can find more of my articles related to Working God's Way on the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

The Ways of Life

"Walking on the Narrow Way" by C.V. Lacroix

In his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter quoted Ps 16, in which David said, “You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with Your presence.” (Act 2:28)

Peter attributed David's words to Christ. For the Lord’s ways are the ways of life! So today I would like to talk about what it means to walk in the ways of life, and what that means for us as disciples of Christ.

Walk in His Ways
All throughout Scripture we are commanded to walk in His ways. Let’s look at those passages:

"Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. (Deu 8:6)

"Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, (Deu 10:12)

It's important to understand that God made His ways known to Moses.  The psalmist said, “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.” (Psa 103:7). That means that the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) teaches us the ways of God that He revealed to Moses.  

"For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him, (Deu 11:22)

“If you carefully observe all this commandment which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always--then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.” (Deu 19:9)

"You have today declared the LORD to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice.” (Deu 26:17)

Walking in His ways is a key to being established as a holy people to the Lord.

"The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.” (Deu 28:9)

“In that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. (Deu 30:16)

"Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn,” (1Ki 2:3)

“That He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.” (1Ki 8:58)

“That they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You have given to our fathers.” (2Ch 6:31)

"My steps have held fast to Your paths. My feet have not slipped." (Psa 17:5)

“How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways.”  (Psa 119:2-3)

“How blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.” (Psa 128:1)

That's working God's way!

His Ways Are Higher Than Our Ways
"’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isa 55:8-9)

Knowing His Ways
Therefore, since His ways are higher than our ways, we must seek the Lord and ask Him to make us know His ways. 

Moses prayed, "Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people." (Exo 33:13). If you want to know the Lord and find favor in His sight, you need to know His ways.

David prayed, “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.” (Psa 25:4). He will teach us His paths, so that we might walk in them.

The psalmist prayed, "Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways." (Psa 119:37)

Considering His Ways
We must remember His ways and regard them. The psalmist said, “I will meditate on Your precepts and consider Your ways.” (Psa 119:15, NIV)

"You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved?"  (Isa 64:5, NIV).

This applies to New Testament living. If a person does not walk in His ways, but continues to sin against them, God is not going to save them (1 Jn 1:6; 2:4; 2:11; 3:6-10). It's important to walk in His ways, and when your life comes to an end, He will deliver you from hell.

Teaching His Ways
David prayed, “Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.” (Psa 51:13)

Although Apollos had been instructed in the way of the Lord, Priscilla and Aquila explained the way of God to him more accurately. "Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately." (Act 18:24-26)

Paul instructed the Thessalonians how to walk. He wrote: "Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more." (1Th 4:1)

The Narrow Path of Life Leads Upward
The Scripture teaches us that God's ways are the paths of life.  This is the way that leads to eternal life. As David said, which Peter quoted in our opening verse, “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” (Psa 16:11). 

“He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who ignores reproof goes astray.” (Pro 10:17). You have to heed instruction of you want to remain on the path of life.

“The path of life leads upward for the wise That he may keep away from Sheol [Hell] below.” (Pro 15:24)

“For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life.” (Pro 6:23)

"You shall also say to this people, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.” (Jer 21:8)

The Lord Jesus also spoke about the way of life when He said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mt 7:13-14)

You must strive to enter this way, because many have tried to do so and failed. The Lord said, "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." (Luk 13:24). Therefore, you must deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Jesus.

When He said He is THE Way, it carried with it the connotations of all the passages I have just cited, as well as all the ones I am about to cite. Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (Joh 14:6).  There is no other way to the Father, except through Jesus, Who is the Way. That does not negate the fact that it is a narrow way!

Walking as Jesus Did
We must walk in the same way in which Jesus walked. John wrote: "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." (1Jn 2:6). The NIV says "walk as Jesus did."

Peter taught that Jesus, who committed no sin, left us an example to follow in His steps and do what is right: "But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;" (1Pe 2:20b-23)

Walking in Him in the Light
Paul taught that we must walk in Him. "Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." (Col 2:6)

John taught us to walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light. "But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1Jn 1:7). 

The Way of Holiness
His way is the way of holiness for those who follow Him and walk on it.

“And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.” (Is 35:8, NIV)

"Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Jos 22:5)

The Way of Righteousness
The Scripture says that all His ways are just and true. "And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,  'Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!'" (Rev 15:3; cf. Deu 32:4)

Zacharias the priest prophesied over his son, John the Baptist, "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;" (Luk 1:76).  Now think about the ministry of John the Baptist, and how he preached against sin and called people to repent.   He proclaimed God's righteous ways.

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders regarding John the Baptist, "For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him." (Mat 21:32)

“The LORD is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds.” (Psa 145:17)

Wisdom says, "I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice." (Pro 8:20)

"He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake." (Psa 23:3) 

“In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.” (Pr 28:10)  

In spite of all this, many people who start out on this path have turned aside from it by turning away from the holy commandment handed on to them. The apostle Peter said, "For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them." (2Pe 2:21)

The Way of Understanding
"Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding." (Pro 9:6)

"A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead." (Pro 21:16)

"Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding?" (Isa 40:13-14)

Paths of Justice
The Lord guards the paths of justice and preserves the way of His godly ones. "For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones." (Pro 2:6-8)

Paths of Lovingkindness and Truth
"All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies." (Psa 25:10)

The Path of Peace
Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied about Christ saying, "...the Rising Sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luk 1:78b-79, NIV). The Lord's way is one of peace. He gives peace to those on whom His favor rests (Luk 2:14).

The Wicked Have No Regard for His Ways
The Scripture tells us that the wicked have no regard for the ways of the Lord. They do not care about righteousness, holiness, and truth. They don't care about the commandments of God. Job, who lived before Moses and before the Law was given said, “Because they turned aside from following Him, And had no regard for any of His ways;” (Job 34:27).

"They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.'” (Job 21:14)

"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?” (Eze 18:25)

“Now the end is upon you, and I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you. For My eye will have no pity on you, nor will I spare you, but I will bring your ways upon you, and your abominations will be among you; then you will know that I am the LORD!” (Eze 7:3-4) 

Jeremiah prophesied, "Thus says the LORD, 'Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls.' But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'” (Jer 6:16). It's time once again, Church, that we Ask for the Ancient Paths.

For the way of life we inherited from our forefathers was futile. “Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers.” (1Pe 1:18).  The ways of the wicked are crooked. They leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Consider your ways!'" (Hag 1:7)
 
"Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.” (Jer 26:13)

"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!" (Psa 1:1)

"For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish." (Psa 1:6) 

Also see Psa. 146:9; Pro. 4:4,19; 12:26; 15:9. 

Millennial Prophecies

"Prepare the Way" by C.V. Lacroix

Isaiah prophesied of a bright future day, saying, "And many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.' For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Isa 2:3)

Micah prophesied, "Many nations will come and say, 'Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths.' For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Mic 4:2).

These twin prophecies of Micah and Isaiah were speaking about the thousand year reign of Christ on earth, or Millennium, which is still future!!  It says that during that time He will teach us His way, so that we may walk in His paths, and the Law will go forth from Zion, even the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.  Maybe that has you scratching your head and wondering how it could be yet future, but it's true! "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" (Rom 11:33)

His Word, His Will, and His Ways
In order to help you understand how this could be possible, please allow me to explain to you what I call "the www of God's kingdom". We all know that here on earth in the kingdom of this world, the "www" is short for the "World Wide Web". But the "www" in the kingdom of God is His "Word, Will, and Ways." These three things are inextricably connected to each other, and they connect everything else in His kingdom.

There are both similarities and differences between the World Wide Web and the www of God's kingdom. The World Wide Web is called an information superhighway, and it contains both a mixture of holy things and profane things, good things and evil. But "the www of God's kingdom" is the "highway of holiness" and wicked fools will not go about on it! There is no mixture on His www, nor is there any profanity or impurity of any kind.

His Word
First of all, His Word was in the beginning, and it endures forever. The Word was with God in the beginning and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. His Word is eternal.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God...And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (Joh 1:1-2,14; cf. 1Jn 1:1-2)

"Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." (Ps 119:89, NIV)

"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." (Isa 40:8)

“For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, ‘All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the Word which was preached to you.” (1Pe 1:23-25)

His Will
The Lord made a direct connection between His Word and His will. His will is found in His Word. He said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter." (Mat 7:21).  And He also said in that same context, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock." (Mat 7:24-25).  So the Lord tied together His Will with His Word, and since they are one and the same, the man who does His will by acting on His Word will inherit eternal life.

Likewise, the apostle John, who said we must keep His Word (1 Jn 2:5), makes a connection between His Word and His Will. He wrote, "The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." (1Jn 2:17).  John seemed to be alluding to the passage in Isaiah 40 where it says the Word of God endures forever. Where Isaiah said the grass withers and the flower fades, John said this world and its lusts are passing away. And where Isaiah said the Word of God endures forever, John said that the one who does the will of God lives forever.

His Ways
In the same way, the ways of God are also eternal. Habakkuk said, "His ways are everlasting." (Hab 3:6b). David prayed, "Lead me in the everlasting way." (Psa 139:24b). The Lord is eternal and does not change (Heb 13:8). His ways are still the same today as they were in the past; they are still holy, righteous, and good. What was morally evil in His sight thousands of years ago is still evil today. It did not become good or right in His sight just because of the New Covenant.  Likewise, what was morally right then is still right today. His ways never change.

Just as the will of God is found in the Word of God, so are the ways of God. And as I have shown you from the Scriptures throughout this article, the ways of God are the ways of life, which lead to immortality. We are commanded to walk in them, regardless of what part of God's Word they are found in. Since God made His ways known to Moses, you will find the ways of God in the books Moses wrote, as well as the rest of the Bible. Those who walk in the ways of God ascend upward, away from hell, until they reach the Father's throne in heaven, where they enjoy eternal pleasures in His presence forever.

The www of God's kingdom
As I have already said, the Word of God, the will of God, and the ways of God are completely harmonious and connected together as one, in a similar way that the worldwide web is one vast network made up of many parts.  This is why I use the expression "the www of God's kingdom".

In this world we have various domains like ".com" for commercial content, ".edu" for educational, ".org" for organization, etc.  There are also country specific ones like ".us" for United States, ".ca" for Canada, ".hu" for Hungary, ".nz" for New Zealand, and ".eu" for European Union. For the sake of this analogy, we could say that the kingdom of God is the ".kog" domain.

And if we take further liberty to expand this analogy, we could define what corresponds to the URL, which is that address you type into the bar at the top of your web browser. URL stands for Universal Resource Locator.  For example, the URLs for some of my websites are www.eternaldestinations.info, www.Jesus-Reigns.org, www.dmiworld.org, and this site you are on is www.len-seekingthelord.blogspot.com.

So to complete the picture for you, some of the universal resources locators (URLs) you might use to locate resources on the www of God's kingdom could be www.holiness.kog or www.righteousness.kog or www.truth.kog or www.commandments.kog.  We could also have www.genesis.kog, www.law.kog, www.prophets.kog, and www.gospels.kog. But they are all tied together on the same ".kog" domain, which is the kingdom of God. There are no web filters on the www of God's kingdom that allow you to filter content you don't like or don't wish to see.  You cannot separate His Word, His Will, and His Ways (www) from each other.

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2Ti 3:16-17)

Putting it All Together
The Lord’s ways are just. All God's ways are righteous and true (Rev 15:3). His ways are unfathomable. They are the ways of life. The path of life leads upward. His ways and His will are one and the same, and “the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 Jn 2:17b). If you want to inherit eternal life, you need to repent and follow Jesus.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father except by Him (Jn 14:6).

His ways are not only found in the pages of the New Testament, but in all Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. He has revealed to us His ways in the whole Bible, the Word of God.  We are commanded to walk in His ways always. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable. (2Ti 3:16-17). So don’t compartmentalize the Bible and refuse to listen to certain verses simply because they are found in the Old Testament, or because they are found in the Pentateuch.

The Lord is eternal and does not change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Heb 13:8). His ways are still the same. What was morally evil in His sight thousands of years ago is still evil today. It did not become good or right in His sight just because of the New Covenant.

Let’s be careful not be like those who say, “The way of the Lord is not right” (Ez 33:20).  They have turned aside from following Him and have no regard for His ways. If you have done that, then repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (Ac 3:19).  He wants to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways (Ac 3:26). For the way of life handed down from our forefathers is futile.  But all the Lord’s ways are profitable. The way is broad that leads to destruction, but the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Mt 7:14). His way is the way of the cross.  It's the way of righteousness and holiness!

Therefore, I exhort you to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Then He will fill you with joy in His presence, with eternal pleasures at His right hand forevermore (Ps 16:11).

Disclaimer: As we walk in His ways, we are not to concern ourselves with ceremonial law like circumcision, rituals, dietary laws, or animal sacrifices. We are not endeavoring to keep up the law of Moses in conjunction with the gospel of Christ. We are not justified by doing the works of the Law.  It is only when we put our faith in Christ that He justifies us, so that we have true righteousness, the righteousness of God, and this is the intent or “end goal” of the law. Once we are justified, we will be led by the Spirit to be a doer of the Law (James 1:25; 4:11). Keeping God’s commands in what counts! (1 Cor 7:19b). Just remember that we can do nothing apart from the Lord Jesus (Jn 15:5), and if you keep His commandments, you will abide in His love (Jn 15:10). It's not something you have to force, or do legalistically, but it happens as you open up and receive the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to flow through you.

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted. Other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, where noted. The "Walking on the Narrow Way" and the "Prepare the Way" illustrations, as well as the "Holiness" calligraphy are by my seventeen-year old daughter, C.V. Lacroix. You can find more of her lovely artwork on A Brush with Life.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this article, I also recommend James Agboola Revelation of Heaven and Hell, Followers of the Way, The Straight and Narrow Path, The Way, Will, and Word of God, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Michael Shigaba's Encounter with Jesus, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Practicing Your Righteousness, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Doing What is Right, Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Faith Works!, The Judgment Seat of Christ, The Obedience of Faith, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, Led by the Spirit, Remember the Eternal Law of God, Purge the Evil from Among You, The Spirit's Law of Life, The Book of Life, Pleasing the Lord, and The Righteous Will Shine Forth as the Sun. Other related articles are available on the Home page. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Righteous Will Shine Forth as the Sun

The Lord Jesus said "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Mat 13:43)

He used this term “the righteous,” which is found all throughout the Scriptures back to the book of Genesis. It is found before, during, and after the Law of Moses in the New Covenant, so it is not a legalistic term.  For all that the righteous do is by faith, as Paul said, “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, ‘The righteous man shall live by faith.’" (Gal 3:11)

This term, “the righteous,” refers to those who serve the Lord, and live in such a way that has His approval.  They live according to the pattern of God's Word, doing His will. As I explained in my previous article, “Practicing Your Righteousness”, these are the ones who are doing righteous deeds, such as prayer, fasting, worship, Bible reading, giving tithes and offerings, not stealing, not accepting bribes, serving in the Church, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, entertaining strangers, visiting those in prison, and giving to the poor.

When Jesus described the final judgment, He said, "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' (Mat 25:34-40)

Whenever the righteous do these things to one of the least of the Lord’s brothers, they do it unto Him. However, the wicked are the ones who do not do these things. "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Mat 25:46).  We like the part about the righteous going away into eternal life, and shining forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. We as Christians all like to assume we are among the righteous.  But the Lord looks at our deeds, not just our beliefs. Are you truly one of the righteous?

Peter said, “And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?” (1Pe 4:18) Therefore, we know that it is with difficulty that the righteous are saved. It’s through many hardships and trials that we enter the kingdom of God. Peter was referring to the suffering of the righteous when he said that, and the fact that judgment begins with the household of God (1 Pe 4:17). But he also referred to the Lord’s righteous ways that we must live by. This is evident in other parts of His epistle, when he speaks about obeying Jesus Christ (1 Pe 1:2), obeying the truth (1 Pe 1:22), being holy even as the Lord is holy (1 Pe 1:16), putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander (1 Pe 2:1), abstaining from fleshly lusts (1 Pe 2:11), living as aliens and strangers, keeping your behavior excellent (1 Pe 2:12), doing good deeds (1 Pe 2:12; 3:11), doing right (1 Pe 2:15,20), and living to righteousness (1 Pe 2:24), keeping your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies, and being zealous for what is good (1 Pe 3:13), being of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer (1 Pe 4:11), and remaining fervent in your love for one another (1 Pe 4:8). And Peter says that God impartially judges each man’s work (1 Pe 1:17). Therefore, it is evident that when Peter said it is with difficulty that the righteous are saved, he was referring to the exemplary kind of behavior required of the righteous.

In the third chapter of his epistle, he says:

For, "The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the lord is against those who do evil." (1Pe 3:10-12).

In this passage, Peter was quoting Ps 34:12-16, in which David used the term “the righteous” four times (Psa 34:15,17,19,21). So Peter was very intentional in his use of the term “the righteous” in his epistle, and he used it with the same meaning that David did when he used it.  He was not merely referring to those who possess positional righteousness, but to those who practice righteousness.

Other Scriptures About the Righteous
Before my conclusion, I would like to list for your benefit most of the Scriptures in the Bible, which I have not already mentioned, that refer to “the righteous.” If you will take the time to read through these, I believe you will be edified, and then I will make my closing remarks.

Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? (Gen 18:23)

"Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" (Gen 18:25)

"Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty. (Exo 23:7)

"You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. (Deu 16:19)

"If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, (Deu 25:1)

then hear in heaven and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. (1Ki 8:32)

then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, punishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. (2Ch 6:23)

"Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way, And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger. (Job 17:9)

"The righteous see and are glad, And the innocent mock them, (Job 22:19)

"He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But with kings on the throne He has seated them forever, and they are exalted. (Job 36:7)

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. (Psa 1:5)

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.
(Psa 1:6)

For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield. (Psa 5:12)

O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds. (Psa 7:9)

If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?" (Psa 11:3)

The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates. (Psa 11:5)

There they are in great dread, For God is with the righteous generation. (Psa 14:5)

Let the lying lips be mute, Which speak arrogantly against the righteous With pride and contempt. (Psa 31:18)

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry. (Psa 34:15)

The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. (Psa 34:17)

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. (Psa 34:19)

Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned. (Psa 34:21)

The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth. (Psa 37:12)

Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked. (Psa 37:16)

For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD sustains the righteous. (Psa 37:17)

The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives. (Psa 37:21)

I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. (Psa 37:25)

The righteous will inherit the land And dwell in it forever. (Psa 37:29)

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice. (Psa 37:30)

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble. (Psa 37:39)

You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah. The righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying, "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire." But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.  (Psa 52:3-8)

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. (Psa 55:22)

The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. (Psa 58:10)

And men will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely there is a God who judges on earth!" (Psa 58:11)

The righteous man will be glad in the LORD and will take refuge in Him; And all the upright in heart will glory. (Psa 64:10)

But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness. (Psa 68:3)

May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous. (Psa 69:28)

In his days may the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace till the moon is no more. (Psa 72:7)

And all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, But the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. (Psa 75:10)

The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (Psa 92:12)

They band themselves together against the life of the righteous And condemn the innocent to death. (Psa 94:21)

Light is sown like seed for the righteous And gladness for the upright in heart. (Psa 97:11)

For he will never be shaken; The righteous will be remembered forever. (Psa 112:6)

The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. (Psa 118:15)

This is the gate of the LORD; The righteous will enter through it. (Psa 118:20)

For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous, So that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong. (Psa 125:3)

Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name; The upright will dwell in Your presence. (Psa 140:13)

"Bring my soul out of prison, So that I may give thanks to Your name; The righteous will surround me, For You will deal bountifully with me." (Psa 142:7)

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous; (Psa 146:8)

So you will walk in the way of good men And keep to the paths of the righteous. (Pro 2:20)

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. (Pro 3:33)

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. (Pro 4:18)

The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger, But He will reject the craving of the wicked. (Pro 10:3)

Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. (Pro 10:6)

The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot. (Pro 10:7)

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. (Pro 10:11)

The wages of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment. (Pro 10:16)

The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little.
(Pro 10:20)

The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding. (Pro 10:21)

What the wicked fears will come upon him, But the desire of the righteous will be granted. (Pro 10:24)

When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. (Pro 10:25)

The hope of the righteous is gladness, But the expectation of the wicked perishes. (Pro 10:28)

The righteous will never be shaken, But the wicked will not dwell in the land. (Pro 10:30)

The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. (Pro 10:31)

The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted. (Pro 10:32)

The righteous is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place. (Pro 11:8)

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. (Pro 11:9)

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. (Pro 11:10)

Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered. (Pro 11:21)

The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. (Pro 11:23)

He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. (Pro 11:28)

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls. (Pro 11:30)

If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner! (Pro 11:31)

A man will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be moved. (Pro 12:3)

The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. (Pro 12:5)

The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand. (Pro 12:7)

The wicked man desires the booty of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit. (Pro 12:12)

An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. (Pro 12:13)

No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked are filled with trouble. (Pro 12:21)

The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray. (Pro 12:26)

The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the wicked goes out. (Pro 13:9)

Adversity pursues sinners, But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. (Pro 13:21)

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. (Pro 13:22)

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, But the stomach of the wicked is in need. (Pro 13:25)

The evil will bow down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. (Pro 14:19)

The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, But the righteous has a refuge when he dies. (Pro 14:32)

Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked. (Pro 15:6)

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. (Pro 15:28)

The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. (Pro 15:29)

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. (Pro 17:15)

It is also not good to fine the righteous, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. (Pro 17:26)

To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. (Pro 18:5)

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe. (Pro 18:10)

The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity. (Pro 21:15)

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, And the treacherous is in the place of the upright. (Pro 21:18)

All day long he is craving, While the righteous gives and does not hold back. (Pro 21:26)

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him. (Pro 23:24)

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not destroy his resting place; (Pro 24:15)

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion. (Pro 28:1)

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves. (Pro 28:12)

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; But when they perish, the righteous increase. (Pro 28:28)

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan. (Pro 29:2)

By transgression an evil man is ensnared, But the righteous sings and rejoices. (Pro 29:6)

The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor, The wicked does not understand such concern. (Pro 29:7)

When the wicked increase, transgression increases; But the righteous will see their fall. (Pro 29:16)

An unjust man is abominable to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked. (Pro 29:27)

I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. (Ecc 3:17)

Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions. (Isa 3:10)

"Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful. (Isa 26:2)

The way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level. (Isa 26:7)

The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil, (Isa 57:1)

Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me see Your vengeance on them; For to You I have set forth my cause. (Jer 20:12)

Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous; (Lam 4:13)

"However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself." (Eze 3:21)

"Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way and preserve his life, (Eze 13:22)

"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. (Eze 18:20)

and say to the land of Israel, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I am against you; and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. (Eze 21:3)

"Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against all flesh from south to north. (Eze 21:4)

"When I say to the righteous he will surely live, and he so trusts in his righteousness that he commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; but in that same iniquity of his which he has committed he will die. (Eze 33:13)

"When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, then he shall die in it. (Eze 33:18)

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them. (Hos 14:9)

Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for money And the needy for a pair of sandals. (Amo 2:6)

For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate. (Amo 5:12)

Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted. (Hab 1:4)

"Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith. (Hab 2:4)

So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. (Mal 3:18)

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Mat 5:45)

"So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, (Mat 13:49)

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, (Mat 23:29)

"It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luk 1:17)

"And you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luk 14:14)

having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. (Act 24:15)

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith." (Rom 1:17)

Jesus Did Not Come to Call the Righteous to Repentance
One final point I would like to mention is that Jesus said He did not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners. 

In Matthew's gospel, He said, "But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mat 9:13).

In Luke's gospel, He said, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luk 5:32)

In Mark's gospel, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mar 2:17)

I realize someone might use that as a reason to argue that somehow the Lord loves sinners and not the righteous.  But that's not what He meant.  The abundance of Scriptures I have just cited from the Old and New Testaments, including the words of the Lord Himself, prove that He loves the righteous. So what did He mean then?

The Lord meant by this that if someone considers himself righteous in his own eyes, as did the scribes, Pharisee, and experts in the law, then He was not calling them to repent and follow Him. Those who are self-righteous, content to have a righteousness of their own that comes from the Law, and outwardly pious cannot be saved, because they rely on themselves and do not submit to God's righteousness. They reject God's authority.

Therefore, He was calling sinners to repent and follow Him. These are the people He spent time with, because they were heeding His call to repent and follow Him. The reason is that as long as you think you are a good person or a righteous person, and you do not see your need for Jesus, you cannot be saved. You must admit you are a sinner and repent of your sins, asking the Lord to forgive you and to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Only then can He cleanse you of your sins and give you His perfect righteousness. Once you do so, then you are righteous in God's sight, and the righteous should not sin, according to Ezekiel 3:21; 18:24; 33:12; and 1Jn. 2:1.

The apostle John said you may not sin:

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous;" (1Jn 2:1)

"If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him." (1Jn 2:29)

"Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;" (1Jn 3:7)

"not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous." (1Jn 3:12)

It cannot be more plain and clear that the righteous practice righteousness and the wicked practice evil.  Therefore, Jesus never condoned sin when He said he came to call sinners. For He came to call sinners to repentance, which requires that you depart from sin and follow Him.  The righteous walk by faith in the ways of the Lord.

Putting it All Together
There are so many wonderful promises for the righteous contained in God’s Word. I hope that these have blessed you, and I hope that you will lay hold of these promises for yourself, appropriating them to your life by faith.  But more importantly, I hope that I have proven from Scripture that the righteous are those who practice righteousness. Everyone who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous (1Jn 2:29; 1Jn 3:7). Not every so-called Christian or person who was once "saved" is among the righteous.  So let us make every effort to be found spotless and blameless in the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns. As Peter wrote:

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” (2 Pe 3:13-14, NIV)

Only the righteous will inherit eternal life. Only the righteous will dwell with the Lord in glory forever. Only the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The Scripture says that heaven is home of the righteous whose spirits have been made perfect.

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.” (Heb 12:22-25).

See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. They did not escape when they refused to obey Moses who warned them on earth, and much less will we escape if we refuse Him who warns us from heaven. He is coming right away, but He is only coming for the righteous, those who are truly holy. You ought to live holy and godly lives. Bear in mind that it's difficult for the righteous to be saved. Therefore, repent and seek the Lord while He may be found. Call on Him while He is near, so that you may live a life worthy of His glory, worthy of the calling you have received, and receive the reward of the righteous to enjoy throughout eternity.

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted. The Good Samaritan by Dan Burr of Dan Burr Illustration copyright 2013 used by permission.  "Welcome My Child" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this article, I also recommend Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Practicing Your Righteousness, Doing What is Right, Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Faith Works!, The Judgment Seat of Christ, The Obedience of Faith, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, and The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer. Other related articles are available on the Home page. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.