"Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." Malachi 3.18
As promised, the difference between those who serve God must be visible, perceptible and real. These are the signs of His existence and glory in the contemporary world we live in.
However, the realization of such things is subject to sacrifice and unconditional surrender.
"If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; you will remove iniquity far from your tents. Then you will lay your gold in the dust and the gold of Ophir among stones of the brooks. Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver." Job 22.23-25
The kind of faith that pleases the Almighty and produces benefits is displeasing to the heart because it goes against it's will. On the other hand, it attracts the Glory of the Almighty to you.
Who is willing to pay the price?
"Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James 4.4
This verse clearly defines who is who. The friends of God are enemies of the world and the friends of the world are enemies of God.
The enemies of God automatically become friends of the devil. The friends of God automatically become enemies of the devil.
"Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser. Teach a just man and he will increase in learning." Proverbs 9.9
A wise man thinks. A wise man is humble.
He is wise because he has invested his reason in wisdom. And above all, into God's divine wisdom.
He is humble because he listens to, learns and practices the Word of God.
"Even today my complaint is bitter, my hand is listless because of my groaning." Job 23.2
The righteous are men of revolt. When injustice reaches it's limit, he takes action and calls out to the Righteous Judge because he is certain that He will answer. His faith is violent when it comes to taking possession of what is rightfully his.
"...sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."Genesis 4.7
God has given us the faith to overcome, and above all to rule over the spirit of sin that lies at the door. Sin is a spirit. Those who are wise and prudent will always be careful not to submit to it.
"...having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck." 1 Timothy 1.19
The shipwreck of faith has been a recurring fact. What we come across the most is people that have fallen away from the faith. In the days of the early church, things were the same as today. Can't the shipwrecks of the past serve as an example to prevent shipwrecks today? Sin is the reason for the shipwrecks. They cause a guilty conscience and that neutralizes faith. As a result, people fall and sometimes, to the point where it's impossible to get back up.
