The Actions of the Righteous

It’s thought that an Irish Australian politician called Sir Bryan O’Loghlen was the first to use the phrase “a verbal agreement is not worth the paper it’s written on”.

The same is true of a profession of faith and the things we say about our faith and about what we believe.

I’m sure many have heard of the excuse, “I don’t believe in God because there are so many Christians who are hypocrites” - whether you’ve heard it first hand or heard it mentioned by someone else.

It’s not the valid excuse that some people may think it is, because God isn’t asking them to believe in Christians, but to believe in Christ. He’s not asking them to leave their sin for a life of mediocre faith, but to leave the condemnation for sin for the assurance of forgiveness.

But be that as it may, some Christians give the faith a bad name, and the reason is that their faith is little more than a decision made decades ago.

For our lives to take on any kind of sense of worth or effectiveness for Christ, our words must be followed up with actions.

In fact, James goes further and says that a profession without the accompanying visible evidence is a form of self-deception.

Jas 1:22 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

When it comes to the qualities of righteousness, the book of proverbs makes it clear that the righteous are not just people who choose the right words, but who do the right actions.

Pr 10:16 “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.”

Pr 15:19 “The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.”

The Purpose in their Actions

The word “labour” in Pr 10.16 includes the idea of wages or rewards for labour. It’s speaking of the fruit of purposeful activity, and not just the activity itself.

It’s easy to be busy, to be doing a lot, to have ministries catering to every sector of society.

Some of the big megachurches can have dozens of ministries for rich, poor, black hispanics, men, women, kids, teens, students, single mothers, married couples, seniors, businessmen, new parents, homeless. ability in sports - TV, radio, podcasts, missions teams, books, Sunday School curriculae, Vacation Bible School programs, etc, etc, etc.

I’m not saying that every megachurch that has so many ministries are just being busy. I will say that there is a greater danger that the meaning and purpose of so many ministries can missed by some of them.

The same can happen in a smaller church with fewer minstries. It’s good to cater ministries for various groups of people, so long as the purpose isn’t lost.

What is the purpose of the church?

1Co 12:27 “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

First, it is to represent the Lord Jesus Christ in this world.

Jn 14.12 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

Our job as the body of Christ is to do the works Christ would do if He were physically present.

But one person is not the whole body. Each of us are “members in particular” - in other words, there’s a particular role in the body of Christ that each of us are specially designed to fulfil.

I know I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating - what is the particular role in the body that God wants you to fulfil? Do you know? Do you know what your particular God-given talent is?

If we are to be righteous, our labour needs to be purposeful, and so we need to know how God wishes to use us within the body of Christ.

You know that COVID especially attacks the lungs, and when it does the lungs stop working, but the rest of the body can’t just carry on as if nothing is wrong. Each part of the body feels the effects of the lungs not working.

And so it is in the body of Christ. When one part isn’t working as intended, the whole body feels the effects, and the body of Christ, the church, doesn’t function as well as it ought. And as a result, we don’t reflect Christ as clearly as we ought.

This labour “tendeth to life” because through us people should be able to see the life of Christ lived through us.

Second, our purpose is to evangelise the lost.

Jn 17:18 “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.”

We are sent on behalf of the Lord Jesus to reach the world with the message that God loves them and wants them to know and love Him in return.

Paul to the Thessalonians, in 1Th 1.3, speaks of their “labour of love”. Then in v7-8 we read:

1 Th 1:7–8

[7] So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

[8] For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad...

Our labour is to be outward, beginning in our Jerusalem, then to Judea, then to Samaria, and then to the uttermost parts of the world - whether in person, in prayer, in pounds and pennies, or in practical help.

That is a labour that “tendeth to life” - we’re seeking to point sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ so they can have eternal life.

Third, our purpose in labour is to promote fellowship and unity.

Jn 17:22-23

[22] And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

[23] I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

It’s not to be unity at any cost.

The unity of the Godhead is in righteousness, in order, and in truth.

Our unity must also be in righteousness, in order, and in truth.

Fourth, but most importantly, our purpose in labour must be the glory of God.

Jn 17:10 “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.”

Everything we do must be done to glorify God.

1Co 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

It’s good for us to catch ourselves on at times and think, “Is what I am doing right now bringing glory to God? Is God taking delight in what I’m doing now?”

So let me recap - the purpose of our actions are to be fourfold:

To reflect, through our actions, the character of Christ

To reach the lost with the gospel of Christ

To promote unity within the body of Christ

To bring glory to the person of Christ

The Priority in their Actions

Pr 15:19 “The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.”

Way = 2 different words

1st way = path, journey, way, from a word meaning to walk or tread

2nd way = path, way, byway, highway

Difference is that the second is an established route, a clearly defined path, whereas the first can take us anywhere.

In Pilgrim’s Progress, many of the troubles Christian faces come about because he leaves the path he was told to take. That’s when he ended up in the Slough of Despond, or got caught in By-Path Meadows and ended up in the dungeons of the Giant Despair.

This is a truth taught throughout Scripture:

Pr 16:25 “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

The word for way in Proverbs 16.25 is the same as “the way of the slothful” in Pr 15.19.

What is the way of the slothful like?

They take no initiative

Pr 19:24 “A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.”

They don’t do tasks on time

Pr 20:4 “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.”

They refuse to work

Pr 21:25 “The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.”

They make up excuses

Pr 22:13 “The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.”

They want nothing, so they get nothing (eg change)

Pr 13:4 “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.”

The characteristics of the slothful can be found in God’s people, and it may not mean death to them, but what about to those we are trying to reach?

If we are going to be righteous, we need to make sure our priority is to do only what God would have us to do.

Two ways we can do that:

Biblical Principles

Biblical Pointers

Principles

General truths that can be applied to any circumstances.

Truths like:

Ps 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes ...”

Pointers

Paul wanting to go into Asia but forbidden by the Holy Spirit

Ac 16:10 “And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”

When it boils down to it, the way we should go is a fixed direction, a set path, and it is found in following Christ. After all, He’s the One who said, “I am the way”.