Directions Give

Template for Righteous Living

Most of us are familiar with the Old Testament story of Job. He was the one whom God chose to allow Satan to afflict. To test him and see if he would break under pressure and deny God. The book of Job begins by saying that Job was...blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. The word "upright" means "complete integrity".


This verse reveals that Job lived out with actions that were totally in line with God’s nature and desires while abstaining from anything that was evil out of a great respect for the Lord. This verse is not a self-righteous declaration that Job is making about himself, rather, it is from the mouth of God. Job knew what God wanted him to do, and not do, as he lived his life on earth. It is in Job 31 that he lays out a Biblical instruction manual for Christian living that will cause God to acknowledge that we are a person who is "blameless and upright, fears God and shuns evil". Let’s take a moment and identify what this looks like using Job 31 as our template.

  • Verses 1-4: I will not allow lust or immorality to rule my life. I will have appropriate relations with members of the opposite sex.
  • Verses 5-6: I will not be deceitful, manipulative, or unfair.
  • Verses7-8: I will seek God’s Kingdom first and His righteousness and will not allow my mind or my actions to defile me.
  • Verses 9-12: I will guard my heart and stay loyal to my wife, (or husband) not coveting the wife or husband of others and setting myself up for moral failure.
  • Verses 13-15: I will treat my employees fairly and all who serve me. I will see others as my equal and not as beneath me.
  • Verses 16-23:- I will be careful to listen to the poor and needy in the world. I will make efforts to meet their needs while my own needs are being met. This includes helping to meet the needs of food, clothing, and shelter.
  • Verses 24-25: I will not put my trust in money or let my joy be dependent on how much I do or do not have.
  • Verses 26-28: I will not put any other god or idol before me and will always regard the Lord my God as the One I worship and am loyal to all the days of my life.
  • Verses 29-30: I will live in forgiveness and will not hold grudges nor seek revenge against those who have wronged me.
  • Verses 31-32: I will take care of my immediate family and household while also doing what I can to bless the unfortunate and needy.
  • Verses 33-34: I will confess my sins to God and will not give in to peer pressure or the vices of my culture. I will not embrace racism or prejudice but will help the needy, regardless of their race or background.
  • Verses 35-37: I will be submissive and accountable to God and others.
  • Verses 38-40: I will do justice in the land in which I live. I will do nothing to defile the land. I will pay my taxes. I will deal fairly with those I rent from and those who rent from me.

Most of the decrees Job gave in this chapter can be applied to our lives in 2025. Scripture is clear that God will reward those who follow these guidelines and God will allow the enemy to torment those who do not. These are excellent guidelines to follow to please the Lord and to ensure a rich welcome in the life to come.