by David Scott Robertson
"Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, betwen those who serve God and those who do not" (Malachi 3:6).
The difference between the righteous and the wicked is as vast as the difference between daylight and dark. The difference is so profound, that it is almost indescribeable.
The fact that human beings are grouped into one of two camps is a theological certainty. We are not talking about Republican and Democract, conservative or liberal, pro-life or pro-choice, American or foreigner...no, we are talking about the righteous and the wicked, the saved and the lost, those who believe in Jesus Christ as God's remedy for sin and those who do not.
Those who choose to accept God's plan of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ inherit eternal life in heaven. Those who choose to reject God's plan of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ inherit eternal damnation in hell (the lake of fire). That's about as different as it gets.
The paradox here on earth in this present life is that while both the righteous and the wicked occupy the same planet, each live in opposite worlds. Let me explain.
In the world of the righteous, to acquire wealth you give what you have away. To gain a promotion, you humble yourself. To become an excellent leader, you learn to become an excellent servant. To live an abundant life, you deny selfish ambition and shoulder the burden and reproach of the cross. To gain your life, you lose it.
Indeed, the world of the righteous - its ideals, its philosphies, its theology - is catagorically opposite of the wicked person's world. They are as far apart as the east is from the west.
Spouses, children, friends, neighbors, and co-workers can share the same name, address, employer, email account, favorite football team and presidential candidate, but they can be as different as night and day when it comes to the issue of Christ Jesus as Messiah, Savior, Lord, and soon coming King.
Still, it is remarkably interesting that there are times when it seems difficult to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. Jesus told a parable one time about an enemy sowing "weed seeds" into his wheat crop (Matthew 13:25-30). The farmer instructed his field hands to allow the weeds to grow up along side of the wheat and at harvest time the two would be separated with the wheat being brought into the barn and the weeds being thrown into the fire.
Sometimes in our present day, the lines get blurred a bit when we see the righteous suffer, when bad things happen to good people, when terrorists surface to destroy innocent lives. For those that occupy the place of the uninformed, this enigma breeds doubt, confusion, and an unhealthy and distorted view of God.
But for the righteous person caught up in sometimes impossibly difficult situations who nevertheless holds fast to the profession of their faith in Christ, the mystery of suffering breeds faith, purity, and a healthy and proper fear of God.
Perhaps the most amazing difference of all in the lives of the righteous and the wicked doesn't manifest in this life at all, but only after life on earth is over. Then, think of it you who are saints of God Most High, then comes to pass the saying...
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
Here, at the funeral, in the heart and mind of the persons standing over the casket in grief, grappling with sorrow and bereavement, here is the most astonishing difference between the righteous and the wicked; between those who fear God and those who do not.
It is here, at the point of death, that a believer can rejoice in hope! Hope that their dearly departed loved one has gone from life to greater life! They know in their heart of hearts that they have gone to a better place, safe in the very presence of God. What comfort!
Not so for the wicked! Their brief time on earth, to be sure, is the only taste of "heaven" that they will experience. Those from the camp of the wicked fear death and have no hope or assurance that they will be received into the loving arms of a living Savior when they exit this life.
So while there will always be things that both the righteous and the wicked have in common (like both love their children and can't stand hypocrites), the fact remains that the righteous and the wicked are as different from one another as night and day.
Living life apart from God is really not life at all. It is a poor substitute for what God intended a life span to be. It is a tragic mockery and nothing could be further from the truth.
DSR
1/26/04