The Righteous Who Walk in the Ways of God

The Bible teaches us the way of God as a book useful for training in righteousness (2 Ti 3:16). Furthermore, a great deal is written in the Bible concerning those who are righteous and those who are wicked. In the Bible, the wicked refer to those who neither revere God nor obey God’s commands, decrees, and laws. The wicked, who abandon God are to be judged and punished in the last days (2 Th 1:7–9).

In the last days, the Age of the Holy Spirit, God Himself came to this earth again to teach mankind the ways of God. He did this so that those who were on the side of the wicked could live as righteous people by taking away their sins. Therefore, anyone who follows the ways that God has taught can be acknowledged as the righteous in the spiritual world and be saved.

The Righteous Walk in the Ways of God

The Bible distinguishes the righteous from the wicked according to whether or not they walk in the ways of God.

Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. Hos 14:9

The ways of God are right, so not everyone can walk in them. Only the righteous can walk in His ways; sinners, that is, the wicked, can never walk in them. They are destined to stumble because of His ways.

The Bible says that there is no one righteous, not even one in the world; and all those who claim to have no sin are liars (Ro 3:10; 1 Jn 1:8). No sinner can enter the kingdom of heaven.

“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Mt 5:20

Jesus teaches that righteousness is an important standard for determining whether one can enter the kingdom of heaven.

In the eyes of God, those who do not believe in God or do not follow God’s decrees are on the side of the wicked. We, too, are sinners who used to belong to the wicked, but now, we are walking in the ways of God. By following the ways of God, we are born again and are now among the righteous.

The Righteous Obey the Law of God

We, who were sinners before, have become worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven, not because of our own righteousness, but thanks to the law of God.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” Mt 7:21–23

Jesus has said that only he who does the will of God will enter the kingdom of heaven, but to the evildoers He firmly proclaimed, “Away from me.” Here, “you evildoers” is written as “you who practice lawlessness” in another version of the Bible. Thus, evildoers are on the opposite side of the righteous.

God calls those who do not obey His decrees and laws “the wicked” or “evildoers.” No matter how much they have prophesied or how much they have carried out in the Lord’s name, God regards them as wicked, who have nothing to do with Him, and He acknowledges those who do His will as those who are righteous. While living in the world, even those who claim to believe in God do not obey God’s commands, laws, and regulations; rather, they are accustom to the standards and viewpoints of the world and are tainted by their evil surroundings. However, God said that if someone is a friend of the world he becomes an enemy of God (Jas 4:4). We must do the will of God, setting all our standards only on God and be those who are acknowledged by God as righteous. We need to examine ourselves to see what parts of God’s way we have not yet fully followed. By this, we should be transformed into the complete beings of heaven, who are righteous and fully obey God’s word.

“Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.” Isa 51:7–8

Those who know what is right have God’s law in their hearts. Those who keep God’s law in their hearts and put it into practice are God’s people who are called “the righteous.” On the contrary, those who disobey God’s decrees, laws, and regulations belong to the wicked. No matter how earnestly they say to God, “Lord, Lord,” and claim to believe in God, they are never allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The New Covenant Promises the Forgiveness of Sins

God has given His people His law so that they can distinguish between good and evil and enter the kingdom of heaven as the righteous people who obey God’s law. The Bible prophesied that God Himself would come into this world where there are no righteous people and teach them His ways.

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Mic 4:1–2

It is written that in the last days a group of people who are taught the ways of God and walk in them will appear. Aren’t these the righteous people who walk in the ways of God in the book of Hosea?

God has taught His people the way of life and guided them so that they can be freed from the bondage of the wicked and belong to the righteous.

Since those who listen to God’s teachings and practice them will be saved, God is to appear a second time to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him (Heb 9:28). Let’s find more about the ways God Himself teaches us when He comes in the last days.

“The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. . . . I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jer 31:31–34

God has promised that He will forgive people’s wickedness and will remember their sins no more in the law of the new covenant. The new covenant is God’s way to remove the sins of the wicked and allow them to be born again as God’s righteous people.

God has planted the law of the new covenant in the hearts of His people. He did not leave sinners alone, but established the truth of the new covenant to atone for all their sins and change them into righteous people who walk in the ways of God.

The Law of the New Covenant Is the Standard for the Last Judgment

Today, there are many churches and people just like the sand on the seashore, claiming to believe in God. However, they do not obey God’s decrees, laws, and regulations such as the Passover and the Sabbath of the new covenant. Considering the fact that only the righteous walk in God’s ways, we can say that they have not yet been made righteous. Therefore, when God distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked, they have no choice but to stand on the side of the wicked.

Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken. There the Lord will be our Mighty One. It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us. . . . No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”; and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven. Isa 33:20–24

Zion is the place where those whose sins are forgiven dwell. God, who is with us in Zion, where the feasts are celebrated, is our Judge who has established the law for us. Just as a judge uses the national laws in a court of law as the standard for his judgment, so God established the law of the new covenant as the standard for judgment that distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked. Those who do not follow the regulations of the new covenant, the law established to make them righteous, are bound to be judged as being wicked.

Many people vaguely know that there will be Judgment Day, desiring to go to the kingdom of heaven on that day. Despite that, they follow lawlessness, rather than the laws of the new covenant. Even though they know that Judgment Day is coming, they have not been able to gain the status of becoming one of the righteous as they still belong to those who are wicked.

The Bible testifies that only those who obey the law of the new covenant and the way of truth will receive the blessing of eternal life and inherit the kingdom of heaven.

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Heb 9:15

Christ, the mediator of the new covenant, is Jesus. Those who were taken out of the world of the wicked and called to be the righteous through the new covenant that God Himself established after coming to this earth, can receive the promised eternal inheritance, that is, the blessing of entering the kingdom of heaven.

Let’s Become the New Covenant Ministers Who Peach the Gospel

We have been taught the truth of the new covenant by Second Coming Christ, Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother. Thanks to Them, we are following God’s decrees, laws, and regulations. Thus, we are declared righteous by God and have received the forgiveness of sins and the promise of heavenly inheritance. This is not because of our wisdom or ability, but because Heavenly Father and Mother have forgiven all our sins and moved us to side where the righteous stand.

If we have realized the grace of God, we must make known the way of life to the people around us, who do not yet live according to God’s will. This is what God wants us to do the most.

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Co 3:6

God tells us to become ministers of the new covenant and preach the gospel diligently, so that those who are in the mire of wickedness can be saved and enter the eternal kingdom of heaven. Since God regards this work as the most blessed and meaningful, Jesus came to this earth to preach the gospel 2,000 years ago (Mk 1:38).Today, too, Heavenly Father and Mother are leading Their children around the world to the truth of the new covenant and the way of righteousness in this age.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 2 Pe 3:10–13

The new heaven and the new earth, the kingdom of heaven, is the dwelling place for the righteous. On Judgment Day, while the wicked will be punished, the righteous will see the kingdom of heaven open wide, where there is no death, tears, or pain; there is only peace and joy every day. How blessed are we who have received these promises of God by keeping the truth of the new covenant!

We should practice God’s ways every day, so that we can enter the kingdom of heaven as the righteous who lived in God’s righteousness. Since numerous people around the world still belong to the wicked, we should give them the opportunity to practice righteousness before God’s judgment comes. Let us preach whether they listen or fail to listen. In order for them to turn away from evil and turn to the world of the righteous and enjoy the eternal salvation that God has prepared, let us diligently preach the gospel of the new covenant, the ways of God.

Although we face difficulties in our life of faith, let us remember the grace of Elohim for leading us to salvation through the truth of God. All Zion members! Let us diligently deliver the good news of the gospel to the people around us with a joyful heart, so that we will be able to fulfill our mission as the ministers of the new covenant.