We have all heard of parents who have used dishonest means to get their children into prestigious schools (maybe you know some). These parents put great stock in such marks of success—whether real or imagined. Wealth, education, and power are just a few of the ‘family virtues’ that they try to display in their self-righteousness.
With a world swimming in sin since the days of Adam, it is natural for man to come up with new ways to excuse unrighteous living. The oft misquoted, “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” was popular in the last half of the twentieth century, but even that has been downgraded to: “That’s your opinion. God knows my heart!”
God does indeed know our hearts, but given that our hearts are experts at defining God’s righteousness in subjective terms, they are poor guides on the best of days.
True wisdom resides in the hearts of those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6). And the prophet Daniel speaks of the greatness of those who seek to share God’s righteousness:
“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)
The Corinthian church was as tempted by the world’s badges of success as everyone else. The apostle Paul called them back to spiritual reality:
“God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong” (1Cor.1:27).
Those “foolish” and “weak” things, as defined by the world, were the Gospel and the church.
But lest they think themselves superior, Paul reminds them:
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble” (1Cor.1:26).
The church is that city set on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14).
Peter says you are God’s people, “so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
Let our days be filled with Leading many to righteousness.
John Staiger
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