Devotions: The Path of Righteousness or Ruin

 

Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness brings the sinner to ruin.

Proverbs 13:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 

This message is so simple yet so profound. First it is important to note that “blameless” here does not refer to a person who is perfect, or who perfectly obeys the Law, but one who is covered by the blood of Jesus, someone who follows Him and His ways, albeit imperfectly. This is contrasting those who have surrendered their lives to Christ and those who live for themselves. Righteousness, that is living righteously, guards those who follow Christ. This happens in two ways. First, when we are saved we are covered with His righteousness and saved from the 8consequences of sin (that is death). At the same time, living in the way God has prescribed saves us from a lot of suffering because we are avoiding sin and bad lifestyles that will hurt us. This righteous way of living is found by living in truth. We can’t live a righteous life and live in sin, the two are opposites. We must submit ourselves to the truth of the Bible, believe it and live it, seeking and yielding to its conviction.

In contrast, living a life of sin brings the unrepentant to ruin. Even though it seems to bring them pleasure and a host of worldly accolades and possessions, it destroys all who follow it, bar none. It may not be a ruin that those on the outside would notice, but it happens all the same. All sin is paid for; those who believe in Christ and surrender to Him and His sacrifice have their sins paid for by Christ, but those who choose to live for themselves instead of Him pay for their own sins in some way. Ultimately, the sins of the unrepentant are paid for in eternal suffering after death. Sin promises what it cannot give. It may seem good in the moment, but it is paid for later.

We have a choice; to live in righteousness or sin. Who do you live for? Who guides your every action? Are you surrendering your daily life to Christ or living for yourself? Do you seek His conviction and righteousness through repentance, or do you avoid looking deeply enough to see what should not be there? Is your life on the path of righteousness or ruin?

 

 

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