50.y. Wilderness – 15.d. “As you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God”

 

Deu 11:31-32  For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you. And when you possess it and live in it, you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the rules that I am setting before you today.

 Psalms 119:6  Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

 Matthew 7:21-27    “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

 Matthew 28:20     teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

 Luke 1:6    And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2   Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

A blessing, if we obey the call to repentance, to faith in Christ, and newness of heart and life through him; an awful curse, if we neglect so great salvation. Let us thankfully welcome these glad tidings of great joy; and let us not harden our hearts, but hear this voice of God while it is called to-day, and while he invites us to come to him upon a mercy-seat. Let us be diligent to make our calling and election sure. (Henry)

And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments,…. Take notice of them, and heed unto them, so as to practise them which I set before you this day. (Gill)

In Jesus we have blessings and curses. 

John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

We intentionally choose to believe, trust, and rely in Jesus Christ’s atonement. Likewise we intentionally choose to live in a way that honors and glorifies Him. The problem is that much of the time we choose the blessings and forget the cost Jesus paid for our salvation and redemption. We live like we are free to live as we would as long as we claim the Blood of Christ. 

Choose today to live to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in every thought, word, and action. The price paid by Jesus and the blessing of eternal life deserves no less than all of our hearts and minds dedicated to honoring, glorifying, praising, and worshiping Him.

Walking Blameless

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,”

“there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.”

“And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

“ They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common,”

Malachi 2:7   True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.   But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts,  and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Hosea 4:6    My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Jeremiah 23:22    But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds.

Acts 26:18    to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

James 5:19  My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,  let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Psalms 37:30    The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

2 Timothy 2:15  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.  But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,

Titus 1:7-9   He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

What does it mean to walk blameless before God?  How do you know if you are? How do you know if you are a worker who has no need to be ashamed?  How do you know if you speak wisdom?  What is a persons life like if they have wondered from the truth?  What does it mean to stand in the council of God?  What is proper instruction?   These questions come to mind when reading these scriptures today.  The answers to these are as many as the stars in the sky.  However the foundation for answering them is found first in believing in God, having reverence for Him, knowing you are a sinner and in need of redemption, looking to and trusting in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, repenting and truing away from sin, and choosing to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God.  Staying in His word will continue to refine the answers asked above.