Life presents alternatives of all types and choices that must be made. No matter how many choices one might make, there are only two paths in which the choices lie. One path is without God and the other is with God. The path which is chosen will determine which choices will be made in life’s journey.

The Bible is divided into two parts or paths, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The old deals with the law given to the Jews which is the precursor of Christ, and shows that mankind can’t be saved without God’s help 100 percent of the time. The new shows the way of life with God leading the way 100 percent of the time also. To allow God to lead takes an acknowledgement that one is a sinner and is lost in the wilderness, much like the Jews of old who spent 40 years wandering looking for a way out. Those who choose the path without God will wander for ever and never find the way to life.

God calls all to the new path through the gospel. When Jesus was teaching he said the following to those who thought they didn’t need him when he was accused of associating with people that weren’t socially acceptable: [Luke 5:30] But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? [Luke 5:31] And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. [Luke 5:32] I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 

 In order to be a follower of Jesus one must see himself or herself as a sinner in need of salvation. Jesus told the Pharisees that those who think they aren’t sick and are righteous by their own efforts won’t see the need for him, so he isn’t going to waste his time calling them to the feast he prepared for the sick. If they would see their need he would help them, but they didn’t see it and he didn’t. They couldn’t understand that the real need was to help others which was what Jesus was doing.

James revealed the necessary act and ultimate behavioral choice to be a follower of Christ when he wrote about those who want to live wantonly: [James 4:4] Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. [James 4:5] Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? [James 4:6] But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. [James 4:7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [James 4:8] Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. [James 4:9] Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. [James 4:10] Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Here in these verses we see the old path of sin versus the new path of Christ. Humble is the operative word for those who want to follow God. One’s own path won’t work unless the path is the one that God treads with you each day. Humble means to bow down and bring one’s self down low before a higher entity, in this case Jesus Christ. Humble yourself and let God lead the way in Christ is the message.

Paul wrote of being humble thusly and gives the pattern for being humble: [Phil 2:5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [Phil 2:6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [Phil 2:7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [Phil 2:8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [Phil 2:9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [Phil 2:10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [Phil 2:11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Paul said that the Son of God became humble and gave himself to be the sacrifice for all of mankind. Jesus chose the new path and not the path of self as did the Pharisees and as do the unrepentant sinners of the modern day.

One path is that of sin, the other is that of righteousness in Jesus Christ. Paul said it best about following the new path and the reasons for the choice he made: [Phil 3:8] Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, [Phil 3:9] And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: [Phil 3:10] That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; [Phil 3:11] If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Good reader, what path have you chosen?

© 06-29-2006 DEC

                            Next Lesson Unto Remission of Sins