Walking in Righteousness




Walking in righteousness is walking in the way of the cross. The cross of Jesus Christ aligns our hearts in right standing with God vertically, and with man upon earth horizontally. 2 Cor 5:21. Righteousness does not cover sin, but rather exposes all within the heart to God for cleansing. True righteousness shines through the life of the Christian. There are none without sin among us on earth. There was only one sinless person that walked upon this planet. Jesus Christ came to show us the Way, Truth and Life. He was, is, and forever will be pure righteousness. Humans are born in sin and we all sin each day. Thanks be to God, just as the ocean cleans the beach each night as the tide comes in, when we come before the Lord in prayer we are cleansed. We can wake up each morning to a clean beach in our lives. This generation, living in the end times, fail to understand sin, and how it pulls one into the current of the world. That current is stronger than any water current on earth. The time is short, and the Devil is after every soul he can gain for hell. There are temptations upon earth now that would put Sodom and Gomorrah to shame. The younger generation has grown up in a time of good being called evil and evil being called good. Ida 5:20. Abortions, disrespect for parents, authorities, and dignitaries has become the disgrace of our nation. Sin has grown into a large tree which covers America. There was a time when our nation was covered by the hand of God. This nation was a nation under God, and the 10 commandments were the guide lines for our judicial system, but no longer is it that way. We as a nation have broken the sixth Commandment of “Thou shalt not kill” with abortion being legalized. The Bible is kind of like a road map given to show us how to walk through life in righteousness. It is alive with the Spirit of the Living God not merely words written, but rather it is the Word of God to be written on our hearts. Ps 119:11. Everyone on earth is tested and tempted. God has provided through His Word to give us instructions on what we are to do with temptation. The Bible is not a book of rules, but a standard of conduct that He expects us humans to live by. God says that sin is transgressing His laws. I Jo 3:4; Ro 7:12-14..One definition of sin is, “ an act of transgression against divine law”, Merriam -Webster, “Transgression of the law of God “. Sin is when a person has gone outside the boundaries of moral lines that God has set for us in the Bible. Sin is lawlessness. When people are walking in sin they walk in lawlessness. I Jo 3:4. We are not right with God nor man while we are walking in sin. Most of the sins listed in the Bible will fit within the 10 Commandments, Ex 20:3-17. The first Commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. “ It covers loving anything more than God. That can be your car, the internet, your family, pets, pursuits, work, actually whatever you put before God in your thoughts, attachments, and time. The second Commandment, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” tells us that there are consequences and benefits involved in our families for generations depending on our faithfulness or lack thereof to God. The third Commandment connects our mouths with our love for God. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.” ” For out of our mouths come what is truly in our hearts. This commandment clearly tells us not to use God’s name in cursing, swearing, mocking or in any irreverent way. The fourth Commandment requires our time and efforts, “ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Years ago in America everything was closed on Sundays and people went to church to worship God. Parents trained their children to follow God’s commandments. The sabbath day is needed for rest and to keep ourselves focused on God’s ways. It is not old fashioned to follow God, it is wisdom. The fifth Commandment lays a foundation of respect in the home, and gives children a promise from God. “Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Honor means for children to follow the laws their parents have taught them, taking care of aged or sick parents, not dishonoring parents, striking or fighting with parents, making fun of them or speaking evil or badly of them. Even if your parents haven’t been good or even if they have been evil there is a way to walk through your situation without breaking this commandment. The sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” speaks of our heart condition. We must not have murder in our hearts, even when anger is charged and ready to be released. We are called on earth to bring blessings to others. The seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Both adultery and fornication are in the translation of this commandment. In today’s world some do not even know what adultery and fornication are. Adultery is when two people are married and one is having sex with someone other than their mate. Fornication is when two people are having sex with each other outside of marriage. They are living together in sin. The eighth Commandment, “Thou shalt not steal” covers all areas of being dishonest. It teaches us not to be lazy and work for our food. This command forbids us to take what belongs to others. The ninth Commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” covers those we live near. We are not to speak evil of their person or character. We have authorities to call if there is breaking of the law. The tenth Commandment speaks about our hearts. “ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.” The law of God forbids us to desire to take or have what belongs to others. Jesus said all the commandments are summed up into two. Mark 12:30,31 “ And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” All of the Ten Commandments prohibit the highest form of any sin, such as murder, adultery, and theft, they forbid every thought and word that would lead to it. They are binding in all countries of earth and in all ages. The Ten Commandments cover sins that lead people on earth away from God and sets before us the path to physical and spiritual health. Even though we know the way at times we can be enticed to sin. Temptations come into our thinking process in various ways. They may come through a picture, something someone says to us, or through something we hear or read. That temptation remains just temptations unless we think upon what has tempted us. When those thoughts are held and reviewed they become sin in our heart. Some can hide sin in their heart for a length of time, but sooner or later that sin will come out in an action. Then it becomes obvious to those around. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” Jas 1:15. A young married woman in one of our churches held unto a picture of a man she was previously in love with. The temptation grew into sin as she thought about him. A time came when she received a call from that man and she was ready to act on her sin. She left her husband for that man. The devil uses many ways to temp us. He tempted Jesus with the Scriptures. Mt 4:1-19. He tempted David with a beautiful woman. Simon was tempted power, he tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit so he could acquire it. Ac 8:18-20. The key to walking in righteousness is to kick that thought, picture or whatever brought the temptation right out of your heart. Demand it to leave your thinking processes and refuse to ponder it. Remove yourself from any situation where you might find yourself being tempted. Christians are told in the Bible to flee sin. I Ti 6:9-11. We should flee situations where we are tempted. An example: a recovering alcoholic should flee places where alcohol is available. Apply the Scriptures to your mind. Impress them in your spirit every time that temptation comes. Secure in your mind that you will love the Lord your God more than anything or anyone on earth. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength.” It will take spiritual strength as you struggle in your mind, especially if that temptation has lodged in your soul. But know this for a fact, you can rid your spirit of that sin through the power of God being released within through the Scriptures you stand on. Jesus quoted Scriptures when He was tempted by the Devil. Mt 4. You have to want to be free of the sin. This world is full of temptations. The Bible tells us we can be assured that we will not be tempted beyond our strength, that there is a way of escape provided, and that we can endure temptation and be free of it. I Co 10:13. As we grow in knowing Jesus we will mature in righteousness. Our righteousness is simply Jesus in us overcoming our sinful human nature. Our relationship with Him who is is the Way, Truth and Life will affect all our relationships. The Lord desires that we walk in righteousness so that others will see His light in us so they might know Him also.