Job 33:26-27 “He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, he shall see His face with joy, for He restores to man His righteousness. Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it did not profit me.’”
During the childrearing years of my parenting, there was no guidebook on how to bring up my sons to be a “good” person in character and being, living with honestly, integrity, industry and care. I did have the examples of my own parents, what I experienced in school, and learnings from life and Christianity. Somewhere along the way, I came up with the motto: “Know the difference between right and wrong, then base your judgments accordingly and choose to do what is right.” This was a great moral guiding principle for me, so I engrained this concept into them, and they repeat it back still today. But, you have to know what the standard is, who sets the standard and why?
The word “right” (from the Job passage above and in Psalm 19:8 & 2 Chronicles 14:2 below) is the Hebrew word “Yāšār”, which means pleasing, correct or straightforward, just, upright, fitting, proper. Noah Webster’s dictionary defines “right” in morals and religion, it means just; equitable; accordant to the standard of truth and justice or the will of God. That alone is right in the sight of God, which is consonant to His holy will or law; this being the only perfect standard of truth and justice. In social and political affairs, that is right which is consonant to the laws and customs of a country, provided these laws and customs are not repugnant to the laws of God. That which is true; not erroneous or wrong (that being not morally right; that deviates from the line of rectitude prescribed by God; not just or equitable; not right or proper; not legal; erroneous; as a wrong practice; wrong ideas; a wrong course of life; wrong measures; wrong inclinations and desires; a wrong application of talents; wrong judgment). 2 Chronicles 14:2 “did
what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.”
Psalm 19:7-9 “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the
Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”
Creator God, who is just and holy, sets the standards for what is right for His world and life and rejoice the heart for they are good because only God is good. This is why the Father of our Country, George Washington, stated: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.”
Romans 1:17 proclaims, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” The Word of God in the pages of the Holy Bible are the instructions on how to be a “good” person in character and being, living with honestly, integrity, industry and care. For to be “right” in the sight of God is to be “right” in life.
Philippians 1:9-11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
In Christ, Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment