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The Faithful Path – Two Important Decisions (Psalm 119:3)

They also do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways.
Psalm 119:3

There are two very important principles in this verse that are often repeated in the Scriptures. The first one is to avoid doing things that are sinful.

…that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit…
Ephesians 4:22

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Romans 13:14

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
2 Corinthians 5:17

The Christian should have an increasing hatred of sin and love for God!

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate.”
Proverbs 8:13

Sadly, for many who profess Christ, they may strive to stop sin patterns but will often be lacking in their desire and commitment to walk in the ways of the Lord. But these two principles are dependent on one another. To live as a Christian, you must diligently pursue the ways of the Lord.

…and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Ephesians 4:23–24

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20

Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.
1 Thessalonians 4:1

Two questions that every Christian must ask themselves:

  1. How am I doing at avoiding sin?
  2. What am I doing to walk in the ways of God?

“We must be positively as well as negatively right: we shall not long keep the second unless we attend to the first, for men will be walking one way or another, and if they do not follow the path of God’s law they will soon do iniquity. The surest way to abstain from evil is to be fully occupied in doing good.”[mfn] Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The Treasury of David: Psalms 111-119 (Vol. 5, p. 143). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.[/mfn]

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Rocky Wyatt

Rocky Wyatt came to know the Lord as a young teenager and began working in youth ministry when in college. After serving in churches in Utah, California and Colorado, Rocky moved to Texas to serve as Youth Pastor at Countryside Bible Church. He served there for 26 years where he eventually moved from youth ministry to serve as an Associate Pastor.

Over the course of his ministry, Rocky has always had a desire to train men for pastoral ministry in the context of the local church. In 1992 he started XL Ministries, an organization that is committed to helping churches establish intensive internships for pastoral training. In 2020 he left his position at Countryside Bible Church to become the Executive Director of XL Ministries and now works full time assisting churches in training men for ministry.

He is co-author of The Youth Ministry Training Manual, a textbook for training youth pastors, and has also written multiple other resources for use in various local church ministries. He is currently working on a book to encourage churches to take the primary responsibility to train pastors.

Rocky is married to Pamela, has two sons and daughters-in-law, and ten grandchildren. 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.1 Corinthians 15:58