Do Right or Be Righteous?

²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
   if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
²² In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
   and the LORD will reward you.
– Proverbs 25:21-20 (ESV)

²⁷ “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
– Luke 6:27-28 (NKJV)

As a Christian, you have some options.  You do as the Lord says or not. 

That sounds crazy.  I know it does. 

It doesn’t make any sense, though. I know that it doesn’t make one bit of sense.

However, that is how some brothers and sisters choose to live out their daily lives.  They wear the label of a Christian, but they live without Christ as Lord in their lives.  There are some who are glad and overjoyed to be saved, but surely don’t want to miss out on anything that the world has to offer and reject His sanctification.  They want restoration without repentance.  They want salvation without the Savior.  Don’t even bring up sin, “backslider” or any term related to sinfulness.

We have some real choices to make.  They are some tough choices, too.

Jesus didn’t make it sound any easier, either.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?– Luke 6:46 (KJV)

In other words, the Lord simply wants to know what’s up with that.  He wants to know why do we say this and we don’t do what He says.  Why call Him “Lord,” if you do not mean it or intend to even act like it? Why? What’s up with that?

Either we live righteous by doing as He says or we live by doing what we think, feel and imagine to be “right” to us based on a variety of things in and on our agendas.

²²Many 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?
²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
-Matthew 7:22-23 (KJV)

We have some choices to make.  Let’s do all that we can to make the choices that lead to paths towards His righteousness and nothing less.