Righteous Living

This is something I think we all need to be reminded of.  It is so easily forgotten in such a competitive world that we live in.  This is also one of the things that I struggle with at times.  Question: how many of you practice your good works before others as to be seen by them being a born-again believer?  Some of this we learn from sitting in our pews in our congregations.  Competition seems to be everywhere, we see it in sports of all kinds, it seems like in so many areas of life one is pitted against another or a group against one another.  Even in Sunday School Classes and in Bible memorization competitions, it just seems to be a part of life.  I am not trying to make any excuses for this behavior, I know we all must take full responsibility for our actions.

Now please read what the word of God says in Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

We have no excuse for conforming to anyone or anything that would hinder our walk with the Lord.  When the Lord did good works, He didn’t make a show out of it, in fact He told some of the people not to make it known.  What He did was to bring glory to God His Father and not to himself.  

Now please read Matthew 6:1-8, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

Now please read Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Now read the opposite of these other verses, the things we should not be doing in Matthew 23:5, “But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.”

If we do our good works like the Pharisees did, we will be called hypocrites and we will lose the rewards we would have had.  This is just a reminder and I hope you find it a positive lesson to be learned and it will truly  encourage all of us to do our good works with the right motives and attitudes so that God will receive all the glory and all the praise because He is so worthy!!  May you and yours have a super day and may the good Lord bless you all and may His perfect will be done in all our lives!!