The righteous and the wicked!
Mal 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.
Mal 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.
Mal 3:17 "They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.
Mal 3:18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
Mal 3:18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
Many seem to think that doing what is right before God is being self-righteous! They claim man cannot possible do any right before God, and all he does that is right is as a filthy rag!
Is this true? Does mankind have any responsibility to actually obey God or perish? Many think not, they will explain away all the verses that tell us to obey from the heart, to walk a walk worthy of our calling, to depart from iniquity, to be Holy as He is Holy and many more verses that teach us what real righteousness is before God!
God had given His creation what He means by righteousness, and it’s not of our own, but of His standards of righteousness.
This comes from a fear, and reverence for His great power and ability to spare us from death, or not.
Either you are serving God through a purified heart, cleared and made pure through repentance and faith, 2 Cor 7-11, or you are not!
You cannot mix light with darkness, or serve two masters, and not obeying God and His given standards of righteousness, such as abstain from all appearances of evil, depart from iniquity, be Holy and separate unto me, love not the world, and many more, tell me we do have something to do, to be in His will!
A passive faith is a dead faith, as most Christians try to pass off as real faith!
Salvation is alive and ongoing; we must endure for it, work it out with fear and trembling, remain in the vine (Christ) and flee from all immorality and evil! It’s not something you just receive and put on the shelf because it’s a done deal, or I said the prayer, and nothing can take away my salvation, even outright disobedience and rebellion to God!
Eze 14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
To be self-righteous is bragging I did it, God owes me because I do good and obey, where true biblical righteousness states, God made a way through His son Jesus Christ, to offer His creation a choice to obey Him through their heart, do what is right as given in His word, and follow His standards of righteousness, which purifies the heart through an obedient faith, where real repentance is not being self-righteous like the Pharisees, but just doing what is right through a pure heart, because God commands it, and gives us all the tools necessary to serve Him with a pure heart, that has been crucified with Him once and for all!
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Tommy 4-29-12