And in the End

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalm 1:6 NASB

Wicked – It is a laughable fact that statistically most people believe they are above average. It is a very sad fact that most people believe they are not among the wicked. Despite considerable warnings about the narrow way, most religious people, believe that they are on the right path. Most believers think once you have your ticket stamped, being good is good enough.

A month ago I was in China talking to the president of a Christian seminary. He proudly announced that 100,000 people had “come to the Lord” in his province. I asked him how he knew that. Reaching for another slice of cooked pork, he replied that the churches in the area performed 100,000 baptisms. “Baptized into what?” I thought to myself. Into a way of life that has been syncretizing pagan customs for 2000 years. Into a way of life that sees no connection to Torah. Into a way of life that is about being a good (and successful) person. If we talked about David’s definition of the wicked, the conversation would have ended abruptly. The first Psalm is about the preeminent place of Torah, the only true guiding light for life. The wicked are defined as those who do not follow the instructions of YHVH. Just like the statistics about “average,” the Greek paradigm of the Christian Church convinces believers that they are among the righteous in spite of their obvious behavioral misalignment.

Who, then, are the wicked? The Hebrew term is rasa (Resh-Shin-Ayin). “The person consuming experience” in Paleo-Hebrew. What might this mean? Could we suggest that the wicked are those who live according to their experience of life, whose standard is not the one revealed by the God outside the human frame but rather the standard of what pleases now, inside the human frame? Does it matter if that standard is determined by the Church rather than the civilization? The paradigm is still not revelation. It is accommodated revelation, modified and adjusted to the culture. Yes, the Church does advocate acts of righteousness, compassion, benevolence and moral character, but on what basis? The Bible? The Bible teaches Torah. Every prophet, every disciple, even the Messiah teaches Torah. The Bible does not teach a higher human morality. It teaches a revelation from God. Adjustments of that revelation are the signs of wickedness.

We must face the real statistics. Most people are average. There is nothing wrong with that. And most believers are good people. They are trying to live good lives and be faithful to God. They just don’t realize that Torah obedience is the standard of righteousness. They can’t imagine that Torah disobedience is wickedness. No one has ever taught them that nomos is Torah (law) and anomos is lawlessness, i.e., without Torah. 100,000 baptisms mean nothing without 100,000 observant followers of the revelation of YHVH. 100,000 baptisms means that these people have heard God speak to them but they haven’t heard Him say, “Now follow in my ways.” They have heard the Church tell them that their tickets are stamped, now go be a good person. It’s not their fault (yet). It’s the fault of 2000 years of anti-Jewish teaching. But that doesn’t make it excusable. Reading the word of God should convince anyone that God does have a standard and He expects His people to live by it. You and I know this. Therefore we are all the more accountable. But we are also expected to help others see it, so that 100,000 baptisms will mean 100,000 citizens of the Kingdom from heaven.

Notice that David does not say (and this is important) that the wicked will perish. He says that the way of the wicked will perish. In other words, the path that they tread, the behaviors they demonstrate, the system of thought they employ, the standards they accept—these will perish. Their way of life will be gone. Why? Because in the end, Torah will pour forth from Zion.

Now, please pass the shrimp.  Oh, yes, don’t forget this.

Topical Index: wicked, rasa, Torah, Psalm 1:6