Joel M Bradshaw

19Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.–Proverbs 11

This proverb hit me in an end-times fashion this morning. No doubt Solomon was speaking of more temporal matters and situations. But it also works if you take a step back and ponder the scope of your life and your eternal destiny.

If you pursue righteousness in life you will ultimately recognize that whatever you have is not good enough to save you. You require the righteousness of Christ. So to pursue the righteous life is to pursue Jesus. And if you have pursued Jesus, you will by grace be saved through faith and be given eternal life.

If you pursue evil you are essentially seeking to build a life centered around yourself. You become the second option in the end-times either/or.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

Pursuing righteousness leads you to Jesus. And if you belong to Jesus you are written in his book. Pursuing evil leads ultimately to the lake of fire. How you live this life matters. Your pursuit ultimately matters. Your destiny reveals who and what you pursued.–JMB