THE RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED DISTRINGUISHED
THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED DISTINGUISHED
Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. —Malachi 3:18
How can one distinguish between the righteous and the wicked? According to this verse the righteous serve God and the wicked do not serve Him. It is not that the works of the righteous that save them, but their service shows who and whose they are (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:14-26) — just as those who do not do His work reveal who they are through not serving Him. This is clearly seen in Matthew 25:34-36—
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Who and whose a person is will determine what a person thinks and does. This will show whether a person is righteous and serves God or wicked and does not serve God.
Dear Father, please help me to serve You faithfully in the areas You desire me to be serving in. Oh, that I would be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit’s guidance and then act in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Yes, may this be so for Your honor and glory and the benefit of many others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcmqSfr1ENY