Two men, two ways and two destinies

Since the beginning of the world after the fall of man, after man sinned against God. God gave man two options, to choose life or to choose death. "15Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 19Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!"- Deuteronomy 30:15; 19 NLT. For as long as time existed there were two men, two ways and two destinies.

Bible history seems to be built around the concept of "two men": the "first Adam" and the "last Adam" "For it is written: The first man, Adam, became a living soul. The last Adam became the life-giving Spirit." - 1 Corinthians 15:45 TPT. Then there was Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, David and Saul—and Bible history culminates in Christ and Antichrist, the two ways and the two destinies. The way of blessings and the way of judgment.

King David wrote about these two ways in Psalm 1, where he focuses on God’s Word, God’s blessing on those who obey it and meditate on it, and God’s ultimate judgment on those who rebel. "What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways! He won’t walk in step with the wicked, nor share the sinner’s way, nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat. - Psalms 1:1 TPT.

The way of blessing:

Throughout history Israel was a unique and separate people; they were among the other nations but not to be contaminated by them "For from the top of the rocks I see Israel, And from the hills I look at him. Behold, the people [of Israel] shall dwell alone. And will not be reckoned among the nations. -Numbers 23:9 AMP. So it is with God’s people today those who accepted Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord, who follow His ways: they are in the world but not of the world. "For their allegiance is no longer to this world because I am not of this world." - John 17:14. We must beware of friendship with the world that leads to being spotted by the world, with other words we must keep oneself from being polluted by the world that means while we sit with non-Christians we are not to adopt their way of life. The result of this will be conforming to the world and if we don't repent that will lead to be condemned with the world.

We move into sin and disobedience gradually and if we follow the wrong counsel, then we will stand with the wrong companions and finally sit with the wrong crowd. Peter didn’t follow Christ’s counsel and flee from the garden when Jesus was arrested, instead he followed and entered the high priest’s courtyard. There he stood with the enemy and ultimately sat with them. The result was denying Christ three times.  Many of us have already been there and we don't want to go back to old sinful behaviors. We are to be examples of Christ and His love.

Our passion should be to remain true to the Word of God, meditating on the Word, read the Word and never let the Word depart from our mouths. "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read (and meditate on) it day and night, so that you may be careful to do (everything) in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful." - Joshua 1:8 AMP. If we speak to the Lord about the Word, the Word will speak to us about the Lord. As God’s people, we should prefer God’s Word to food, sleep, wealth, and friends. "47My passion and delight is in your word, for I love what you say to me! 48I long for more revelation of your truth, for I love the light of your word as I meditate on your decrees." - Psalms 119:47-48 TPT. The way we treat the Bible is the way we treat Jesus Christ, for the Bible is His Word to us.

When we follow the ways God gave us and obey His commands the Word says we will stand firm and flourish like a tree bearing fruit, a tree that are planted, deeply rooted at the brook of bliss drawing up water and nourishment the hidden resources we have in Christ. "Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life." - Ephesians 3:17 TPT. & "Your spiritual roots go deeply into his life as you are continually infused with strength, encouraged in every way. For you are established in the faith you have absorbed and enriched by your devotion to him!" - Colossians 2:7 TPT. We can’t nourish and support ourselves; we need to be rooted in Christ and drawing upon His spiritual power. To meditate on the Word is one source of spiritual energy, as are prayer and fellowship with God’s people. Alexander Maclaren wrote: "Religion lacks depth and volume because it is not fed by hidden springs." Trees may wither and die, but the believer who abides in Christ stays fresh, green, and fruitful.

The way of judgment.

"The wicked will not endure the day of judgment, for God will not defend them. Nothing they do will succeed or endure for long, for they have no part with those who walk in truth." - Psalms 1:5 TPT. How desperately these people need to know God and receive His blessings in Christ! Where King David describes the righteous, who are like trees to be alive, rooted, flourishing and destined for the kingdom of God, the ungodly are described dead, rootless, blown about, and destined for the fire. Chaff is worth nothing. When the grain is winnowed, the wind blows the chaff away, and what chaff remains is thrown into the fire. John the Baptist used these same images of the tree, fruit, and chaff to warn sinners to repent. "He comes with a winnowing fork in his hands and comes to his threshing floor to sift what is worthless from what is pure. And he is ready to sweep out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his granary, but the straw he will burn up with a fire that can’t be extinguished!" - Matthew 3:12 TPT.

The wicked of this world seem rich and substantial, but from God’s point of view, they are cheap, unsubstantial, and destined for judgment. The chaff is so near the grain, but in the end, the two are separated, and the chaff is blown away or burned. But until that happens, we have the opportunity to witness to them and seek to bring them to Christ. There is a coming day of judgment, and the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will separate the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats, and the trees from the chaff, and no unbeliever will be able to stand in the assembly of the righteous.

King David begins this Psalm with “blessed” and ends with “perish.” True believers are blessed in Christ. "Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—all because he sees us wrapped into Christ. This is why we celebrate him with all our hearts!" - Ephesians1:3 TPT. They have received God’s blessing, and they ought to be a blessing to others, especially to the chaff that will one day be thrown into the fire. Let’s seek to win as many of them as we can. Go out and proclaim the Good News of Salvation and Eternal Life.

Blessings..