The Path of Righteousness

The Path of Righteousness

David, the sweet psalmist of Israel and a foremost messianic prophet both in living and in his poems wrote one of the greatest psalms in history, Psalm 23.

It is a poem inspired to describe the relationship of the sheep and the shepherd from the standpoint of the sheep.

And that's quite instructive: great leadership is hardly recognized by the leader or his leader colleagues but by followers who mostly are always at the receiving end of either a responsible leadership or a dysfunctional one!

However, the point today isn't about human leadership but the leadership of the Spirit. The Lord as my shepherd!

One main responsibility David recognized from 'following' ewes heavy with young is that of leadership. As a veteran shepherd, he knew a sheep can't do without the leadership of the shepherd in locating food supply, security and rest. In locating what brings well being and security for both the sheep and the shepherd, the sheep would need the presence of the shepherd and his leadership.

It is instructive that in an Old Testament era when righteousness was based on the deeds of the law, David could bore into the heart of God to pull out such a futuristic but fundamental pathway to holiness and righteousness. No wonder he was a man after God's heart!

Verses 2 and 3 speak of the Shepherd's leading. Just as He leads beside still waters away from trouble to rest, He also leads in the paths of righteousness unto holiness, though man would prefer the still waters to that of righteousness.

But the key here is that we'll need to be led into the paths of righteousness rather than to be ordered there.

No wonder, there hasn't been any law that could bring righteousness. Galatians 3:21

The law of Moses was given because of the hardness of the heart of man according to Our Lord Jesus, Matthew 19:8, and both prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah prophesied concerning the removal of that stony heart to be replaced with a leadable heart of flesh to be powered into righteousness through the Spirit that will be put within man in a New Covenant! Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26

Through the law shall no man be justified and that not only the law of Moses but any law for that matter... because through the law is the knowledge of sin. Galatians 2:16, 3:11

The law was given, according to scriptures to shut every mouth and so that through it, the whole world might be guilty before God. Romans 3:19

Apostle Paul said God forbid that any law would stop the promises of God because if there was a law that has the capacity to bring life, righteousness would have come through the law....but now the righteousness that the law produces is the one likened to the filthy menstrual rags....the righteousness that is only established by the mouths of two or three witnesses among an unrighteous populace.

Jesus was crucified under that law and judged unrighteous by false witnesses who satisfied the dictates of that legal system. But we all know that the witness of men can't disprove God, who knows all things and sees all things, who tries the reins and weighs all actions!

Moses spoke of the circumcision of the heart even in giving the law establishing the circumcision of the flesh. He knew the problem of sin wasn't about the circumcision of the flesh but of the heart. Though he was handicapped and could only appeal to their consciences, it was equally impossible for a man to circumcise his own heart! Deuteronomy 10:16, 30:6

That's what Jesus referred to as being born again. You need a heart new birth to have a new heart circumcised of God to be able to see the kingdom of God. John 3:3-10

No law will do that for any man! No amount of treatment of the body will deal with an uncircumcised heart of stone.

In talking of being born again, Our Lord Jesus, spoke of the one born of the Spirit as one who is as malleable as the air. He said the wind blows wherever it goes, you hear the sound thereof but cannot tell where it goes or from where it comes.

The stiffneckedness that won't allow control of the horse or bull is gone, the hardened heart of stone that won't allow any feeling for righteousness is gone replaced with a fleshy touchable heart upon where God writes His laws so that man would not be taught by another what the law says. The spiritual loneliness of the heart of the sheep is gone, the loneliness that often permits him to stray is gone, now the Spirit of God is put within to lead and to quicken the sheep of God to live in the paths of righteousness.

The handwriting of ordinances that were contrary to us was nailed to the Cross of Christ because we don't need them again Colossians 2: 13&14, because if we can be led by the Spirit of God into righteousness we then need no law to attain to righteousness again. Galatians 5:18

The righteousness would need no law anymore only the sinner from within needs a law from without to keep him in check. The law, no law was made for the one who can discipline himself from within, no spiritual law is needed for one who is carried by the Spirit of God. 1Timothy 1:9

If we would decide to yield totally to the Spirit of God to lead us from within without seeking our own ways, He will constantly lead us in the path of righteousness.

God has given us His Spirit so that we can know those things that are freely given to us of God. He is in us to quicken our mortal bodies so that we won't luve after the flesh anymore but after the Spirit Romans 8:11&12, This is the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus that sets us free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-4

This is the New Creation that makes a malleable man easy to be led of God with His law written and inscribed upon the tablet of the heart!

If we through the spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh we shall have a life in the spirit Roman 8:13. If we walk in the spirit we would not fulfil the lust of the flesh: he that is led of the Spirit is not under the law... Galatians 5:16, 23
There is now no condemnation to the who in Christ walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

Let Christ be your Shepherd, let Him lead you in the path of righteousness for as many who seek to live above sin and be conformed to the image of Christ!

To as many who are ready to be totally yielded without any constraints to the Holy Spirit wherever He leads...

Good morning!

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