The Right To Do Right

Jesus set you free from the penalty of sin, but that does not give you permission to intentionally pursue or promote it. Do what is right and just and honors God.

“When all this had ended, the Israelites...smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings...He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests...As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the LORD and blessed his people Israel. Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭31‬:‭1‬-21

Hezekiah was a hero, but not because of any supernatural power. There is no mention of him being incredibly strong, abundantly wise, or having any particular expertise. Hezekiah was a hero for giving his whole heart to God and helping others find a living relationship with God. Do you know that you can be a hero like Hezekiah? Each of us has the power to give our hearts to God, pursue a life pleasing to Him, and do our best to do what is right.

In the previous chapter, Hezekiah prayed, and the people found healing. It is after the people experienced the mercy of God that we see they made meaningful changes in their lives. The truth is, you will not have it all together when you encounter Jesus, and the people of Israel did not have it all together when they encountered mercy. The inspirational part of this story is the response of the people to the compassion and grace of God. How will you respond to the new life you have with Jesus?

The text said that after they celebrated the Passover, they got rid of the things in their lives that were temptations impacting their devotion to God. Do you have anything getting in your way? Anything tempting you? The text said they began to trust God with their resources by giving their firstfruits, faithfully contributing to the needs of others, and following His ways. Let us not deceive ourselves. All this sounds simple, but it is far from easy.

Trusting God with your resources before you know how the whole month will unfold is a challenge for anyone, especially for these people, considering they did not have 401(k)s, savings plans, or Social Security to fall back on. When they gave their firstfruits, they were literally giving a portion of the food for that month. Fear and the enemy want to keep you from doing what God says is right. But God wants to break the stranglehold that money can have on our hearts and set us free to experience the joy of generosity.

The enemy wants you to think you will not have enough and that you should be afraid. God tells us to trust that He will provide all that we need and more. He said His plan for us is abundance. It is by faith that we please God. It takes faith to let go of something you have. God wants you to know that trusting Him by living generously is what is right and what is best for you.

How could you grow in your giving? Are you bringing your tithe to God? How does your giving reflect your wholeheartedness? Are you like Hezekiah, or are you having a hard time letting go of all you have in your hands?

“Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭98‬:‭1‬-‭9

Righteousness. What does that word mean to you? Sounds like a church word. Not one we use with our friends, but one we might hear on a Sunday or read in a devotional. How does the righteousness of God produce a song in our hearts? The psalmist said to sing a new song because of how God has made things right and brought salvation to you. What is your salvation story? How is that story producing a song in your heart? Have you shared it?

God has made His salvation known through Jesus. Where we all went wrong, Jesus made things right. You now have peace with God because Jesus commuted the sentence of judgment for your sins, paid the debt you owed, and served the punishment you should have served. He did what you could never do because of His great love for you.

Always remember that the value of something or someone is the price someone would pay for it. Jesus says you are priceless to Him and worth the worst suffering a person could experience. His mercy and His grace are free gifts from God. Jesus is the most generous person to have ever lived and has given you what you could never buy. He gave you freedom, forgiveness, peace with God, and the power of the Holy Spirit within you. When you consider all that Jesus has done, does it not make you want to sing a new song of salvation and do what is right in response?

“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success. Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming— who can tell someone else what will happen after them? Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness. Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks. A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-19

Reading the words of Solomon, one would think he knew what the future would hold. Think of the wisdom in this passage. He said reputations will be ruined by a little sin. How many people, particularly those in power or in the spotlight whose pride has grown, have fallen because of sexual sin? Countless.

A little folly, a little giving in to temptation, can tarnish or take down people you would think were untouchable, because the truth is, we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Sin entangles. It is slippery. It starts small but leads to great harm. Where is sin trying to get you to slip up? Is there anything you are secretly doing that you know is not right? Today is the best day to stop and let the Spirit overcome the flesh.

Solomon challenges the reader to consider each piece of advice in light of what is right in God's eyes. He said to be careful of the pits you dig, the walls you build or break down, the tools you use, the words you say, and how you use your strength each day. Wisdom tells us everything has a right place, time, and purpose. Is this not so true?

Words can build others up or break them down. Eating food can give you the strength to work hard or give you a big belly. Solomon said to eat for the right reasons. Solomon would probably avoid the entire interior of a grocery store and just shop around the edges. No unnecessary candy aisles, chips, or unnecessary carbs for him. Life should have balance and be built on the words of God.

Solomon is inviting us to see the right purpose behind everything in our lives. A feast is made for laughter, but how many feasts lead to gluttony or gossip? Wine makes a person smile, but it can also lead to a fatal collision. Money is needed to purchase goods, but it can become a god we worship. Wisdom tells us to understand the right way to use all that we have to honor and please God. Is there anywhere your life is out of balance or your blessings have not been used in the right ways? What is one thing you could change?

“Tell this rebellious people...the Sovereign LORD says: "Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the wood high. So heap on the wood and kindle the fire...set the empty pot on the coals till it becomes hot and its copper glows, so that its impurities may be melted and its deposit burned away. “ ‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided...I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. You will not mourn or weep but will waste away because of your sins and groan among yourselves.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭24‬:‭3‬-23

Pay attention to how God speaks to the people in this passage. He said that He desired to cleanse them, but they would not let Him. This is more than accidental idiocy or unintentional sin. He calls the people out for refusing to let His cleansing lead them to become people devoted to Him. Why would this ever happen? Why would people not let God cleanse them, especially knowing how much harm sin causes?

Jesus said the light came into the world, but people preferred the darkness to the light. We have to be honest about the desires within our hearts. Are our desires of the flesh or of the Holy Spirit? Do we want to do what is most pleasing to God or what provides us with the most profit or pleasure? Only one choice is right.

Remember what Solomon said: those who dig a pit fall into it. God is saying the same thing. He says I filled in the ditch that came when you were dumb. Don't dig it back up, as it will only lead to devastation.

“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬, ‭6‬-‭14‬, ‭17‬-‭20‬

Can you feel the tension in this passage? Right and wrong. We love to be right and let others know when they are wrong. God says you all have times when you do the wrong thing, and there was no way for you to make it right, so I did.

This passage is not meant to be something to beat other people over the head with, nor is it meant to produce guilt, shame, or fear. It is easy to read this list and allow the enemy to tell you how bad you or others are. Do not listen to him or let him use truth as a weapon to harm others. We should always speak the truth in love to others and to ourselves. The truth should set you free and help you find the song of salvation within your heart.

Paul said there are things that can keep you from inheriting the kingdom of God. It is a pretty challenging list, but it is meant to help us cleanse and clarify our decision-making. Ask yourself, do you want the kingdom today? Do you want the fullness of the love of Christ? Do you want His light to shine in and through you? Do you want peace that surpasses understanding and power to raise the dead? If so, are you willing to do what is right in the eyes of God?

It is very hard to bring healing to others when you are holding a grudge. It is hard to be encouraging if you are full of envy. It is hard to praise the Almighty when all your thoughts are anxious. It is hard to serve if you have been secretly satisfying a lustful desire.

Paul said flee. Don't sit, crawl, or walk. Run as fast as you can, as though your house were on fire. Flee from sexual sin, for it has an effect on your body. It is the same message that Ezekiel shared about the people who refused to be cleansed. Do you need to put on any running shoes? Anything you need to flee? You were bought at a price. God has made His salvation known, and your body is not your own.

Let us bring it back to the beginning. Think of the Garden of Eden. God wants to walk closely with us, as He did with Hezekiah. Hezekiah sought God with his whole heart, did what was right, was faithful, and prospered. After the people found healing, and after we find healing and encounter grace, we walk in truth. We remove idols, respond by trusting God with our generosity, and sing. The key is how we respond to God's mercy.

God does not want something from us; He wants something for us. He wants us to free ourselves from the sin that harms our bodies, divides our hearts, and damages our relationships. He wants us to enjoy the goodness of belonging to Him and being a temple of the Holy Spirit. This is where a holy life becomes a song of joy.

You have been washed. You have been made new. Now what will you do with your beautiful body? Will you live as one united to Christ? If we are to be like Jesus, then we will use our hands to help, our words to bring hope, and our strength to serve. Let your song of joy burst forth in how you love people faithfully, have peace through integrity, experience freedom in walking honestly, and live righteously.