For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous
but the way of the wicked will perish. [Psalm 1: 6]
There really are only two paths: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. This is a thread which ruins through the whole of the Bible: the narrow gate and the wide gate (Matthew 7: 13 – 14), the house built on the rock or on the sand (Matthew 7: 24 – 27), the life lived according to the sinful nature or by the Spirit (Romans 8: 13).
John Stott, commenting on Romans 8: 13, writes
Here is a verse which draws a clear contrast between life and death. It affirms that there is a kind of life which actually leads to death, and there is a kind of death which actually leads to life. So if we want to live a life of true fulfilment, we must put to death (radically reject) all evil.
Psalm 1 has contrasted the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. It is as if we have a choice between two pathways, one leading to life and one to death. Whatever we do, whatever decisions we make will lead us down one path or the other. But we will be moving – the Christian life is about accepting the invitation to follow Jesus, it is a journey. And moment by moment we will be making decisions which either keep us on the righteous path or lead us away from it.
Jesus said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it." (Luke 9: 23, 24)
There are the two paths again. Jesus invites us all to die to ourselves and to follow him along the pathway of the righteous. It is the only way to be saved. Will you follow him?
Lord, give me strength for the journey. Help me, day by day, to follow Jesus.
David Long
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