The Amazing Desire of the Righteous
By Pastor Dan Kennedy
© July 9, 2017
Two Roads
What are some of the names of the two distinct positive or negative paths in life that a person can follow often called?
· Right and Wrong,
· Good and Evil,
· High Road and Low Road,
· Wide Road and Narrow Road,
· Light and Dark,
· Truth and False,
· Righteousness and Wickedness…
Has God instilled the basic principles of Right and Wrong in Everyone’s Heart?
Romans 2:14–15
14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)
Humankind has a code of God’s Laws written on each of our hearts, but because of our depravity, we also know how to counter, deny, reconstruct, and/or suppress God’s Laws, if instead, we want to reject His Laws and do something else that pleases us.
In the end, (since God is God and we are not), will each person still be held accountable to God’s Laws? What will happen to our own replacement versions?
The Joy of “doing right.”
For those who are God’s Children, there is a remarkable understanding and fulfillment deep in our heart regarding two amazing truths:
1. God is supremely Righteous, Holy, Just and Good!
2. God’s Children rejoice and are deeply fulfilled in seeking to be as He IS!
Righteousness is an Integral part of the Transformed Believer in Christ
One who has been transformed by the Spirit of the Living God is one who desires and is delighted to seek Righteousness as his or her Heavenly Father is Righteous…
God’s Children are saddened and seek to repent when they yield to the temptations of the world, flesh or devil.
Things the Lord Hates
Proverbs 6:16–19
16 There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
1. A Prideful Attitude
17 haughty eyes,
2. A Lier
a lying tongue,
3. A Murderer (Matt. 5:21-22)
hands that shed innocent blood,
4. One with a Devious Heart
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
5. One who Pursues Evil
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
6. A Lying False Witness
19 a false witness who pours out lies
7. A Fomenter of Dissention
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Consistent Attributes of a Person Transformed by God’s Spirit:
· Rejoices when truth is spoken.
· Happy when true justice prevails.
· Delighted when good things are done – disappointed or sickened when wrong prevails.
· Quick to repent and actively avoids that which he or she knows dishonors God.
· Loves others honesty.
· Embraces forgiveness.
· Holds on to Integrity.
· Keeps his or her word, even to their own hurt.
· Loves God deeply.
Psalm 15
A psalm of David
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.
How should a True Christian Live?
· If a person is truly born again what should their life example?
· If Jesus Christ is our Lord, how should we reveal His Lordship over us?
· If a person loves God, how should his or her life reflect that love?
John 14:15
15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
John 14:23
23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
1 John 2:3–6
3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
Galatians 5:13–15
13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Does God want us to be like Him, in how we live?
Matthew 5:48
48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” - Jesus
Leviticus 19:2
2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
1 Peter 1:13–16
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
God is Holy. Naturally, we are not.
How can a Holy God bring me, a sinner by nature into His Holy Presence to live with Him for eternity, and Him still be Holy? Only through the Redemptive Sacrifice for our sins, by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 3:3
3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
Those who have trusted Christ as their Redeemer and Savior, have been “born again” by His Holy Spirit and their spirit is new - transformed, but they still struggle in the reality of living in the world and its anti-God behavior, dealing with the desires of their own flesh and resisting the pressures and temptations of the devil.
A believer in Christ lives daily in the awkward tension battling within them of good and bad:
· Transformation by God’s Holy Spirit vs. latent depravity;
· The New Spiritual Nature vs. the old carnal nature;
· Living unto God and dying to the flesh.
The Reality of the Believer in Christ’s Struggles
Romans 7:18–20
18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 8:1–2
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Why does God allow a Child of God to struggle so hard with sin…the world, flesh and devil?
· To Rely on His Power and Draw us closer to Him,
· To Refine us as His Children,
· To Reveal the reality of our faith,
· To Reward us honestly for our faithfulness,
· and To Prepare us for service in His Eternal Kingdom.
Does it Pay to live a life that God Considers to be Righteous?
What Qualities of God’s Righteousness are seen in the Old Testament?
The Old Testament faithful looked forward to the righteousness of their Messiah, represented by the Temple sacrifices for their sin. When Christ came, He became our Sacrifice on the Cross. Jesus is our lasting Righteousness. The full mystery of His Redeeming Sacrifice was not revealed until His death and resurrection.
The qualities of God’s Righteousness though, were revealed throughout the Old Testament.
What are honorable qualities pleasing to God and the Best way to Live Successfully in this Life, Right Now? Let’s look at Proverbs 11.
Proverbs 11
God honors Honesty, He hates Dishonesty
1 The Lord abhors dishonest scales,
but accurate weights are his delight.
Humility brings wisdom, pride brings disgrace
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
Integrity gives wise guidance in life; a hypocritical life is destructive
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
In the End Righteousness brings Deliverance; wealth is worthless when one stands before God
4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
Principles of Righteousness gives Guidance in Making Good Decisions; wickedness brings one down
5 The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them,
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
Following Principles of Righteousness brings Deliverance when Life is Tough; Evil traps the unfaithful
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
At Death a Powerful Wicked Person has Nothing; (Righteousness brings Hope)
7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes;
all he expected from his power comes to nothing.
Righteousness Rescues from Trouble; Trouble finds the wicked
8 The righteous man is rescued from trouble,
and it comes on the wicked instead.
Deliverance Rises for the Righteous; godless words destroy
9 With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.
People Rejoice and Respect Right Decisions; Wicked ways are Scorned
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
Success Rises through Righteous Decisions, not Wicked words
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
Understanding gives the Best Judgment
12 A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor,
but a man of understanding holds his tongue.
Gossip’s are untrustworthy
13 A gossip betrays a confidence,
but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
Wise Counsel brings Victory
14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,
but many advisers make victory sure.
Don’t risk jeopardizing your own family if someone else is trying to use you to get out of their own “pinch”
15 He who puts up security for another will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.
Respect gained through Kindness is more valuable than Ruthless Gain
16 A kindhearted woman gains respect,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 A kind man benefits himself,
but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
A Sure Reward is gained through Righteousness
18 The wicked man earns deceptive wages,
but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
Eternal Righteousness is only attained through Christ (NT version)
19 The truly righteous man attains life,
but he who pursues evil goes to his death.
God Detests the Perverse but Delights in the Blameless
20 The Lord detests men of perverse heart
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
Wickedness will be Judged; Righteousness gives Freedom
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.
Beauty without Discretion is Disgusting
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
Righteous Desires End Well; Wickedness brings God’s Wrath
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
Generosity can bring Blessing; Greediness can bring poverty
24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
26 People curse the man who hoards grain,
but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.
Goodwill is given to those sharing Good Deeds; evil comes back on evil doers
27 He who seeks good finds goodwill,
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
Righteousness can be trusted, but Riches can’t
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Bringing Trouble on your Family gives you nothing, be wise instead
29 He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
Perpetual Good Fruit in others comes from a wise, righteousness life
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and he who wins souls is wise.
Rewards bless the Righteous; wickedness earns its own as well
31 If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
You can’t fake the reality of a truly Righteous life…the fruit of your life gives “the real you” away.
Matthew 7:15–19
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Is it worthwhile to live a life that is Righteous toward God, or should we just live like the world around us, our own flesh wants to, and the devil entices us to live?
Proverbs 11 itemized many qualities that God honors and that gives us the blessing of a successful life right now, but what will be the reward of an honorable and righteous life in eternity?
Future Spiritual blessings promised to those in the seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3, applying to those who obey the Lord to the end:
· To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God (Rev. 2:7)
· Eat of the hidden manna from heaven (Rev. 2:17)
· Be given a white stone with your new name that only you know (Rev. 2:17)
· Given God’s authority over all the nations (Rev. 2:26)
· Given the morning star ((Rev. 2:28)
· Clothed in white (Rev. 3:5)
· Name will not be erased from the Book of Life (Rev. 3:5)
· Jesus will announce before God and the angels that you are His (Rev. 3:5)
· He has opened the door for you that no one can shut (Rev. 3:8)
· He will force liars to bow at your feet (Rev. 3:9)
· You will be protected from the great time of testing (Rev. 3:10)
· You will be a pillar in the Temple of God (Rev. 3:12)
· God’s Name will be written on them (Rev. 3:12)
· You will be a Citizen of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12)
· You will sit with Christ on His Throne (Rev. 3:21)
Future Judgment and Reward
Revelation 21:6–8
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 22:1–5
The River of Life
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 22:10–15, 17
10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. 11 Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.”
12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
A righteous life before God will reward us now, and one day will bless us, because of the Salvation and Righteousness of Jesus Christ, for Eternity.
“Righteous are You, O LORD, and Your Laws are right.
The Statutes You have laid down are righteous;
they are fully trustworthy.”
Psalm 119:137-138