“Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:7–8, ESV)
The Bible is full of terms that may be difficult to understand. One of those terms is used in our scripture today. It is the word, “righteousness”. Most people today do not understand what the words righteous or righteousness mean. They are not commonly used in literature or social media. During the 1960’s, the word “righteous” meant something unique or interesting. That is not its Biblical meaning. Some Christians believe that the word righteous means to “be right”. That’s close, but not quite correct. Even wrong people feel they are right. Even sinful people think their way is right. Proverbs 21:2 mentions this by stating, “every way of a man is right in his own eyes”. So then, if the scripture for today claims we must practice righteousness, just how do we do that?
The New Testament uses the word “righteousness” no less than 228 times. In the book of Romans, it is used by Paul in various forms over 40 times. Obviously, the term was meant to be understood by any Christian reader of the New Testament. So, what does the word really mean? To understand that, let’s look at the original Greek word for righteousness in the New Testament. This word, righteous, in Greek means to “move in a straight line”. Morally, it means to live in a right way, traveling through life on the straight and narrow road doing good and living justly. The Word in Life Study Bible tells us that the scriptural meaning of “righteous” means “living or acting in the right way” (pp. 538-539). What is the right way? It is God’s way. In order to practice righteousness, first you have to understand what God wants so that you can follow His way.
The spiritual meaning of righteousness is further explained in the scripture for today. After John explains that practicing righteousness is the main goal of the faithful children of God in 1 John 3:7, he mentions in the very next sentence that the opposite of practicing righteousness is “practicing sinning” (1 John 3:8). He calls this practice of sinning “of the devil”. It is what Satan wants. John ends the discussion by noting that the Son of God, i.e. Jesus, “appeared to destroy the works of the devil”. Jesus was adamant about proclaiming the practice of righteousness of God as opposed to the practice of sinning.
If you want to be righteous in Biblical terms, you need to do things God’s way. You need to follow God’s precepts and purpose for your life. Sinning will put you on a path you do not want to be. Sinning negates your ability to practice righteousness. It not only weakens or destroys your relationship with God, it brings you closer to Satan. Jesus was sent to show you how to practice righteousness. Satan endeavors you enjoy the practice of sin.
There are so many ways to get off that straight and narrow path of righteousness that keeps you close to God.
A woman, small in stature but strong of heart, named Geraldine Largay wanted to trek the Appalachian trail in 2013. Because of her anxiety issues, she wanted to do it alone. Friends told her not to attempt the journey as it was hazardous for a 66 year-old, let alone someone younger. She persevered. Being a nurse, she believed in her ability to handle any medical issues that might crop up. The Appalachian trail is over 2100 miles long. It follows the mountains in the Eastern part of the United States. It is quite an achievement to hike the entire trail and even impressive to tackle any portion of it. Geraldine desired greatly to accomplish this feat. She set out undeterred.
Somewhere in Maine, Geraldine lost the trail. She wandered into an area so wild that it is utilized for military training. She lasted a month on her own until all her supplies ran out. They found her body two years later. It is a terrible tragedy. It saddens me to realize that Geraldine’s husband and daughter didn’t even have a body to bury or know what happened to her for two years. However, Geraldine’s death serves as a warning to those who lose their way on the Appalachian Trail. It is a dangerous trek. It is even more dangerous to go at it alone.
There are many people who spiritually lose their way in life. The results are also tragic. They wander off the straight and narrow path of righteousness and soon find themselves mired in Satan’s briars. Without knowing how or desiring to return to the path God has set before them, they end up alone on a path that leads to spiritual death. God never wishes for you to go at it alone. The Heavenly Father sent Jesus to bring you back, save you, deliver you. It is God’s hope that in your darkest hour you may find your feet back on the path of righteousness, headed in the “right” direction, “right” where God wants you.
Today, do you feel you are headed in the right direction? Has sin’s lure pulled you off the path to righteousness? Are you where God needs you to be? Are you doing what is right by God? Our world will suffer greatly with every loss of life because someone left the path of righteousness. Every soul that gets lost along the way makes our world a little less hospitable, a little more cruel. It is my hope that you may be a beacon of hope for those who have lost their way. My prayer is that God may use your faith to inspire others to find their way to our home in Heaven.
Whenever the path to righteousness becomes unclear, send up a flare to God. Pray fervently (James 5:16). In Christ, you will find your way back. Hold Jesus’ hand and the way will soon become clear again. So too, search for those who have lost their way. Be a member of God's Search and Rescue team!
The New Testament uses the word “righteousness” no less than 228 times. In the book of Romans, it is used by Paul in various forms over 40 times. Obviously, the term was meant to be understood by any Christian reader of the New Testament. So, what does the word really mean? To understand that, let’s look at the original Greek word for righteousness in the New Testament. This word, righteous, in Greek means to “move in a straight line”. Morally, it means to live in a right way, traveling through life on the straight and narrow road doing good and living justly. The Word in Life Study Bible tells us that the scriptural meaning of “righteous” means “living or acting in the right way” (pp. 538-539). What is the right way? It is God’s way. In order to practice righteousness, first you have to understand what God wants so that you can follow His way.
The spiritual meaning of righteousness is further explained in the scripture for today. After John explains that practicing righteousness is the main goal of the faithful children of God in 1 John 3:7, he mentions in the very next sentence that the opposite of practicing righteousness is “practicing sinning” (1 John 3:8). He calls this practice of sinning “of the devil”. It is what Satan wants. John ends the discussion by noting that the Son of God, i.e. Jesus, “appeared to destroy the works of the devil”. Jesus was adamant about proclaiming the practice of righteousness of God as opposed to the practice of sinning.
If you want to be righteous in Biblical terms, you need to do things God’s way. You need to follow God’s precepts and purpose for your life. Sinning will put you on a path you do not want to be. Sinning negates your ability to practice righteousness. It not only weakens or destroys your relationship with God, it brings you closer to Satan. Jesus was sent to show you how to practice righteousness. Satan endeavors you enjoy the practice of sin.
There are so many ways to get off that straight and narrow path of righteousness that keeps you close to God.
A woman, small in stature but strong of heart, named Geraldine Largay wanted to trek the Appalachian trail in 2013. Because of her anxiety issues, she wanted to do it alone. Friends told her not to attempt the journey as it was hazardous for a 66 year-old, let alone someone younger. She persevered. Being a nurse, she believed in her ability to handle any medical issues that might crop up. The Appalachian trail is over 2100 miles long. It follows the mountains in the Eastern part of the United States. It is quite an achievement to hike the entire trail and even impressive to tackle any portion of it. Geraldine desired greatly to accomplish this feat. She set out undeterred.
Somewhere in Maine, Geraldine lost the trail. She wandered into an area so wild that it is utilized for military training. She lasted a month on her own until all her supplies ran out. They found her body two years later. It is a terrible tragedy. It saddens me to realize that Geraldine’s husband and daughter didn’t even have a body to bury or know what happened to her for two years. However, Geraldine’s death serves as a warning to those who lose their way on the Appalachian Trail. It is a dangerous trek. It is even more dangerous to go at it alone.
There are many people who spiritually lose their way in life. The results are also tragic. They wander off the straight and narrow path of righteousness and soon find themselves mired in Satan’s briars. Without knowing how or desiring to return to the path God has set before them, they end up alone on a path that leads to spiritual death. God never wishes for you to go at it alone. The Heavenly Father sent Jesus to bring you back, save you, deliver you. It is God’s hope that in your darkest hour you may find your feet back on the path of righteousness, headed in the “right” direction, “right” where God wants you.
Today, do you feel you are headed in the right direction? Has sin’s lure pulled you off the path to righteousness? Are you where God needs you to be? Are you doing what is right by God? Our world will suffer greatly with every loss of life because someone left the path of righteousness. Every soul that gets lost along the way makes our world a little less hospitable, a little more cruel. It is my hope that you may be a beacon of hope for those who have lost their way. My prayer is that God may use your faith to inspire others to find their way to our home in Heaven.
Whenever the path to righteousness becomes unclear, send up a flare to God. Pray fervently (James 5:16). In Christ, you will find your way back. Hold Jesus’ hand and the way will soon become clear again. So too, search for those who have lost their way. Be a member of God's Search and Rescue team!