6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
The meaning of these two verses:
The wicked will not stand in the judgment, when God judges the deeds of men. In the New Testament book of Romans, written roughly a thousand years after this psalm, the Apostle Paul states that there will be a "righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS" (Romans 2:5b-6). Paul states that "those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness" will receive in the judgement "wrath and indignation" from God (Romans 2:8).
The judgement of deeds will apply to all people. Those who believe in Christ will have their deeds judged to see what rewards they gain for the investments in God's kingdom they made during their lives (1 Corinthians 3:11-17, 2 Corinthians 5:10). But all self-seeking, exploitation, and abuse will be chastised by God. That is why those who are sinners, and those who practice wickedness will not stand in the judgement. They will be like a tree that is felled, rather than a tree that produces fruit, and stands tall and straight because of the nourishment of the irrigation.
Similarly, sinners will not stand in the assembly of the righteous. In the day of judgement, God will open the books, and all deeds will be judged (Revelation 20:2). Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). Believers who waste their opportunity to live faithfully, serving others, and instead exploit others and serve their own appetites will have their deeds burned in the fire of God's judgement. If all his works are burned up, he himself will be saved, though as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:14-15).
This is because the Lord knows the way of the righteous. God is watching. God will make sure that everyone gets the rewards they deserve. To "those who by perseverance in doing good" and live as the righteous, and "seek for glory and honor and immortality" from God, seeking His approval, God will give them the reward of "eternal life"—meaning the greatest possible experience of life.
God gives eternal life as a free gift for all those who believe; those who have enough faith to look upon Jesus, hoping to be healed of the poison of sin (John 3:14-15). In this way, eternal life is a gift. All who believe will live forever in the presence of God, as His child. God is always the inheritance of believers (Romans 8:17a). Nothing can separate any believer from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39). But just like physical birth, which is a gift of life, who we become in life depends upon our choices. We can experience a physical life that is blessed or one that is miserable and wretched.
The same holds true in the spiritual realm. If we have enough faith to believe, we are in God's family, and are unconditionally accepted by Him. We have the gift of eternal life. But in order to gain the experience of eternal life, we must walk in obedience to His ways. We must internalize His ways, meditate upon His ways, and walk in His ways. As the Apostle Paul states "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:8). This verse again speaks of eternal life as a reward.
God will prosper the way of those who sow to the Spirit. But the way of the wicked will perish. Any work of a believer that is wicked will be burned in the fire of God's judgement as wood, hay, and straw. But deeds done in obedience to God will be like gold, silver, and precious stones; the fire will refine them, and make them even more precious (1 Corinthians 3:12).
Good morning, Friends. Thank you for spending a few moments with me. And more importantly in God's Word. I pray for you a wonderful and blessed day, in Him!
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