THE PATH OF THE JUST

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Proverbs 4:18). 

 

There is a path that we all must walk through this life.  It is the course that each of us must run from birth to death.  The Bible teaches that the path of the just (those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior) is a much different road than that of the wicked (those who have not accepted the Lord). Among the just, there is a lot of diversity in the way that people choose to walk their path with God.  Christians are at all levels of growth and spiritual maturity.  Some grow rapidly, moving from faith to faith as they learn to apply God’s Word to their lives, while others seem content to live as they always have and never seek to climb to a higher plain.  We must be careful not to judge or condemn those we feel don’t “measure up” to our standards or preferences, however.  Jesus told Nicodemus, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.  He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:17-21).  It is the light of Jesus Christ that illuminates our pathway so that we can walk securely, and not stumble.  The Lord also gives each of us plenty of way markers and signposts to use along the way to judge our progress and point us in the right direction.

 

I like the verse quoted above from Proverbs because it makes it clear that our path with God is progressive and not just a singular encounter with our Maker.  It’s like the difference between turning a bright light on in a dark room or glimpsing a bright light from a great distance and determining that, no matter what, I am going to walk toward that light until I step fully into its brilliance.  Jesus is that Light.  He is the brightness of God’s glory, and He shines on every person who is born into this world (See John 1:9).  We cannot behold all of His brilliance at once (like turning the light on in a dark room), but as we move toward the Light, He shines more and more light until we one day stand in His presence and see Him in all His glory.  The Apostle John teaches us “…God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7).

 

Jesus’ first command to the disciples whom He called was simple - He said, “Follow Me.”  Long before they were told to “Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel,” or to “…teach all nations,” the call was to learn to follow the Lord and to walk in His footsteps.  Without first learning to do this, they would never have been ready to effectively fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus gave them in Mark 16 and Matthew 28.  The Apostle Paul expressed this principle when he wrote to the Colossian Church and said, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” (Colossians 2:6).

 

We’re told, “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.” (Proverbs 4:19).   We need only to observe the path of a person over time to tell whether or not they are walking in the light.  The trajectory of their life will be steadily upward if they learn to walk in the footsteps of the Master and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Psalm 37:37 says, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”  Jesus told His disciples that they should walk in the daylight so that they would have the light of the world (which was Jesus) shining on their path.  In this way they would avoid stumbling (falling into sin) along the way.  He told them that those who choose to walk in the night (living their lives outside of Christ), would constantly be stumbling along the way because they have no light to see by (See John 11:9, 10).

 

Jesus’ words in His Sermon on the Mount are sobering.  He said, “Enter ye in at the strait [meaning narrow, or constrained] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13, 14).  There is a broad way that many are walking in that is leading them to ultimate destruction.  They may be Christians by their confession, but they are not following Christ by their choices.  There is also a narrow way which a few choose to walk because they have seen the Light of the World and are steadily and deliberately walking toward it step by step, and day by day. 

 

After describing the two ways and the two gates that lead into them, Jesus issued some solemn warnings, and also some indicators by which we can tell just who is walking in what way.  He begins by telling us to beware of false prophets “...which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15).  In the next verse, the Lord says that we shall know those who are false prophets by the fruit that they bear (for the type of fruit that Jesus is referring to, take a look at Galatians 5:22 and 23).  False prophets may appear in many ways to be servants of the Lord; but their actions, their personal choices, and their spirits will indicate something much different.  Jesus asked if you can gather grapes from a thorn bush, or figs from a thistle.  Likewise, there are many “prickly” and “thorny” individuals out there that I would not go to in order to find the fruit of righteousness.  “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:17-20).  This is a very serious teaching when we consider the times that we, too, have strayed into the broad way.  It is then that the Lord has chastened us and set our feet back on the narrow path once again.  This is why we are exhorted to, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.  Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:23, 25-27).  The real question is: are we truly sheep who want to follow our Shepherd, but get lost sometimes, or are we really wolves dressed like sheep in order to devour the lambs?  Our determination must always be to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus and to follow where He is leading us. 

 

Jesus continues in His sermon to elaborate on false prophets.  He says, “Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23).  It is not those who commend themselves who are accepted, but those who God Himself commends, those who do the will of the Father.  Jesus teaches us that we can either build our house (our life, our work) on solid rock, or we can build it on sinking sand.  We can choose the narrow way, or we can choose the broad.  We have the free will to choose how we want to walk this path that we have been given.  What we choose to do will, in the end, determine whether our house stands firm, or is swept away by the storms of life.   

 

The first Psalm gives us some insight into the two ways and what the result will be for those who choose the one or the other.  “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3).  God’s Word is a lamp for our feet, and a light for our pathway.  Jesus is the Living Word and He is the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets.  When we delight ourselves in the Lord, and meditate on His Word constantly, then we become like trees that have been planted beside a river.  That river is a River of Life, and it causes us to bear fruit abundantly for the Lord.  Our leaves never wither – they are nourished by the Living Waters!  Whatever we do prospers because it is directed by God’s Holy Spirit!  We are blessed in our lives because we avoid the counsel of those who are ungodly, do not walk in the way of sinners, and will not sit with scornful men.  “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:4, 5).  The ungodly are whipped and driven about by every wind of doctrine, and they cannot keep their vessel on a straight course.  Therefore, they will be condemned when they are judged, and will not be counted among the righteous in the last day.  “For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Psalm 1:6).

 

There is a beautiful picture in Isaiah of this path of the just that we are examining.  The prophet said this about the way: “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called THE WAY OF HOLINESS; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.  No lion [think of Satan who is depicted in scripture as a roaring lion] shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35:8-10).  This way is a Way of Holiness.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines holiness as “worthy of complete devotion as One perfect in goodness and righteousness.” The Patheos website says, “In the New Testament, the word for holy is “hagios” and means “set apart, reverend, sacred, and worthy of veneration.”  Clearly, those who walk this path must have a high level of consecration and devotion to God.  Those who are unclean will not be found there at all.  It is for the wayfarers who have made themselves foolish to the world that they might become wise in the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 1:18, 25-29).  Even Satan has no power over those who walk in the Spirit.  Though he tempt, harass, and lie to them, he cannot prevail against those who have yielded themselves as servants of righteousness.  Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!  When we learn to resist him, he will be forced to flee away!  This way is for the redeemed among mankind.  It is for the ransomed of the Lord.  Upon them, God will heap joy and gladness in abundance, and sorrow and sighing will have to depart!  Why would we not want to choose the path of the just over the way of  unrighteousness?!

 

“Teach me Thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.” (Psalm 27:11). 

 

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11).