| E-MAIL SERVICE | Sign me up to receive the daily Word of Righteousness free via my E-mail address! ( ONLY AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH ) | |
| ARCHIVES | I want to check out the daily Words of Righteousness for any of the last fourteen days or from previous weeks. ( ENGLISH ONLY ) | |
| FEEDBACK | I have a question or comment about today's Word of Righteousness. ( ENGLISH AND SPANISH ONLY ) | |
| BOOK LIST | I would like to see the complete book list of the Words of Righteousness author Robert B. Thompson. (SOME SPANISH TITLES AVAILABLE ) |
The Daily Word of Righteousness
Doing Good, and the Resurrection, continued
God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; But glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. (Romans 2:6-10—NIV)
The above holds true for "each person," as Paul stated.
If the individual has never been presented with the Gospel, God will look for persistence in doing good. If God finds it the person will receive eternal life.
If the individual has been newly saved, having had no opportunity to follow the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ, but has received Christ gladly upon hearing the good news, then the person will receive eternal life. He has obeyed God within the limits of his opportunity and experience.
If the individual is an experienced Christian, then God will look for persistence in doing good. If God finds it the person will enter life in the day of resurrection.
But for all who are self-seeking and reject the truth, who follow evil, there will be wrath and anger in the day of resurrection.
Rejecting the truth, as Paul meant it, includes rejecting Christ initially, or, after having accepted Christ as the atonement, choosing to obey sin.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so you obey its evil desires. (Romans 6:12—NIV)
If we sow to our flesh we will reap corruption in the day of resurrection even though we have "accepted" Christ. The truth is, we may have accepted the facts about Christ but never have received Him, the living Jesus, as our personal Lord. In this instance we are not a disciple. We are still walking in sin. We certainly will reap corruption in the day of resurrection.
Can you think of a warning more needed by the American Christians of our day?
Most of the Bible Is Addressed to the Adamic Nature
Did you know that most of the Bible is addressed to our adamic nature, to the old man? This is so important to understand. The Evangelical belief is that the old nature is so hopelessly corrupt that all we have to do is believe in Jesus and we will be saved no matter how we behave. Divine grace is perceived as an alternative to righteous behavior.
Some teach that Jesus "did it all." There is nothing left for us to do but wait until we go to Heaven.
Others are teaching that we should live righteously but we must wait until Jesus does it in us or for us.
The slightest knowledge of the Scriptures, both Old Testament and New, will reveal there are things we are to do.
I suppose most Christians would agree the people of the Old Testament had to obey God by means of the efforts of their natural personality, since they were not born again. So I will not discuss the Old Testament.
But what about the New Testament? First of all:
It is unscriptural that all we have to do is "believe in Jesus" and it does not matter how we behave.
To be continued.