PSALM CHAPTER 26
AT ISSUE:
HOW DOES ONE BECOME RIGHTEOUS ?

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Is Anyone Righteous In and Of Themselves ?

1. THE INVITATION. V.1-2.
   A. DAVID ASKS GOD TO JUDGE HIM. WHY ?
        —GOD WILL JUDGE ALL, WHETHER THEY ASK FOR IT, OR NOT.
                  ACTS 17:31.
        —CHOICE IS TO JUDGE SELF FIRST, OR LET GOD JUDGE FIRST.
                  I COR. 11:31.
        —DAVID WANTS GUIDANCE. Psalms 139:23
   B. DAVID ASKS GOD TO TEST HIS PURPOSES AND MOTIVATES.
        —THEY RESULT IN ACTIONS. JER. 17:10.
              *BASIS OF THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST IS NOT YOUR
               INTENTS, BUT YOUR ACTIONS. 2 COR. 5:10.

2. DAVID’S CONFIDENCE IN PASSING THE JUDGMENT TIME. V.3.
   A. NOT AS MANY TODAY WHO SUGGEST THAT THEY CANNOT LIVE
          FOR THE LORD. PHIL. 4:13.
   B. DAVID’S STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE:
        —TRUSTING IN THE LORD. V.1 I SHALL NOT SLIDE. 2 PET. 1:10.
        —THE LOVINGKINDNESS OF GOD. RESULTS IN PRACTICAL
               LIVING FOR GOD. I JOHN 5:3.
        —HE HAS WALKED IN THOSE WAYS BEFORE, AND THUS
               KNOWS THE POWER OF GODLY LIVING. 2 TIM. 3:5.

3. THE OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. V. 4.
   *NOT “ONLY GOD KNOWS MY HEART” JAS. 2:18, MATT. 7:16,20.
   A. JESUS CALLED ATTENTION TO WORKS. Rev. 2:2,9,13,19, 3:1.
   B. THE HEART CONDITION COMES OUT. MATT. 15:19.
   C. A MAN IS KNOWN BY HIS WAYS. PROV. 20:11, LUKE 6:44.

4. SEPARATION IS EVIDENCE TO GOD OF A PURE HEART. V. 4.
   A. OUR AFFILIATIONS DO COUNT ! 2 COR. 6:17, EPH. 5:11.
        DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FELLOWSHIP AND WITNESSING:
             "FELLOWSHIP" = ENJOYING THE OTHER’S COMPANY,
                                                BEING A PARTY TO THEIR ACTIVITIES AND
                                                CONVERSATION
                                                RIGHT KIND—ACTS 2:42,
                                                WRONG KIND—EPH. 5:11.
             "WITNESSING" =SHARING THE DIFFERENCE IN JESUS CHRIST,
                                             AND NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE ABOVE.
                                             PHIL. 2:15, I JOHN 2:15-16.

5. WHAT GOD FREELY GIVES. V. 7-12.
   A. RIGHTEOUSNESS. IT BECOMES OURS AFTER GOD GIVES IT
            TO US. PHIL. 3:9, REV. 19:8
   B. FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM. V. 8
        —REQUIRES REMOVAL FROM FELLOWSHIP IN THE WORLD.
             2 COR. 6:14-18, EPH. 5:11.
        —REQUIRES WALKING, NOT BASKING IN THE LIGHT. I JN. 1:6-7.
   C. STABILITY. V. 12. PS. 112:5-9. PS. 62:6, PS. 66:9, IS. 28:16.
        WHAT DOES STABILITY MEAN TO GOD ?
             NOT MOVED. COL. 1:23, PROV. 12:3
                         (ROOT NOT MOVED—EPH. 3:17, COL. 2:7).
          SAFETY. PROV. 21:31, PS. 4:8.
          ANCHORED. HEB. 6:18-19, PS. 62:6.

6. WHAT DAVID DOES: BLESS THE LORD. REV. 5:12, 13, REV. 7:12.
   A. HOW ? WITH ALL THAT IS IN ME. PS. 103:1.
   B. ALLOWING HIM TO DO HIS WORKS THROUGH ME. PS. 103:22.
   C. HOW OFTEN ? AT ALL TIMES ! PS. 34:1.


ARE YOU A BLESSING TO THE LORD AT ALL TIMES ?
DO YOU STRIVE TO BE THAT ?