Caracteristics of the UNGODLY

Psalms 1:1-6
1. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
4. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

They are like Chaff v4

They are unable to stand with confidence in the judgement v5

Their ways will lead to destruction (the way of the wicked is the road to Hell) v6

Psalms 73:1-12
1. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
3. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
5. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
6. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7. From their callous hearts comes iniquity ; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
8. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
9. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
11. They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?"
12. This is what the wicked are like-- always carefree, they increase in wealth.

They appear to be prosperous v3

They don't have any worries, cares, or concerns.
No persecutions
No mockings v4-5

They have a firm strength (overconfidence)
also known as "pride" v6

violence surrounds them
(notice the crime rate around places of vice in comparison to other communities)v.6

Their hearts only strive for evil and they have no limits to how evil they can be v7

They scoff and make fun of the righteous v8

They claim to be heaven's gift to mankind, but their actions denounce God
(they even denounce all forms of authority) v9

They are greedy and gluttonous v10

They challenge God for power, knowledge, authority
(they question His power and words)
with worldly speech they question spiritual matters v11

They are always at ease in their ignorance and unbelief v12

Proverbs 11:30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
31. If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

What is the reward of the ungodly? We must think in opposition to what the righteous will be rewarded with.

Proverbs 16 27. A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.

The ungodly finds evil everywhere in everything and finds companions to share this evil.
(they lose control to where they cannot contain themselves

Romans 4: 5. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Romans 4: 13. It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Romans 5:6-86. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

What does this mean? How does God justify the ungodly?

God justifies the ungodly when they turn from they ungodly ways and start serving Him in righteous. God will not justify an ungodly person who remains ungodly. He will only justify those who become righteous by faith in God and such as demonstrate that faith through obedience.

1 Timothy 1:9. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10. for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers--and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11. that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

The promise was for faith producing righteousness

Christ died for all for without Him, we are all without God.
This is the construction of the word UN-without GOD- LY(like mannerism)

1 Peter 4:16. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18. And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" 19. So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Laws are imposed to punish the wicked and evil-doer. Laws are put forth to keep order.
In God's kingdom, the laws are put forth to keep behavior of all on a righteous level.

Also, we know what our hope is for the faith, righteous, believers who struggle and suffer as followers of Christ. From this passage, we can pretty well figure out what the hope is for the ungodly.

2 Peter 2 :1. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5. if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6. if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

Those that deny the authority of God, Christ, Holy Spirit and the Apostles doctrine are described here. This also includes anyone who teaches a doctrine that will produce souls that are ungodly or who disobey the commandments of our God.

2 Peter 3:7. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

The ungodly have their day coming

Jude 3. Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

The ungodly produce lewdness, immorality in their actions and cause themselves and others to deny Christ our King and Master

Jude 14. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15. to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16. These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. 17. But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18. They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19. These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

Many characterists of the ungodly are revealed here. These are provided to give the sense that we cannot put our trust in them and they are as shallow as seafoam or clouds without water.

Are you striving to be godly or ungodly?

by Carey Scott
(note: the quotations are from the NIV)

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