The Mind of the Righteous
Qualities of Righteousness • Sermon • Submitted
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So far:
The words of the righteous
Mouth / Lips
The actions of the righteous
Labour / Ways
The home of the righteous
Seed / House / Father
The maturity of the righteous
Root / Fruit
Like so many things, what is seen in our outer action depends so much on our inner reason.
In Scripture the mind is also referred to as the soul, the heart, the spirit, and the inner man.
Our mind isn’t just the chemical reactions and electrical impulses in our brain. It’s the workings of our soul and spirit having an effect on our brain, the pysical organ of thought.
If our soul and spirit are right in thought and mind, our body will be right in its actions. But if our soul and spirit are wrong in thought and mind, then our body will be wrong in its actions.
So what is the mind of the righteous to be like?
1. Motivation
1. Motivation
24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him:
But the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
“fear” > only time this form of the Heb word is used = terror
“The wicked will have his worst nightmare come upon him”
What does an unsaved person want at the end of their life? Beyond the effects their life have on other people around them.
When it comes to themselves and eternity, there are really only three goals the unsaved have:
To be justified, or proven right
To end up in a bearable afterlife
Oblivion
That’s the least they want to get out of life. But what they get is the worst possible outcome for them.
“desire” = craving / delight / longing
This desire is very particular because this is what a RIGHTEOUS person will desire
An UNrighteous person may desire money, cars, big homes, a private jet, success, etc
But what does the righteous desire?
23 The desire of the righteous is only good:
But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
“good” = well-pleasing / fruitful / morally correct
To understand what it means when we read that what the righteous desires is only good, we have to look at the context.
“the expectation of the wicked is wrath”
“expectation” = hope, wish
“wrath” = fury
Obviously wicked don’t wish for fury, but the Lord’s fury is against those who wish for evil things.
This verse is speaking of God’s reaction to the righteous and the wicked.
So what the righteous desire is morally correct and well-pleasing to God.
So the next question we need to ask is , how can we desire what is well-pleasing to God?
8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee;
The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
“to Thy name” >>> to direct honour, glory, and praise to God for who He is
“to the remembrance of Thee” >>> to turn people’s attention to Him and to what He has done (which manifests His character and attributes)
Elihu said to Job and his three friends:
14 Hearken unto this, O Job:
Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
This is something worth considering and remembering, and it is worth passing on to our children.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob,
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which he commanded our fathers,
That they should make them known to their children:
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born;
Who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 That they might set their hope in God,
And not forget the works of God,
But keep his commandments:
By remembering the works of God it was hoped that the children would remember to honour and obey the God who had performed all those wonderful works.
But those wonderful works aren’t limited to the Old Tetament experiences.
On the day of Pentecost, the crowd that heard the disciples preached were amazed at what God had done:
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
David remembered the works of God because he was all too aware of his own weaknesses.
10 And I said, This is my infirmity:
But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
11 I will remember the works of the Lord:
Surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
So the desire of the righteous is to bring glory and praise to God and to cause others to do the same, because our God is worthy of worship and He has done great and might things, and will continue to do so.
But wouldn’t it be wonderful for God to include us in His wonderful works.
Remember the man born blind of whom the disciples asked whose sin caused him to be born blind, his or his parents?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Oh that the works of God would be made manifest in us!
2. Moderation
2. Moderation
5 The thoughts of the righteous are right:
But the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
Thoughts = purposes or intentions; idea of a judgment or legal decision, something that is just or according to the law.
The “counsels of the wicked are deceit”, meaning fraudulent, deceiving, misleading because they distort or withhold the truth.
So this is speaking of truth and error, and how the righteous seek to think according to the truth of God’s law, God’s Word, the Scriptures.
We get many warnings in the NT about the deceptions there are around us as Believers.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Admonition to continue in the Scriptures and in the teachings of those of sound godly character and having biblical understanding.
BTW Knowing their weaknesses as well as their strengths.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
e.g. Steve Chalke, Jayne Ozanne
Not all will be as easy to recognise.
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Try their spirits - are they regenerate or degenerate? Saved or unsaved? Just or unjust? Spreading truth or spreading lies?
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Well-dressed, smiling, disarming and polite - but their lies are destructive and dishonourable!
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Don’t let them deceive you - know the truth.
Be not partakers with them - don’t let yourself be grouped with or identified as one of them.
Have no fellowship with them, but reprove them.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
“moderation” - kindness, gentleness
BUT also appropriateness, rightness
Moderator of coursework - made sure it was up to the accepted standard
Our thoughts ought to moderate all we hear and are taught to make sure it’s up to the standard of God’s Word.
MOTIVATION - the desire of the righteous
MODERATION - the thoughts of the righteous
3. Meditation
3. Meditation
28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer:
But the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
“studieth” = to growl, groan, sigh, speak, mutter
Metaphorically >>> to meditate, ponder
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
“to answer” = respond, reply, testify
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Our answer starts with a sanctified heart for the Lord God
Meekness & fear
When we are sanctified unto the Lord God, we will study God’s word
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
And that will affect our speech
5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
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