I originally posted this on Youversion based on the following scriptures: Psalm 23:3, Psalm 119:40, Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 11:19, Proverbs 12:18, and Matthew 7:13
Think of a train on its path, on its rails. As long as it stays on the rails, it can move from point A to point B, and so forth. It can also most effectively deal with unexpected situations that come its way. As long as it stays on the rails, it can move forward when its supposed to, it can stop when it is supposed to. And us, in our walk with Christ, we think we can operate off of the path God has destined for us to stay on. We think we can operate outside of the path of righteousness. We absolutely can't.
It might seem like we are moving forward for a period, but we are not going far before we come to a complete stall. The terrain of unrighterousness is not conducive to the progress of our journey, and our spiritual growth in Jesus Christ. We will not grow, move, be supplied for walking outside of the will that God destined for us to live in. We will more than likely perish outside of the path of righteousness.My pastor used an example of the earth around the sun's orbit. As long as the sun follows its orbit around the sun, everything is perfect and conducive for human life on earth. If the earth moves just little bit closer to the sun in its orbit path, we would have real global warming or burn to death. If the earth moves just a little further, we freeze to death. Either way, the atmosphere becomes deadly. How much more, do we think we can operate outside of the path of righteousness? A righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ, being transformed daily into His likeness; and not works that come by following "the law", or self-righteousness, which God says are nothing but filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).