Paths of Righteousness

Paths of Righteousness, the application of Wisdom

Prov 2:10-20-22

Faith Baptist Church/26 Nov 06/am-First Baptist Church of Westminster/25 Oct 09/am – FBCW/15 Feb 2015/pm

FBCW/10 April 2022/pm

INTRO: We have all walked many paths in our lives, some were good paths, some took us to places we did not want to go. Each person also takes many spiritual paths as well, and if we stayed on the paths God has chosen for us, our destination was and will always be good and right. The first nine verses of this proverb, lay out the necessary principle of wisdom for a righteous walk of life. VS1,2 “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding …..” In other words, Apply or walk the walk not just talk the talk. The Bible teaches us that the paths, we are to stay on, God’s paths, are all paths of righteousness. Simply stated, they are paths of “always doing right” Always, is tough, but it is our obligation, it is our responsibility to attain to the highest standard set forth in the Word of God, God’s standard. The standard and goal for every Christian then, is to:

I. Follow afterRighteousness. Prov 2:20; 1Tim 6:11 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”

A. Why would believers want to follow after righteousness? To be like Christ! To do as God commands. To please Him!

1. Because we have no righteousness in ourselves, we can’t follow our own or anyone else’s, but in and through Christ’s who is sinless, perfect, and the one where “there is no unrighteousness” Psa 92:15 “To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Only in Him we have our righteousness.

a. Rom 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteousness no not one.” We need Jesus and his righteousness to be righteous in God’s eyes.

B. In Psalm 23:2-3 We often pray, “he leadeth me beside the still waters” and “he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.” which assumes there is or will be righteous by those involved as they follow the Good Shepherd.

1. He is our Good Shepherd (Jn 10:14) and sheep naturally follow the shepherd. The one:

2. Who takes care of the flock. Jesus our good shepherd is our example (Jn 13:15) we are to do as he does, just as he followed God the Father. Jn 14:10

C. He leadeth/leads me/us in the paths of righteousness. Psa 23:3b

1. For his name's sake. He is God and the glory of God. All for God’s glory.

a. The righteous Lord loves the righteous: Psa 11:7

2. God loves those who follow after righteousness. Prov 15:9b “but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.”

a. Therefore He answers the fervent prayers of a righteous man. Jam 5:16

D. John the Baptist came in the way of righteousness (in Christ, not his own), yet, many rejected His message (they came in their own-religion).

1. Mat 21:32 “For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.”

2. His message was of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus. Acts 20:21

a. Some believed, and some rejected. Just like many today!

b. Many will reject Christ and miss eternal life, yet few will find it. Mat 7:13-14

c. The path we follow /walk on, will lead us to one of two places, eternal destruction or eternal life.

d. The paths we travel spiritually lead us to our final destination. What path are you on? The broad path that many travel or the narrow, which few will find. Praise God if you have found it, and if you haven’t “behold now is the day of salvation.” 2Cor 6:2 It’s not too late yet.

E. The defense of a Believer is in Righteousness, the Breastplate of Righteousness. Eph 6:14

1. Which is the righteousness we have in Christ. Not of ourselves, it’s given to us by God through our faith in Christ. As we become new creatures in Christ Jesus.

2. It/He is our defensive garment, like a robe covering the primary torso of the body, Christ defends us against the wiles of the devil and the evil influences of the world. In His righteousness and our faith/trust.

a. Like any garment, it must be put on each time, yes, we have Christ, but we are to put on the whole armor of God, this includes, His righteousness to stand against the wiles of the devil. Our enemy isn’t the flesh, but spiritual wickedness.

F. Righteousness is for everybody, even for the more seasoned saints, the hoary headed ones, every gray hair you earn in following after in his righteousness is like wearing a crown of glory of God. Prov 16:31 “The hoary head is a crown of glory, ifit be found in the way of righteousness.”

1. As we sometimes wear our gray hair with pride, we ought to wear righteousness not as a crown of pride, but as a crown of the Glory of God in our lives. As we do good because of the one who abides in us.

a. Notice that the crown of glory is “IF” it be found in the way of righteousness, “Always Do Right”

II. Always Walk the Walkways/Paths of Righteousness. Prov 12:28 “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.”

A. Once a person is “in Christ” they can walk in righteous ways. When they apply wisdom of the Word. But they/we are to: Walk in the Old Paths/ways. Jer 6:16

1. Walk in “All” His ways. Not just some, but all!

a. We are to “Do all things as to the Lord”, not some thing’s, but everything, as though the Lord is standing right next to you. “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” Col 3:23 Do it for the Lord not men.

2. There are five times in the OT the nation of Israel was instructed to walk in allof God’s ways, not just some, and He was referring to keeping His commandments. That principle is in the N.T. as well.

a. It is a proof of love to God. Jesus said: “If you love me keep my commandments.” Therein lies righteousness and the ways of it. Jn 14:15 God required and expected Israel to do right because they loved Him. (that is the heart of the problem)

b. It’s a proof of a person’s walking the paths of righteousness. Doing good and right, because we will be judged by it.

c. 2Cor 5:10 “ the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

d. It’s a proof of a person’s salvation. Being born again not of the flesh but of the spirit, as new a new creation, w/a new nature. Jn 3:6, 2Cor 5:17

3. Walk in all His ways, not just some. Follow the example of Jesus, and your new nature by the H.S. of God. Joshua 22:5: Said it best: “But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

a. It is a walk of faith, believing and trusting Jesus is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. Those who believe He is & Diligently seek Him will be rewarded. Heb 11:6

B. God hates those who walk in the ways of wickedness. The ways of unrighteousness and darkness Prov 2:22; Prov 15:9 “The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.” They cannot and will not be allowed in the presence of God. Psa 5:4,5

1. God loves the righteousness but hates the wicked.

2. Even believers sometimes walk wickedly. God hates it, though He still loves them/you.

3. There will be times of chastening, the Lord chastens His own, but it’s only for a little while/season. Heb 12:7

a. Don’t let it be an excuse to leave the path of God, but to strive to do better.

C. As Christians, we are to grow in Christ, and when that happens, they will increase in the fruit of righteousness. 2Cor 9:10 “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.”

1. As a believer ministers to the poor ( in spirit and wealth), especially in his own church, the fruits of his righteousness increases. God promises blessings to them, in spiritual and sometimes in material ways. Eph 1:3

D. Heb 12:11b Even in our chastening, when we have slipped, if we Exercise or walk in the ways of the Lord our chastening will bear the fruit of righteousness.

1. When we speak of Walking, it implies exercise of the body, and mind, so, we as Christians are to exercise ourselves spiritually as to bear the fruit of the righteous life we now have in Christ.

a. People will see the fruit of the Spirit of our walk. Gal 5:22,23

b. People will see the love for our God and our abhorrence of sin. 1Jn 3:9,10

c. People will see our righteous acts, of our righteous Lord Himself. Not as of a hypocrite but of a Christian.

2. To exercise your righteousness, is for you to walk after the ways of righteousness, the truth of the Word of God, and in the love of God.

III. Live the Wordof Righteousness. Walking is good exercise, but living is a dailypractical experience, of an abiding in righteousness. Heb 5:13 “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.”

A. No one can live righteously if they don’t know or live according to the Word. Prov 2:13

1. But first, you have to believe it and trust it or you will fall from it.

2. That is a problem with why many of our children and young adults are out of our churches today. The don’t believe the Word. Unfortunately, it is because they were not taught the Word, they had a steady diet of the World and not of the Word of God.

B. Let us determine to become mature Christians, becoming skilful in the Word, because we ought no longer to be nursing babes, but, meat eating righteous living adults of the Word of God. 1Pet 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” We must hunger and feed on it before we can grow by it!

1. Or we can become carnal in our living and not righteous. 1Cor 3:1

“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”

C. Live the Word Isa 51:1 “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.”

1. If you want to be righteous in your living, then: Hearken! Listen to the Lord. Read and mediate on it daily. “Day and night!”

2. The righteous will seek the Lord. And the Lord will reveal himself to them. Phil 3:14-15

a. As we live righteously “pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God”, He shall reveal His word to us.

3. Seek righteousness, not in ourselves, but unto the Rock, and His righteousness.

a. Where we came from before we were born again. Jn 3:3,7

b. Paul reminds the Roman Christians where they came from. From unrighteousness but have now attained righteousness in the righteousness of faith in the Lord. Rom 9:30

4. Remember from where you once came, the pit of despair and where you were bound, condemnation. The place called Hell and later the Lake of fire. In the righteousness of Jesus you can/have escaped the judgment of God.

D. Live a life of faith wrought or bringing about righteousness which will obtain a good report of that faith. Heb 11:33

1. It is a good witness and testimony for Christ.

2. It is a good report to God himself.

3. It’s a good report to ourselves.

IV. Apply in and Work the Works of Righteousness. Prov 2:21 Isa 32:17 “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” Living is not necessarily working, we must labor in our living to do righteous works.

A. Acts 10:35 “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” If you want to be accepted with God and please Him, do the works of righteousness.

1. First, by coming to Christ as Lord and Savior.

2. Then, by working the works of righteousness.

B. Titus 3:5 “Not by the works of righteousness.” No one comes by good works, but they do good works because of the righteousness of Christ.

1. Those who walk uprightly and perfect/undefiled righteousness.

C. Those who work in righteousness and walk uprightly by heart, will dwell in the tabernacle, and enter into the millennium and have eternal life! Psa 15:1-2

1. They will never be moved. Psa 15:5 “He that doeth these things shall never be moved” They will remain faithful to the Lord and therefore will dwell in the Holy hill. The New Jerusalem, for the Nation of Israel, but for us we will see and visit it.

2. Jam 2:18 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works”

shew me thy faith w/o thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works”

a. John Calvin said it best: “Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is not alone.” Work out your own salvation. Phil 2:12, Do good/righteous, because we are saved.

b. Who will stand before God? Those with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The righteous in Christ will never be moved from the promise of eternal life with Him.

D. Good works of righteousness has it’s rewards. Prov 11:8 “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.”

1. It has heavenly rewards; every person will be judged whether good or bad and receive rewards accordingly. 2Cor 5:10

a. We earn our rewards today and store them up in heaven for eternity.

b. 1Tim 6:19 “Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

CLOSING: What path are you on? The path of righteous living or just living! The choice is yours, both have rewards, but only one has eternal rewards.