“For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Ps.1:6)

When you dive in to that verse reading other translations, the word ‘knows’ conveys a meaning of ‘guarding’ or ‘protecting’...the ‘righteous’. Would you now take a moment and go read 2 Thess. 3:3 and 1 John 5:18 please?

You might also notice how the line is drawn there which separates folks into two distinct groups: the ‘righteous’ and the ‘ungodly’. And what is the outcome of those whom God refers to as ‘ungodly’? That word ‘perish’ should sound familiar to you...if you read yesterday’s message. It’s a chilling word when you realize its meaning is ‘to destroy fully’. And friends...it’s not God who is doing the destroying (John 10:10). Would you let that sink in for a moment.

One other thing I should make mention of here when it comes to identifying who the ‘righteous’ are: Just because a person says they ‘believe in Jesus’...does not make them ‘righteous’. (1 John 2:29; 3:7-8; Matt. 7:21). There is a path of righteousness that the Good Shepherd leads His sheep in...and His sheep...hear His voice...He knows them and they follow Him. (Ps. 23:3; John 10:27)

The very fact we are told that “He leads...” gives us reason to believe that we have a free choice...to follow. And there are no other options to getting out of this place fully ‘alive’. Jesus never shied away from making that claim (John 14:6; 10:10). Nor did He sugar coat the reality of the consequences if we chose not...to follow Him. Over and over and over throughout scripture...we are told that unless we repent...we shall all likewise...perish. (Luke 13:3,5). And that was not a ‘threat’.

Friends...God’s message has never changed, from Day 1. We were created in His image and likeness and for His good pleasure. He wanted to fellowship with us, to walk with us, to love us... and for us to want to love Him in return. And it’s not because God is ‘needy’ or lonely. On the contrary...God is Love and God is good (1 John 4:8,16; Ps. 107:1) and God wanted to see His love multiplied in us and through us (Gen. 1:26-28) and then shared with others (John 13:34-35). I mean...is that not what the whole sum of the law is...to Love Him with all our hearts and then to love others as He first loved us? (Matt. 22:37-40)

As we all know...any relationship worth having...comes with ‘boundaries’; and I don’t think I really need to elaborate on that. (Marriage vows, anyone?)  In the beginning, God gave His first creation just one stipulation: “Don’t eat off this one tree...or it will really disrupt things between us...because you will ‘die’”(Gen. 2:17) So when I say that God’s message has never really changed, it’s true, because that message has not changed...ever. (Rom. 8:13;6:23; John 5:14; Rev. 2:4-5)

All God has ever asked of us...was for our heart, as in ‘all’ of it. Yet, as Jesus reminded us from Isaiah’s writings...we easily became a people who can ‘honor God with our mouths/lips, but our hearts remain far from Him’ (Matt. 15:7-9). Maybe that’s why Paul admonished us to examine our hearts to see if we were really ‘in the faith’ and if Jesus was really ‘in us’ (2 Cor. 13:5)

How can we tell if we have ‘passed that test’? Well, John 14:15 would be a good place to start as Jesus spells it out simply for us: “IF you love me...do what I say”. And what is He ‘saying to us’? To love Him...and to love others as He first loved us...for by this will all men know we are His followers’ (John 13:34-35). That’s the ‘law’, the condition He gave us. The law is fulfilled in that one command (Rom. 13:8-10; Gal.5:14; James 2:8; 1 John 3:14).

Why do you suppose Jesus pointed to the ‘law’ when they came asking how they might obtain eternal life? (Luke 10: 25-28; Matt. 19:16-17). Now...maybe Romans 2:13 will make more sense to you where Paul reminds us “for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”

Where we get tripped up in our determination to “serve God” is in trying to do it ‘our way’, in our own power and strength, which is never good enough (Rom. 10:1-3). That’s why we have to ‘come to Him that we might have this true life’ (John 5:40). But we have to ‘come to Him’...on His terms, willingly. He’s not interested in coercing us nor forcing us or even ‘threatening’ us. But there is a serious warning to all ...as to what happens if we choose to continue ‘going our way (Matt. 22:5; John 6:66). And that warning is: We will perish.(Luke 13:3,5)

I have a hunch God knows just a little bit more than all of us, combined. Maybe it would be a good ideal to give Him another listen to see what it is He’s trying to say to us...even in this very hour.

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