198. Claimed Loyalty, True Integrity, And Evil Dispersed (Proverbs 20:6-8)

The Scoffer And The King

11/16/2025

Turn with me to Proverbs 20:6-8. These are our verses to study and memorize this week.

Proverbs 20:6-8 Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man? 7 A righteous man who walks in his integrity—How blessed are his sons after him. 8 A king who sits on the throne of justice Disperses all evil with his eyes.

Introduction

Proverbs 20 deals with the scoffer’s way of life and the king. Kings, nations, and communities need to deal with destructive behaviors and promote the right kind of character, integrity, and justice which will enable a people to thrive. This entire section begins and ends emphasizing the king’s role in this (Proverbs 20:2, 21:1). Quite similarly, our first sub-section, which goes from Proverbs 20:2-8, is also bracketed at the beginning and end with the king dealing with those who oppose him and carry out evil.

So far we have looked at the king’s responsibility to be a terror to wickedness, the true honor found in keeping away from strife versus the natural tendency of fools to quarrel, the problem of the lazy sluggard who does not adequately plan and prepare for the future, and the problem of the hidden plans in the heart of people which need to be uncovered and dealt with by people of understanding. Now, as we finish out this first sub-section, we have the danger of temporary loyalty as contrasted with the lasting blessing of true integrity. Capping it all off, we then get the ideal picture of a king putting evil to flight by the way he deals out justice. With that overview, let’s take a closer look at Proverbs 20:6-8.

6 Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man?

Many people claim to be faithful, but finding one who actually is, is the hard part.

The word here for loyalty is the same rich word for kindness or loyal love that was recently found in Proverbs 19:22 — “Chesed.” There we learned that:

Proverbs 19:22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.

This faithful, loyal, loving-kindness is what people most want in their relationships with others. It is what we want with our marriages, our friends, our co-workers, our neighbors, and the other people in our lives. We want people to be faithful and kind. We want people to have a loyal love. This is exactly the kind of love that believers perfectly have from Jesus Christ. It is also the kind of love and loyalty that God wants and develops in His people towards others.

Here in this proverb, though, we get a dose of reality. Many people claim to have this kind of steadfast loyalty and love towards others, but in actuality that is all it is: a claim that is not backed up by long term action. This point is piercingly made by the rhetorical question that the proverb concludes with. “Who can find a trustworthy man?” Even when we are looking for it intentionally, it is quite hard to find someone who will truly remain faithful in what they say and do.

This is the way of life for the scoffing mocker. They will make strident claims of trustworthiness, but will not really be there when push comes to shove. They will make a covenant in marriage, but when things get hard or someone else gets their attention, they will break their vows. They will commit to carrying out a job or fulfilling a contract, but will then flake out when things get inconvenient. They will tell you they will be there for you, but when they are needed they will be nowhere to be found.

This also can very easily become a way of life for the rest of us as well. People say they are against stealing, lying, foul language, gossip, manipulation, abuse, abortion, pornography, fornication, adultery, or other forms of immorality and yet how often do they end up pursuing these exact behaviors? They say they are against breaking the law, but how often do they knowingly violate it when they think they can get away with it, or because it is “small” and “inconvenient”, or not one of their pet peeves? Even in churches, the commitment to giving, to church attendance, to carrying out church ministries, and other such things all too easily seem to fall by the wayside in people who once strongly advocated for them. Indeed, many people like to claim that they are loyal, faithful, and steadfast. That is how they want to view themselves. But their actions show otherwise.

When the praise of people dissipates, when the recognition ceases, when others get on their nerves, when it becomes inconvenient, or when some other issue arises then reality settles in. Their loyal love is not so loyal or loving. Living righteously falls by the wayside even among so many of those we never would have thought it of. They stopped looking at God’s undeserved loyal love that He showed to them in taking their judgment for their sin upon Himself on the cross. They stop holding onto God’s faithful love and presence with them throughout life. They stop seeing the truth of His future eternal promises in Jesus. They stop living in utter thankfulness and in amazed love for the God who freed them from their sin.

Instead, they are deceived into living like the worries and trials of this life are too big for God in this life. Or perhaps they come to feel that the pleasures of this world, the approval of this world, or what they think they need is more important than living faithfully for God’s glory alone. They end up believing the lie that God is not powerful enough for all of life as it actually occurs, or that He does not truly know and give what is best. Thus they stop meditating and filling their mind with the truth of God’s Word. They replace it with the world’s propaganda and way of living. They stop being transformed by the renewing of their minds and instead become conformed to the world. They stop living for God’s glory. Ultimately, their actions follow their minds. They lose their trustworthiness, loyalty, and love because they stop holding onto the trustworthiness, loyalty, and love of God. Sadly, this process is all too common.

What is quite rare, just like in Solomon’s day, is to find people who are actually trustworthy to carry out what they say they will do and what they say they believe until the day they die. These people remain faithful in their job or governmental situations. They do not try to exploit illicit opportunities to gain power, money, or pleasure. They stick to their marriages, even when they are hard or the other person gets sick. They stick to obeying the law within the parameters of obedience to God’s law, even when it is not easy or they do not think it is best. They work hard to guard their tongue and keep their eyes and heart pure. They deal with their sins as they realize them. They carry out their jobs in a trustworthy manner without slacking off or abusing privileges. They do not bend their principles and what is right just because it is hard, or because others are doing it, or because no one else will know. If they give their word or make a commitment, they keep it. Finding someone like this is quite rare. But, it is what is needed for governments, companies, churches, marriages, and families to be healthy and thrive.

When this kind of righteous living does not occur the impact is widespread. Corruption expands. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Others follow the bad examples they see. Hypocrisy abounds. Good institutions falter, flounder, and fail. Families crack and splinter. The next generations are greatly affected. Thus, a good and wise leader carefully looks beyond what other people say to see their character and what they do before trusting them. A good and wise individual looks very carefully at their own heart and the heart of the other person before they marry someone. Many people proclaim their undying love and even think they mean it in the moment, but they do not have the commitment to God and the character to carry it out in a lifelong way. Given these realities, a good and wise individual also continually inspects their heart to remain trustworthy, loyal, and lovingly committed to God. They remember that Jesus went to the cross for us, while we were helpless and His enemies. May we trust in Him as our Lord and Savior, and then day by day that His righteous, redeemed way of life is always best.

Scriptural Example: In Scripture we see a sad reality of this proverb in the lives of the disciples when real trouble arrived. They had been with Jesus for more than 3 years seeing His miracles, hearing His teachings, and participating in His amazing ministry. Yet, when Jesus was arrested at night by the religious leaders, what happened? The disciples all fled. Yes, Peter did at first cut off a man’s ear with a sword in defense of Jesus, but then what did he do? Three times that night he denied even knowing Jesus at Jesus’ trial. This came about even after Jesus pre-warned them that He was going to be arrested and put to death. It came about even after Jesus warned them that they would all deny Him. They hotly denied this, but when their loyalty was put to the test shortly thereafter, they abandoned Him. (Matthew 26) “Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?”

Even among the early church after the coming of the Holy Spirit, we see this with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. They sold a piece of property and claimed that they were giving the whole amount to help others in the church. When they were individually questioned they stuck to their claims of being honest, loyal, trustworthy, and generous. Yet, in reality it was all fake. They were lying. They were not trustworthy. They were more concerned with their outward prestige and reputation than truly helping others, or being honest before people and God. They were not doing what they did for God’s glory and praise. It was for their own honor and exaltation. That was not loyal love, it was selfish pride.

On the positive side, Jesus is the perfect example that we all ought to look to for true, loyal love. He is the One that we all ought to be imitating. As we have said, He is the One who went to the cross for us. He is the One who loved us while we were dead in our sins and trespasses, while we were children of wrath, full of disobedience, and running from Him. He is the one who died for us, then overcame sin and death through His resurrection and ascended to the Father to intercede for all those who trust in Him as Lord and Savior. He is the One who faithfully went to go and prepare a place for us. He is the One who sent His Spirit to indwell us so that we would not be orphans. He is the One who had His Word perfectly written and preserved for us so that through all generations we would have the truth. He is the One who will come back and judge this world when His work of redemption is complete. He is the One who will give us eternal life and bring us to be with Him forever. Indeed, that truly is loyal, undeserved, trustworthy, enduring love. How woefully short of that we all fall! Yet, in Him and by His enablement we too can be trustworthy and loyal. Have you trusted in Him as your Lord and Savior? Are you closely walking with Him daily so that you are trustworthy in your own life?

Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb with the rest of Scripture we see this sad reality of fake loyalty confirmed by David in Psalm 12. Especially notice, though, verses 1 and 2:

Psalm 12:1-2 Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. 2 They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.

Those who appeared godly failed to be so. In Ecclesiastes 7:27-29 Solomon had a similar experience:

Ecclesiastes 7:27-29 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, 28 which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these. 29 “Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

These truths are echoed in John 2:23-25 in Jesus’ own life and evaluation of people.

John 2:23-25 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Jesus did not entrust Himself to people because he knew everyone’s untrustworthiness. We need to trust in Him, because none of us are trustworthy. On our own we are all sinners in need of being born again. Indeed, “who can find a trustworthy man?”

Truth in Connection: As we connect this to our lives, the amazing encouragement is that in Jesus Christ things do not need to be this way. For those who trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior He takes away their sin upon Himself on the cross. He also gives to us His righteousness and His Holy Spirit within us. He regenerates our spiritually dead natures and makes us a new creation in Christ. In Him we can become trustworthy, loyal, steadfast, and loving. And indeed, that is His purpose for us. Colossians 1:28 puts it this way:

Colossians 1:28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

The purpose of Paul’s proclamation of the gospel and of His discipleship of believers in the truth and wisdom of God’s Word was so that they would be presented pure and holy to Christ. In 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 Paul was very concerned that their purity and loyalty might be compromised.

2 Corinthians 11:2-3 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

Purity and loyalty are indeed a rare thing. But that is God’s purpose and design for us. We are to be holy as He is holy (as 1 Peter 1:16 commands). But how are we to do this?

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

God is faithful. That is how we can be faithful. As we look to His faithfulness, let His Word dwell in us richly, trust Him, and take up our cross daily and follow Him, then we too will be faithful. We will hold onto the confession of our hope without wavering. We will carry out God’s purpose for us in making disciples ourselves. We will carry out the command that has been entrusted to us from 2 Timothy 2:2.

2 Timothy 2:2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

As we do these things we will persevere to the end like Paul persevered. We will pray like Paul prayed. We will jealously pursue faithfulness among fellow believers. We will point them to the fullness of life in Jesus Christ that is available to every one of us. 2 Corinthians 13:9-11 reiterates this.

2 Corinthians 13:9-11 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete. 10 For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down. 11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

May we be faithful, trustworthy people. May we be building up other faithful people on the foundation of Jesus Christ. This is what will truly make our lives, and our society thrive. These are the kinds of people that are needed in government. These are the kinds of people that are needed in marriages. These are the kinds of people that are needed in churches. These are the kinds of people that are needed in workplaces. Are you one of them? Will you turn to Jesus to become a truly faithful, loyal, loving person? Or, will you be one of the many who claim to be loyal but in reality fail at being trustworthy?

Our next proverb gives us a positive and encouraging word as it continues this focus on integrity and faithfulness. It emphasizes the ongoing blessing that faithfulness provides.

7 A righteous man who walks in his integrity—How blessed are his sons after him.

One who faithfully lives out his life with God leaves a priceless legacy, example, and guidance to his descendants.

This is the stark opposite of the people in our last proverb, who, despite claims to be loyal, will not prove to be trustworthy. The man here is one who is known for walking in his integrity. His righteous faithfulness has been seen and experienced. The fruit of that loyal love has a real impact on lives. Not only does it build up himself and his community, but it also has a lasting affect upon his descendents. His sons after him reap the reward of his integrity and hard work. They reap the reward of his example and way of life. They themselves learn how to live righteously by the picture that has been lived right in front of them. They are taught the fear of the Lord. They are taught to have a real belief in God’s holiness, in their own sinfulness, in God’s judgment of sin, and in God’s redeemed way of life. They are taught to seek God’s wisdom above all else. In all this, they have a blessing beyond all treasure. They are taught the true meaning and purpose of life in relation to God, and then a living picture of that is lived before them. This is the way that families and the generations should live in a righteous society. This is the way that families need to be for a nation to truly thrive and reach its best potential. This is what a righteous leader will promote. This is what righteous churches and communities will exalt. This is what righteous families will teach the next generations.

Scriptural Example: When we look to Scripture for an example of this, we see it in the life of Caleb. When the other spies gave a bad report about entering into the promised land he lived a life of righteousness and integrity. In Numbers 14, when the people began to rebel and talk about returning to Egypt he challenged them to trust God and enter the promised land. Unfortunately, the people did not listen to him. But God intervened and took notice. He promised that while all the rest of the people would die in the wilderness, Caleb, who had followed Him fully, would enter the promised land and his descendents would take possession of it (Numbers 14:24). God then preserved Caleb healthfully through the years and gave him Hebron as his inheritance after he drove out the giants who were living there. While we do not know much about Caleb’s sons (other than that he had three and they must have received his inheritance, 1 Chronicles 4:15), we do know that his nephew Othniel was the first judge of Israel in Judges 3:7-11. Othniel was a mighty fighter during the conquest years who won Caleb’s daughter as his wife by conquering a hard city. Together they also specifically received some of Caleb’s special inheritance. Later on Othniel defeated the king of Mesopotamia and judged Israel for 40 years (Judges 1:12-15, 3:7-11). Caleb’s integrity and righteousness brought him and his descendents a prime inheritance in Israel. It also greatly impacted the next generation as Othniel led the people in following God. In Caleb he had a great example to follow in godliness and courage.

Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb with the rest of Scripture, we see that God designed children to learn from the example and words of their parents. In Deuteronomy 6, after telling them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and might (v. 5), parents are told to teach their children God’s words. They were to do it throughout life when they sat in the house, when they walked in the way, when they lay down, and when they got up (vv. 6-7). Living and teaching it was to be a natural way of life. They were to do things to remind themselves of God’s Word (vv. 8-9). They were even to teach them the meaning and history of God’s Word. It was not just a list of do’s and do not’s. It was a thorough picture of God’s redemption, God’s blessing, and God’s good and perfect design for their lives that was to be taught (vv. 20-25).

For Israel there were direct physical blessings for trusting God and walking in obedience like this. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 extensively described those blessings. Thus children would literally reap the blessings—both spiritually and physically—for their parent’s steadfast, loyal faithfulness to God.

As Christians we too are called to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord as Ephesians 6:4 says. Likewise, we too will reap what we sow as Galatians 6:7-9 reminds us. However, the treasure that we are sowing and will reap is the eternal treasure laid up in heaven which will be fully experienced spiritually and physically in God’s eternal kingdom. In this life we are promised that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) This is because, we are still in our land of affliction. We are still in our pilgrimage. We are not yet in our promised land like Israel was.

Make no mistake, by living lives of integrity and righteousness, our children do still receive a blessing beyond comparison even in this life. They are taught the truth about sin, judgment, holiness, and God’s redemption. They are taught the fear of God. They are shown what true wisdom is by our words and actions. They are given a treasure or a pathway to a treasure far beyond any temporary riches or fleeting pleasures that can be found in this life. They are indeed blessed by our example and integrity.

Truth in Connection: As we connect this to our lives and nation, the truth should be apparent. We need to be people of faithful integrity who righteously follow God. We must not be of those who hypocritically say one thing and do another. We must follow Jesus faithfully and trust Him that His Word and His way are unerringly true for every circumstance. That is the only way that we will truly build up our families, our churches, our communities, and our nation. It is the only way that we can leave treasures to them which cannot be lost, taken away, or rust away. Have you trusted in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Are you faithfully walking in the truth of His righteous, redeemed way of life? Are you leaving your family and community an example of a life of true integrity? If not, turn from those hypocritical ways and truly trust God that His way is best and that in Him is the power to overcome sin and walk in righteousness. If you are living this way, keep on. Finish well. It is worth it. It is right. It is best.

Our last verse comes back to the big picture of a nation. It expresses the king’s responsibility to administer justice to prevent the scoffer mocker’s evil ways of life from destroying the nation.

8 A king who sits on the throne of justice Disperses all evil with his eyes.

Actually dealing out justice makes evildoers afraid.

“Disperses” is from a word that has to do with scattering or winnowing.¹ After a harvest is brought in from the field the grain still has to be removed from the stalks. To do that in ancient times, either an oxen would tread it down to break it apart (without being muzzled!), or a wooden sledge with rocks or metal on it would be used. That is called threshing. This would all take place over a flat section of rock or on a specially built threshing floor. It would be in an elevated area that would get a bit of a breeze. Then a pitchfork-like tool would be used to throw the mixture up into the air. This is called winnowing. The heavier grain would fall right to the ground while the breeze would disperse the lighter chaff and other material to the side. The grain could then be gathered to make bread, while the chaff and stalks could be burned, left scattered to the wind, or used for making bricks.

In the context of our proverb, the king is sitting on his throne of judgment and dividing the righteous and the wicked. He is winnowing them. He is separating them. The righteous are protected and exonerated to become fruitful members of society. Meanwhile, the evil-doers are blown away and scattered to the wind, burned up, or forcefully made into something useful. The king’s eyes discern between situations and takes care of them once and for all. This is what a nation needs to have occurring for it to be protected from evil-doers ruining it. The king is responsible for this. As the king, or leaders go, so goes the nation.

Scriptural Example: When we look to Scripture for an example of this proverb we see one in Solomon’s experience judging between the two prostitutes who came to him each claiming that the same baby was theirs. They lived together, both had babies about the same time, but one accidentally rolled over her baby and smothered it in the night. She had then switched the dead baby for the living one. In the morning the real mother discovered what happened, but could not prove it. After hearing the issue Solomon decreed that a sword be brought and the living baby be cut in two. Each woman would be given half. The real mother was aghast and immediately urged that the baby be saved and simply given to the other woman. The other woman was not so mercifully minded. Thus the real mother became apparent and justice was served. 1 Kings 3:28 says this about the outcome of that justice:

1 Kings 3:28 When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.

Think about what Solomon did there. He was able to figure out the truth without any evidence—simply by his discernment and wisdom. If he could do that, there would be no pulling the wool over his eyes. You had better not cheat someone and try to pretend you were innocent before this king! Justice would be served. Your deceit would be no match for his wisdom. His reputation by itself dispersed evil. This is what faithfully and carefully carrying out justice can do.

Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb with the rest of Scripture, the description of Jesus that John saw in Revelation 1 stands out. John was being given seven strong warning messages to seven churches before being given the prophecies of God’s coming judgment and kingdom. Notice the intense picture of Jesus that is presented and John’s response:

Revelation 1:13-19 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. 19 “Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.

Seeing Jesus like this would indeed disperse all evil with His eyes. In His first coming Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. He came to give His life as a ransom for many. He came to save His people from their sins. That is what He did in His coming with His death, burial, and resurrection. He bore our sins so that we could be forgiven and made righteous. That is the good news of the gospel. All who believe in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life. But in His second coming Jesus will come to judge all nations. The book of Revelation outlines this judgment for us. Quite interestingly, we also have seven letters to seven churches first. Those letters are full of warnings and encouragements to believers to persevere faithfully, to not allow sin or false doctrine in our churches, and to fix the issues that are present. When John saw Jesus like this, he dropped at Jesus’ feet like a dead man. This is the apostle whom Jesus loved. This was the apostle who had leaned back on Jesus chest at the last supper to find out who was going to betray Him (John 21:20). He had a very close relationship with Jesus. Yet here, the justice and glory pouring forth from Jesus was overwhelming. John fell like a dead man at Jesus’ feet.

When the King of kings comes, there will be no hiding. Every sin will be laid bare. He will sit on His throne of justice at the great white throne judgment as Revelation 20:11-15 describes. He will dispense justice on all the living and the dead who did not trust in Him as Lord and Savior. Every knee will indeed bow and acknowledge Him as Lord. Then He will disperse all evil into its rightful eternal judgment in the lake of fire. This is what the King of kings will do when the current day of redemption is over and the day of justice comes to pass. At that time there will be no wickedness and evil in His eternal kingdom. Truth, justice, righteousness, love, and peace will reign forever.

Truth in Connection: As we connect this to our lives, we need to understand that this is the way that things ought to be. This is how God originally made His creation to be—full of righteousness, truth, and goodness. The only way our kingdoms, nations, churches, families, or lives can truly thrive and be what they ought to be is if they exist in righteousness and holiness. Sin, of course, has marred that and made it’s full realization an impossibility in this life. Thus it will be a constant struggle to pursue and carry out justice. Nonetheless, this righteousness and justice is what is needed and best for all of our situations and relationships. When it is not carried out the destructiveness of sin will spread and bring ruin. Thus a king, a government, and the court systems need to maintain justice in such a way that evil is dispersed, judged, and fully taken care of. Companies must not tolerate deception, fraud, abuse, and other wicked behaviors that will tear them down. Churches must not allow sin to be ignored and grow until it infiltrates and destroys their God-given witness and work. Parents must not be permissive and ignore their children’s sinful behaviors. They must be corrected and dealt with justly. Schools, sports teams, and all other places of interaction must deal with wickedness and injustice. Sin must not be swept under the rug, ignored, or minimized. If what is right is not stood up for then wickedness will grow. Bit by bit it will undermine what is right, good, holy, true, productive, and healthful. Let grow, it will destroy and ruin individuals, families, churches, businesses, seminaries, and nations. No matter how hard it is, we must deal with it justly. We must not allow sin to rule the roost.

Since righteousness is the way that things ought to be carried out, and since justice needs to be exercised to deal with evil, then the first reality that needs to be addressed is the wickedness within our own hearts. All of us are sinners. All of us have rebelled against God. We deserve His judgment, and will receive it—unless we are declared righteous and then made righteous in Jesus through His death, burial and resurrection. What we do with Jesus matters eternally. Every knee will bow to Him. The only question is how and when. If you have not already, turn from holding onto your sin as your god. Turn to Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Trust Him to forgive, save, and cleanse you. He will not cast out any that come to Him, as He promised in John 6:37.

Having trusted in Him, we need to continue to hold to this reality on how things ought to be and will be. We need to remember that Jesus is coming to judge all sin and not let that sin back into our lives. We need to turn back from any sin that does occur and come back into fellowship with Jesus. We need to maintain a vision of Jesus’ holiness like Revelation pictures and heed the warnings that He gave to those seven churches in Revelation 2-3. We need to keep our love the vibrant first-love that remembers what He has saved us from. We need to hold on to sound doctrine and not allow false teaching to undermine our lives and churches. We need to hold on to pure living and not let immorality corrupt our minds or lives. We need to keep ourselves from thinking we are rich when we have some of this world’s fleeting, empty riches. We need to find true riches in Jesus. We need to persevere through trials and persecutions and maintain a faithful testimony. We need to be people of integrity who live lives of faithful, loyal, loving-kindness towards God and others.

When we find ourselves failing at this we need to get our eyes back on both pictures of Jesus that we see in Scriptures. We need to be:

Hebrews 12:2-4 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;

We also need to see Jesus as the end of that same chapter does. Hebrews 12:28-29 says this about Jesus.

Hebrews 12:28-29 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Indeed, Jesus is our loving Savior who went to the cross for us. But He also is the one with eyes like a flame of fire, with feet like fiery bronze, and with a voice like the sound of many waters. He is the one who is pictured as having a sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth, and whose face shines like the sun in its strength. He is completely overwhelming in His full holiness, justice, and glory. He is both our loving, amazing, gracious, merciful Savior, and our Holy, pure, just, sovereign Lord. May we keep our hearts guided by both of these realities. It will push us to fear when we walk in sin and to come back to Jesus if we are truly His. It will push us to holding on and persevering when we are weak. It will push us to holiness and justice in our personal lives, in our families, in our churches, in our jobs, and in our nation. May we keep living in light of the reality of who Jesus truly is, both in His love and His justice.

If you are not living this way, surrender to Him. Repent. Turn from your wrong, misguided way of living. Trust in Jesus’ presence, power, and love to overcome that sin and to live in His good and righteous way of redeemed living.

Conclusion

Do you know and believe in this one, true Jesus for who He really is? Or do you have a false picture of Jesus or yourself that you need to discard? Do not live by a fairy tale picture of Jesus. Live by the truth. It will revolutionize your life. It is the only way to eternal life. It is the only true and right way of living for us as Christians. Trust and obey Jesus. He is God.

If you have any questions on any of this or want help in coming to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior please come talk with us. We are available. Let’s pray.

© 2025, Kevin A. Dodge, All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible^® (NASB),Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org