Way of Righteousness vs Brood of Vipers

[tsth]

Matthew 21:31........."I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

If the way of righteousness is troublesome to you, you might ask yourself........ "why"?

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tsth]

Some other interesting verses regarding John's preaching and the Pharisee and Sadducees:

John was sent to prepare the people to receive the Lord Jesus and HIS Way. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance which is necessary for receiving Christ Jesus:

Acts 19:4 Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus."

Luke 3:3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.

Luke 1:17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

A heart that is resentful to the message of The Way of Righteousness, has not experienced the baptism of repentance in preparing for the Lord Jesus:

Luke 7:24 After John's messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: "'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." 29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

(They were not prepared in true repentance.)

In His Love,

Suzanne

[EricH]

What would be interesting would be to do a study of the phrase "way of righteousness" in the OT and NT to see what exactly the nuances are.

[tsth]

Yes, that would be interesting. Maybe I can look into it, in a little while.

Something else that comes to mind, is the term that was used for the beginning believers. They were referred to as "The Way".

Acts 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

Acts 19:1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. 4 Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

Acts 19:23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.

Acts 22:4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,

Ac 24:14

However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,

Ac 24:22

Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. "When Lysias the commander comes," he said, "I will decide your case."

Jesis IS the Way of Righteousness!

Through Him we are able to walk in an upright manner by abiding in Him.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tsth]

A Sampling of Verses from OT & NT

Genesis 18:19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

Psalm 5:8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.

Proverbs 8:20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

Proverbs 11:5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.

Proverbs 15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But He loves him who follows righteousness.

Proverbs 16:31 The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness.

Matthew 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

(I believe the following passage speaks powerfully about what is taking place in these last days.)

2 Peter 2:21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[TM75]

A Sampling of Verses from OT & NT

Genesis 18:19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

P

Matthew 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

(I believe the following passage speaks powerfully about what is taking place in these last days.)

2 Peter 2:21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Suzanne

To know the way of righteousness is how to hold love,peace,joy and meekness, to have turned away from vomit as in idols, fornication, deceat as in false doctrines. Most of you hold much to false lips and know it not. "these least commandments"

Part of The way is this baptism by the holy ghost, and after you recieve it you can not go back from the holy commandment given unto you, to follow the way of this world and Ballam

Example to show you clear doctrine on the way:

I Timothy 6:3 3 If any man teach otherwise, and is not content with the wholesome words of our Lord Iesu Christ, and with the doctrine of godliness,

4 he is puffed up and knoweth nothing: but wasteth his brains about questions, and strife of words, whereof spring envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings

5 superfluous disputings in scowls of men with corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, which think that lucre is godliness. From such separate thyself.

Hebrews 4 1

[nanasimmons]

Great post....Christ is God's way of righteousness!!!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jer 33:15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Joh 5:38 You have not believed his message, because you refused to have faith in the one he sent.

Joh 5:39 You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me,

Joh 5:40 but you refuse to come to me for eternal life.

Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Tit 1:3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

[tsth]

As I continue to read God's Word, I see passages that seem to correlate with each other. I notice that in regard to John the Baptist and the "preparing the way" before, he was always preaching for the people to repent. I also notice the 2nd passage that followed his reference to the brood of vipers. Here's how it went:

Matthew 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" 4 John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

I found this interesting, as it was also a message repeated by Paul, and this was when he was preaching before Festus, King Agrippa, Bernice, high ranking officers and the leading men of the city:

Acts 26:19 "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

I guess THAT comment didn't go over well with them either?

In His Love,

Suzanne