Topical Bible: Uprightness: The Wicked: do not Act With

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Uprightness, a fundamental virtue in biblical teaching, is characterized by integrity, honesty, and moral rectitude. It is a quality that aligns with God's nature and His commandments. The Scriptures consistently contrast the upright with the wicked, highlighting the moral chasm between those who follow God's ways and those who reject them.

The wicked, as depicted in the Bible, are those who deviate from God's laws and pursue paths of unrighteousness. They are often described as lacking the moral and ethical standards that define uprightness. The Book of Proverbs frequently contrasts the behavior of the wicked with that of the upright, emphasizing the consequences of their actions.

Proverbs 11:5 states, "The righteousness of the blameless directs their path, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness." This verse underscores the idea that the wicked, by their very nature, do not act with uprightness. Their paths are marked by moral failure and self-destruction, a direct result of their rejection of righteous living.

Psalm 36:1-3 provides further insight into the character of the wicked: "An oracle is in my heart regarding the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For his eyes are too full of conceit to detect or hate his own sin. The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing." Here, the absence of the fear of God is highlighted as a root cause of the wicked's failure to act with uprightness. Their arrogance blinds them to their own sinfulness, leading them to speak and act deceitfully.

The prophet Isaiah also speaks to the nature of the wicked in Isaiah 57:20-21 : "But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and muck. 'There is no peace,' says my God, 'for the wicked.'" This imagery of a restless sea illustrates the inner turmoil and lack of peace that accompany a life devoid of uprightness. The wicked, in their rebellion against God, are unable to find the tranquility that comes from living in accordance with His will.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul echoes these themes in Romans 3:10-12 , quoting from the Psalms: "There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." This passage highlights the universal nature of sin and the inherent wickedness in humanity apart from God's redemptive work. It underscores the need for divine intervention to transform the heart and enable one to act with uprightness.

The wicked, therefore, are consistently portrayed in Scripture as those who do not act with uprightness. Their lives are marked by a departure from God's righteous standards, resulting in moral and spiritual decay. The Bible calls believers to pursue uprightness, to walk in the fear of the Lord, and to reflect His character in their lives, standing in stark contrast to the ways of the wicked.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Micah 7:2,4
The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Song of Two Cities
... and that if that 'favour shown to the wicked' in the ... facts of human nature too, and
judgments do sometimes startle ... even when in 'a land of uprightness,' a man ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the song of two cities.htm

Faith Stopping the Mouths of Lions
... of temptation, the same as to be wicked, and that ... is audible, which ventured on
professions of uprightness, accordant with ... things which it is said to do are due ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/faith stopping the mouths of.htm

Be not Conformed to this World. Romans 12:2.
... What do wicked men think, when they see professing Christians ... the same degree, that
the ungodly do who maintain a character for uprightness and humanity ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/be not conformed to this.htm

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and ...
... froward things, who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk ... A righteous and upright
man, consenting with a wicked man in ... fear of him, not daring to do his duty ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section v scriptures showing the.htm

He that is Unjust in the Least is Unjust Also in Much. Luke 16:10.
... things with the same careful and conscientious uprightness as in ... How often do sinners
fix their eye on some petty ... The wicked have cause enough to see that such ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/he that is unjust in.htm

We must Strive for Preferment Only by Right Means. ...
... showing mercy, or by fasting, or by uprightness of life ... Never protect a wicked man,
nor allow the sacred things ... thou art a priest or some cleric do not urge it. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xxiv we must strive.htm

The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, Commonly Called the Didache
... But the way of death is this: First of all, it is wicked and thoroughly ... who love
lies, who are ignorant of the reward of uprightness, who do not "abide by ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the teaching of the twelve.htm

Recapitulation of Former Exhortations. ...
... manifestation of My Providence, didst thou esteem a wicked and pestiferous ... But what
shall I do," saith one ... but the testimony of his life, the uprightness of his ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily vii recapitulation of former.htm

Article iii: of Christ.
... in a worldly nature, nothing is ever better than uprightness and virtue ... Ghost, they
do virtuous works, because they do them with a wicked heart, according ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 2 article iii of.htm

Attributes of Love.
... or choice, the mind is conscious of uprightness, or of ... pray for them that hate you,
and do good unto ... of his glorious justice in the punishment of the wicked. ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xii attributes of love.htm