Psalm 145:20

"The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy."

There are only two groups of people in the world. They are both mentioned in this verse. There are those that love the LORD, and the wicked. This may seem to be harsh, but it is the truth. The important question is into which group do we fit. It is not about nationality or birth or education or deeds done or even church affiliation. None of these things are of any consequence. It is all about love for the LORD. Matthew 22:37 tells us that, "Jesus said ... Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

The opposite is also here. Those who do not love the LORD are the wicked. Wickedness is not defined by lack of nationality or birth or education or deeds done or church affiliation. Rather, it is defined as a lack of love for the LORD. Those who do not love the LORD are the wicked. Love is not simply a friendly feeling toward someone. It is a commitment to that person. God is not a force but a person. Jesus said in John 14:15 that the evidence of a person's love for God is keeping His commandments, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." But, we know that we cannot do this. The keeping His commandments cannot be erratic. If only once we miss a commandment, we have not kept it. We know this to be true. We know that if we speed only once we have still broken the law. Even though we are not caught and brought to justice, we have still failed to keep the law, and are guilty before it. And Jesus speaks of keeping His commandments, not just one of them.

Psalm 145:20 says that those who love Him are preserved while the wicked will be destroyed by Him. This should focus our thinking on how to be one of those that love God. In 1 John 2:5 we find, "... whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." This is similar to what Jesus said in John 14:15. Later, in 1 John 4:9, 10 we read, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." This shows us the basis for love for God. He has done a wonderful thing in sending His Son to die on the cross for us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 reminds us that through Jesus we are counted righteous before God ("For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."). This is not a small issue. God paid an awful price. Sin had to be judged. Guilt before the law had to be dealt with. While guilt before civil law may never be dealt with, guilt before God’s law most certainly will be. God took care of this by judging Jesus Christ for the guiltiness of mankind. Mankind is therefore in the position of being declared righteous before God’s law.

But there are many that count the sacrifice of Christ as not being relevant. God paid such an awful price, and many simply sniff at it. How can these ones be identified? They count nationality or birth or education or deeds done or even church affiliation as being more important than the sacrifice of Christ. They hold to nationality or birth or education or deeds done or even church affiliation or any of many other things as being their ticket into God’s presence. But in John 14:6, "Jesus saith ... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." See the last part of that statement? No man comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. Any other "way" into God’s presence is no way at all. 1 John 5:12 says, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

Loving the LORD, then, ultimately boils down to loving the One that He loves, even His Son. The wicked are those who reject His great sacrifice for nationality or birth or education or deeds done or even church affiliation. In John 3:17, 18 Jesus told Nicodemus, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." See the parallel with Psalm 145:20 here? Two groups of people; the lovers of God, and the wicked. Those who love God are not condemned, those who do not are condemned already. In which group are we?

What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Some day your heart will be asking,
"What will He do with me?"