Exploring the Themes of Hope and Guidance in Psalm One 5-17-26

I learned about this scripture years ago and how it connected with the two judgments and all the time various messages were posted about the difference between a saint and a sinner. In essence a saint cannot be a sinner; many people, even some pastors say: “We are Sinners”

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.  Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

I believe this Psalm gives encouragement to God’s people; it gives the results of the lifestyle conducted in the way the Lord wants us to live. We are blessed when there is godly counsel. How beneficial is an unsaved person’s counsel?

This does not mean that we are not around sinners, but we don’t do what sinners do. We are in a sinful world to bring light to those in darkness. Notice that the psalmist says to meditate on the Word of God; this is the Lord told Joshua to do in order to have good success (Joshua 1:8-9). That’s the way to have God’s success; the world’s kind of success is totally opposite to God’s kind of success.

These step by step directives gives the results of a person who bears fruit from studying the Word; (to be watered by the Word). that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word (Ephesians 5:26).

The point today is to show that one cannot be a “sinner” and a “saint” at the same time. Verses four and five clearly state that there are two judgments, therefore since sinners are not going to heaven, where will we go if we are still sinners?

These verses explicitly tells the difference. There are two judgments- The Judgment Seat of Christ for saints. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The good means how we managed or used our God given abilities to serve others through various assignments (gifts).

The bad means not doing what God called us to do, which means we are saints, but we did not fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.

The great white throne judgment is for sinners-  Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them (Revelation 20:11).

Are you bearing fruit and bringing it forth in it’s season? Are you like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, rooted and grounded in the Word of God?

Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org