Just do what you know to be right

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Live like its true”

Our Bible verse for today: “But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Just do what you know to be right”

I find it interesting how many verses and entire passages in the Bible urge the people of God to resolve to do good (what they know to be right). Paul wrote about it in 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (above). He also wrote about it in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said it to in Hebrews 13:16, “Don’t neglect to do what is good.” There are many others as well.

“Doing good” applies to engaging in acts of kindness, compassion, generosity, and other acts of physical ministry to those in need. But it also pertains to doing good in terms of standing for what is right, just, and biblically true regardless of whether society, culture, or government authorities agree or like it. That was certainly a big part of the challenge those early Christians faced in the first century of Christianity. It was what the apostles were referring to in Acts 5:29 when Peter declared, “We must obey God rather than people.”

We live in a society today that has turned biblical values and traditional morality on its head. Values and standards that have been acknowledged as good and right for hundreds, even thousands of years have now been declared by some in our society to be bad, hurtful, even hateful. And behaviors that have been acknowledged as immoral and harmful by societies across the span of history are now declared to be good and right.

How does God feel about that? The same as He always has. More than 2500 years ago He said through the prophet Isaiah, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” In other words, woe to those who twist scripture to suit their own desires.

More and more today, as conservative evangelical Christians simply declare and affirm the time-honored Biblical values given to us by God and honored across societies and generations for thousands of years, there are those who will attempt to shame us, shut us up, and shut us down. They will declare you to be hateful for not joining them in their biblical revisionism and affirming their declaration that good is bad and bad is good. The pressure can become intense and the temptation to go along in order to get along can be strong.

I encourage you to stand your ground. Base your faith and practice on what the Bible actually says. Don’t be unkind or disrespectful, but don’t be timid either. With grace and humility, with kindness and respect, just do and say what you know to be right and true, and stand your ground.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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