Solomon said, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Pro. 14:34). This says, among other things, that “righteousness has value.” But value is comparative; what may be of value to me may not be to you. Our efforts to be righteous will thus depend upon our appraisal of it.

“Righteousness” is literally “doing right,” and originally it was “rightwiseness.” It embraces the right attitude of heart, right knowledge in the mind, and right conduct in the live. The supreme moral question then is: “How may one become righteous before God and man?” God has revealed a plan, in the gospel, how man may become righteous (Rom. 1:16). He reveals what a man does when he “works righteousness” (Psa. 119:172). Let us now look at the value of righteousness.

Righteousness was a valuable thing to the nation of Israel, for it had the power to strengthen and exalt them. So long as they were righteous, God blessed them and no power could overthrow them (Deut. 4:6). He assured them of his blessings (Deut. 11:26-28). Righteousness then is the basis for God blessing a nation. The value of righteousness is seen in that 10 that were righteous would have saved Sodom!

Seeing the value of righteousness as it pertains to nations moves us to also see its value in individuals. No matter what the multitude may do, in the church or out, we ought to be righteous. By faith Abraham became righteous, and so became the friend of God (Jas. 2:21-23). He did what God commanded. Such may not always be easy, but right action is often not easy. But Abraham considered God’s friendship of greater value than that of the world (cf. Jas. 4:4). How much value to you put on God’s friendship?

Righteousness gives us access to God; it brings us under his care and protection, for his ears and eyes are open to such people (1 Pet. 3:12; Pro. 15:9). If God’s care is of any value to you; if his hearing your prayers is worth anything, then righteousness will be valuable, for he hears the righteous. Fail to be righteous and you forfeit your communion and association with God.

Righteousness bears good fruit (Pro. 11:30). The righteous life is not only profitable to you, but to others as well. You can win souls if Jesus has won you. The work of righteousness is peace (Isa. 32:17); a true peace from above (Jas. 3:18; Isa. 26:3). It is that spiritual contentment that comes from harmony between the inner and outer man. People spend millions on tranquilizers, seeking peace, when the thing they need to do is be righteous!

Righteousness enables one to live with God and man with all good conscience. Note the man who would abide with God (Psa. 15). Our relationship with God is conditioned on doing what is right (Ezek. 18:24); we need to “hunger and thirst” after it (Matt. 5:6). The world may tell you there is no standard of doing right, but you will never waver if you know you are right with God (2 Kgs. 18:3).

The righteous will be crowned (2 Tim. 4:8; Jas. 1:12; 1 Pet. 5:4). Heaven will be their eternal home (2 Pet. 3:13). The path of their feet leads to life (Pro. 12:28), for there is no in this path (Pro. 4:18).

The Bible has much to say about righteousness. How much value do you place on it? Even the hypocrite admires righteousness – that is precisely why he tries to imitate it! – Bill Moseley

 

 

 

The world in which we live today has seen the greatest man who ever lived, Jesus Christ, relegated by many to nothing more than an historical character that sinned just like other men, and branded as an imposter who could not have been the Son of God. Witness some of the ungodly and totally inaccurate ways that the movie industry has depicted him.

In the latter part of Ephesians chapter one, Paul gives us a vastly different view of the great man of Galilee. First, he presents Christ to us as a resurrected Christ; one who overcame (v. 20). He sees him as a Christ of glory as he is at the right hand of God in heavenly places (v. 20). The apostle sets forth his (v. 21), far above all principality and power. He shows him having total headship over all things (v. 22).

John viewed the Christ he had not seen in over 60 years in a glorious appearing on Patmos (Rev. 1). He saw him as the Alpha and Omega, walking among the seven candlesticks, girded about with kingly gold. His eyes were as a flame of fire, piercing through everything with his omniscient gaze. He saw him in absolute purity, symbolized by the hair as white as snow. He saw a Christ who spoke with a voice like “the sound of many waters,” and holding in his hand seven stars, and with a countenance as the sun.

Oh yes – one more thing. People who feel that Christ is unimportant; a non-factor in their lives, will also one day realize that he will be one more thing to them – he will be their judge! Who will be ready to meet him? – Bill Moseley

 

 

 

Our front page article is based on Solomon’s wisdom. Shall we look at some more of his words? He said, “… when pride cometh, then cometh shame, but with the lowly is wisdom” (Pro. 11:2). Can there ever be pride without shame? Not finally, for shame is the inevitable outcome of pride; they go hand in hand.

What will you be proud of? Money? But understand, it won’t buy you one minute’s sleep. What about land? In time, you will only need a plot 6 feet long. And birth? So what – many a man has renounced a godly ancestry and turned to wickedness. Learning? You may make Einstein look like the proverbial village idiot, but if you have not learned about God, you have wasted your intellect relative to eternal things.

But Solomon also says that wisdom resides with the lowly. Why? Because the lowly man; the man of meekness, knows he needs to be led. He knows that whatever he may have in this life, he has by the good grace of God. Jesus said, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). The one who is “poor in spirit” is aware of his helplessness, and so depends upon God for all he is and has.

The lesson is age old – the high and mighty, God will one day humble. The meek and lowly man will finally be exalted, for his is the wisdom that far excels that of the proudest man who walks the earth. Mark it down – God will one day reverse such things. Just as the rich man who pleaded with Lazarus (Lk. 16)! – Bill Moseley

 

 

 

Ever have a day that is going great, and then have it ruined by the mailman? Got up one morning, had a little breakfast, got started on my work and then the mail came – and I got five (5) pieces of mail. One was a paper addressed to, of all people me, called Senior Spectrum Weekly. Never saw that one before. One piece of mail began, “Dear Senior Citizen,” and was an offer for a 10% discount from Sears for Seniors. A third piece of mail offered health insurance (I presume that was for old folks, too), and finally there was an ad for hearing aids.

After that, I hobbled back into the house and started looking for my cane that I must surely need, and wondered if the brethren might think it was time for me to retire. I also wondered why I felt tired all of a sudden.

The fifth piece of mail? Oh yeah, it was an ad from a local department store telling me about their “Three S’s” – Super Savings Sale. Didn’t dare go to that sale; might use up what little retirement nest egg I had saved up that all of a sudden seemed needed at once.

Let me tell you folks – there may be lots of ways to ruin one’s day. But once you have had more birthdays than the average Joe, the mail will be one way to do it. By the way, let me encourage all of you who are younger – you just keep working and paying into that Social Security account. Has to be somebody out there to support me since I have gone ‘round the bend! – Bill Moseley