Blessings Of A Righteous Life
James 1:17 reads, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” All our blessings come from God. We cannot attribute anything to ourselves. It is not of our own accomplishment that we have what we have. Those who think otherwise are foolish indeed!
The blessings and rewards of a righteous life — a faithful life with the Lord — is rich indeed.
As a righteous servant of the Lord, we do not fear the “powers that be” in civil government. Since we “live unto the Lord” (Romans 14:8), we abide by the laws of the land — that is, unless they conflict with God’s laws — then we obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29). We don’t have to run from the law because we’ve stolen someone’s property (Ephesians 4:28). We don’t have to be afraid of the IRS because we’ve cheated on our taxes (Romans 13:6-7). We don’t fear the hatred and malice of another human being because we’ve committed adultery with their wife or husband (I Corinthians 6:18; Romans 13:9).
As a righteous servant of the Lord, we do not fear contracting lung, throat or mouth cancer because we puffed on tobacco or chewed on its leaves. We don’t fear getting aids because of acts of sodomy. We’re not concerned about contracting hepatitis or having deformed children because we’re shared dirty needles of drug users. It never enters our mind of getting drunk and killing someone on the highway because we love the taste of alcohol. A life of righteousness is far removed from all these things. They pose no threat or danger to our lives.
Sleeping with a clear conscience is a blessing. Can you imagine how many people go to bed at night in fear and anguish? They are in continuous turmoil and misery. They are constantly reminded that their ungodly life may catch up with them and they will be found out and have to pay the price. This is not the case with Christians. We sleep good at night. We are at peace with ourselves and all men. We delight in the joy that is unspeakable.
Being a righteous servant of the Lord brings the confidence and peace that can only come from the Lord. We have no fear of what men may do to us because they cannot harm our soul. Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). The writer of Hebrews declared that if the Lord is our helper, then we should not fear what men can do to us (Matthew 13:6). Jesus told the church at Smyrna,“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Paul told the church at Philippi, “And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God” (Philippians 1:28). He writes the church at Rome saying, “If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31-39).
As a righteous servant of the Lord, our roots sink deep in the love of the Lord, we have the peace that passeth all understanding which shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). Oh, what a blessing to be at peace with the Lord!
Being a righteous servant of the Lord brings upon us all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). These are the most precious because they are eternal. No matter what happens to us in this life physically, a faithful Christian enjoys showers of spiritual blessings.
The forgiveness of our sins is one such blessing. When Jesus shed his blood on the cross, it was for all humanity. The Hebrew writer recorded, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9; Romans 8:32; II Corinthians 5:14-15). Jesus himself said, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).
Having the remission of sins means we do not have to pay the penalty for our sins. Eternal separation from God is the price to be paid. But, Jesus redeems those who obey him. To the church at Ephesus Paul wrote, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14).
An eternal home in heaven is a reward that is beyond comprehension. Our loving heavenly Father so richly grants us the ability to be there with him for ever more. “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:11).
As a righteous servant of the Lord, our design is to praise God. In the Psalms we read: “Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel” (Psamls 22:23). “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psamls 100:4). “Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD” (Psalms 135:1). “Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness” (Psalm 150:1-2). Hebrews 13:15 tells us, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
As a righteous servant of the Lord, our design is to bring glory to God. At the birth of Jesus, a multitude of the heavenly host was found praising God “...saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13-14). Only one of the ten lepers that were healed turned back to glorify God (Luke 17:18). Romans 4:20 tells us a strong faith brings glory to God.
We should be aware that our whole life should bring glory to God. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31). If we don’t do that now in this life, one day we will. But then it will be too late. Philippians 2:11 tells us that “...every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Jude writes, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen” (Jude 24-25).
We bring glory to God in the church. “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end” (Ephesians 3:21). This is not done in institutions of human origin. We do not bring glory to God in fraternal organizations or government agencies. Some of these organizations do good works in the community, but that is not where God receives the glory. The church of Christ does its own work so that God receives the glory, not some super organization that man has conceived.
As Christians, we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. We live lives of righteousness which bring forth fruit in our lives.
Glory, glory, glory! Praise be unto our God. He is the God of all gods — of those who call themselves gods, but are not god.