The Way Which Seemeth Right
Proverbs
Introduction
Deception is so easy, partly because many people are so
gullible; many are so trusting, especially in the realm of religion. Even in the denominational world men have
moved from the old-line established religious groups to virtually anything man
can think up. A recent number heard is
that there are now some 22,000 denominations in the world. Just one example is the Spirit Wind
Ministries on LA3 north of
If we but study the will of God we can see the Way that
is right.
God’s Way or Man’s Way
The nations that
“YE SHALL NOT DO AFTER ALL the
things THAT WE DO HERE THIS DAY, EVERY MAN WHATSOEVER is
RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES.” Deuteronomy 12:8
God’s ways are higher than man’s ways:
Isaiah 55:8-9 “FOR MY THOUGHTS are NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER are
YOUR WAYS MY WAYS, SAITH THE LORD. FOR as THE HEAVENS ARE HIGHER THAN THE
EARTH, SO ARE MY WAYS HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS, AND MY THOUGHTS THAN YOUR
THOUGHTS.”
Psalms 103:11 “FOR AS THE HEAVEN IS HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH, so GREAT IS HIS MERCY
TOWARD THEM THAT FEAR HIM.”
Man, of himself, does not have the wisdom to guide his
own footsteps:
Jeremiah
We see on the TV news every night and read in our
newspapers every day about members of our current generation that are without
God and like those described by the Holy Spirit through the pen of Agur:
Proverbs 30:11-14 “There is A GENERATION that CURSETH THEIR FATHER AND DOTH
NOT BLESS THEIR MOTHER. There
is A GENERATION that are PURE IN THEIR OWN
EYES, AND yet IS NOT WASHED FROM THEIR FILTHINESS. There is A GENERATION, O HOW LOFTY
ARE THEIR EYES! AND THEIR EYELIDS ARE LIFTED UP. There is A GENERATION, WHOSE TEETH are
as SWORDS, AND THEIR JAW TEETH as KNIVES, TO DEVOUR THE POOR FROM
OFF THE EARTH, AND THE NEEDY FROM among MEN.”
Men justify themselves, they justify their teachings and
their surmising before men, they are more than accepted, they are touted and
held high for their false teachings but what are they in the sight of God?
Luke
Because they would not accept the teachings of the Son of
God the disciples of Jesus that stood for the truth of God’s word in the days
of Jesus were in danger. They were not
only in danger of being driven out of the houses of worship and out of the
fellowship of the congregations of the people but even being killed as many
were.
John 16:2-3 “THEY SHALL PUT YOU OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUES;
YEA, THE TIME COMETH, THAT WHOSOEVER KILLETH YOU WILL THINK THAT HE DOETH GOD
SERVICE. AND THESE THINGS WILL THEY DO
UNTO YOU, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THE FATHER, NOR ME.”
Even today in the Arab world we see men slaughtering
other men in the name of God, a slaughter that will only grow worse unless
stopped. These people are some of the
most zealous in their cause that we will ever find in this world but they fit
Paul’s description of those that stumbled at the teaching of Christ:
“FOR I BEAR THEM RECORD THAT
THEY HAVE A ZEAL OF GOD, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE.” Romans 10:2
Those that know the way of God know without doubt that we
will not escape the consequences of the things that we do. Paul wrote:
“BE NOT DECEIVED; GOD IS NOT
MOCKED: FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP. FOR HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH SHALL OF THE
FLESH REAP CORRUPTION; BUT HE THAT SOWETH TO THE SPIRIT SHALL OF THE SPIRIT REAP
LIFE EVERLASTING.” Galatians 6:7-8
God’s Way is the Right Way
Many men would have us to believe that so long as we are
honest and sincere we will be right with God.
But this is a delusion. There is
no doubt there are millions of people on this earth that are doing sincerely
those things that they think are right but that God finds to be an
abomination. In fact we could stretch
this notion so far as to say that those who murdered over 3,000 people on 9/11
were honest and sincere in their belief that they were doing the will of God.
Millions of men take false teaching that is spiritual
poison, thinking that they are doing right but God finds them to be an
abomination. We even have people in this
country who do strange things such as handling poisonous snakes in their
worship and frequently pay the consequences.
Their way seems right to them but has no basis in God’s way.
There is a Latin saying that was held as truth for many
years that says “Vox Populi, Vox Dei”; “The voice of the people, the voice of
God.” In other words whatever the people
chose to do, whatever the people chose to follow as law, whatever the people
chose to practice as religion or present as worship to God was acceptable. Vast multitudes are following that same
philosophy today and thousands of our brethren are joining them in their
teaching and practice. They are
accepting a fallacy, a falsehood as their spiritual guide.
This is nothing new to the world or the Word of God. In the days of Noah the “voice of the people”
was definitely contrary to God:
Genesis 6:5
“AND GOD SAW THAT THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN was GREAT IN THE EARTH, AND that
EVERY IMAGINATION OF THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART was ONLY EVIL
CONTINUALLY.”
Only Noah “FOUND GRACE IN
THE EYES OF THE LORD.” Genesis 6:8
In II Chronicles 18,
one man, the prophet Micah, was asked whether
II Chronicles 18:16 “THEN HE SAID, I DID SEE ALL
But the false prophets hired
by Ahab, the king of
II Chronicles 18:5 “THEREFORE THE KING OF ISRAEL GATHERED TOGETHER OF PROPHETS FOUR
HUNDRED MEN, AND SAID UNTO THEM, SHALL WE GO TO RAMOTH-GILEAD TO BATTLE, OR
SHALL I FORBEAR? AND THEY SAID, GO UP;
FOR GOD WILL DELIVER it UNTO THE KING’S HAND.”
The “voice of the people” were wrong at the crucifixion
of Jesus. Peter brings their sin home to
them in one of his sermons in
Acts
Convinced by the words of his sons, Jacob thought Joseph
to be dead for 22 years but he was mislead with Joseph’s bloody coat:
Genesis 37:33 “AND HE KNEW IT, AND SAID, it is MY SON’S COAT; AND EVIL BEAST
HATH DEVOURED HIM; JOSEPH IS WITHOUT DOUBT RENT IN PIECES.”
We could present example
after example of men thinking that they were right when they were not but this
is sufficient to illustrate the point of this lesson.
But Men Insist
Across the country and even within the ranks of our
brethren we have men serving to God in worship that which they think God should
require rather than what His words tells us is required. Across this country and around the world men
are teaching what they think God might say, may of said, should have said
regarding our service to him, what is required to be a faithful child of his,
what is required to reach that eternal destination, heaven. But they are wrong. Around the entire world
men are teaching, practicing and in some cases forcing on other people
religions that are based totally upon the whims and wants of the people.
But the Bible does not leave us in doubt. Jesus said:
Matthew
Paul made sure that the
Thessalonican brethren were grounded and anchored in The Faith.
I Thessalonians 3:2 “AND SENT TIMOTHEUS, OUR BROTHER, AND MINISTER OF GOD, AND OUR
FELLOWLABOURER IN THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, TO ESTABLISH YOU, AND TO COMFORT YOU
CONCERNING YOUR FAITH.”
We must believe and follow God in order to enjoy the
blessings of eternity and heaven:
Hebrews 11:6
“BUT WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE him: FOR HE THAT COMETH TO GOD MUST
BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND that HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM THAT
DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.”
But the entire world those
who rejected God after the flood, lived without God for centuries, and/or
rejected Christ as the Messiah sent by God all had ways that seem right to
them:
Mohammedans do not completely deny Jesus. They recognize him as a prophet but secondary
to Mohammad. But the Son of God tells
us:
“I SAID THEREFORE UNTO YOU,
THAT YE SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS; FOR IF YE BELIEVE NOT THAT I AM he,
YE SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS.” John 8:24
Buddhists, Hindus and the litany of eastern religions
believe in everything from a golden statue of a tubby man, to reincarnation,
worship their ancestors, and a variety of other things. But the Word of the Creator of our universe,
the Holy Spirit tells us through the pen of Paul:
Romans
Many teach that all you have to do is be a good moral
person to enjoy the blessings of salvation but the scripture does not teach
anything of this nature. There were many
good moral Jews and I’m sure not a few good moral infidels during the time of Christ. In fact we have an example in the New
Testament of a good, moral man but one who was not saved:
Acts 10:1-2
“THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAN IN CAESAREA CALLED CORNELIUS, A CENTURION OF THE BAND
CALLED THE ITALIAN band, a DEVOUT man, AND ONE THAT FEARED GOD WITH
ALL HIS HOUSE, WHICH GAVE MUCH ALMS TO THE PEOPLE, AND PRAYED TO GOD ALWAY.”
But the scripture tells us
that God’s richest blessings and the salvation of our souls is given only to
those who obey the words of His Son:
Mark
Ephesians 1:3 “BLESSED be THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HATH
BLESSED US WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY places IN CHRIST;”
Bible Examples
I Peter 4:11
“IF ANY MAN SPEAK, let him speak AS THE ORACLES OF GOD; IF ANY MAN MINISTER, let
him do it AS OF THE ABILITY WHICH GOD GIVETH: THAT GOD IN ALL THINGS
MAY BE GLORIFIED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, TO WHOM BE PRAISE AND DOMINION FOR EVER
AND EVER. AMEN.”
In His oracles God has been exact in his instructions and
expects exact obedience to his commands.
God does not change (Malachi 3:6). Uzzah is our first example. Man was not to touch the Ark of the Covenant
at the penalty of death. It was to be
carried by the priests on poles running through rings on the sides of the
ark. But when
II Samuel 6:6-7 “AND WHEN THEY CAME TO NACHON’S THRESHINGFLOOR, UZZAH PUT FORTH his
hand TO THE ARK OF GOD, AND TOOK HOLD OF IT; FOR THE OXEN SHOOK it. AND THE ANGER OF THE LORD WAS KINDLED AGAINST UZZAH; AND GOD SMOTE HIM THERE FOR his
ERROR; AND THERE HE DIED BY THE
Under the Mosaic Covenant the priests were the only
people that were authorized by God to offer sacrifices and burn incense in the
II Chronicles 26:18 “AND THEY WITHSTOOD UZZIAH THE KING AND SAID UNTO HIM, It appertaineth
NOT UNTO THEE, UZZIAH, TO BURN INCENSE UNTO THE LORD, BUT TO THE PRIESTS, THE SONS OF AARON, THAT ARE CONSECRATED
TO BURN INCENSE: GO OUT OF THE SANTUARY; FOR THOU HAST TRESPASSED; NEITHER shall
it be FOR THINE HONOUR FROM THE LORD
GOD.”
One more example from the schoolmaster: when Aaron and his sons were consecrated to
make sacrifice for the Israelite nation he also instituted sacrifices for them
to prepare and present in worship to him.
In Leviticus 9:24 those
sacrifices were consumed by fire that He sent down for that purpose and
designated what fire they should use in their daily offerings. The sons of Aaron who served as priests
seemed to think that another way was just as right.
Leviticus 10:1-2 “AND NADAB AND ABIHU, THE SONS OF AARON, TOOK EITHER OF THEM HIS
CENSER, AND PUT FIRE THEREIN AND PUT INCENSE THEREON, AND OFFERED STRANGE FIRE
BEFORE THE LORD, WHICH HE COMMMANDED
THEM NOT. AND THERE WENT OUT FIRE FROM
THE LORD, AND CONSUMED HTEM, AND
THEY DIED BEFORE THE LORD.”
It is indeed that these things were given unto us that we
might learn the nature of God and how God deals with his creation. As the Holy Spirit tells us through the pen
of the Apostle Paul:
Romans 15:4
“FOR WHATSOEVER THINGS WERE WRITTEN AFORETIME WERE WRITTEN FOR OUR LEARNING,
THAT WE THROUGH PATIENCE AND COMFORT OF THE SCRIPTURES MIGHT HAVE HOPE.”
II John v.9
“WHOSOEVER TRANSGRESSETH (goeth onward), AND ABIDETH NOT IN THE DOCTRINE
(teaching) OF CHRIST, HATH NOT GOD. HE
THAT ABIDETH IN THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, HE HATH BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON.”
Conclusion
Indeed, for multiplied millions and billions of people in
the day of judgment who have followed a way that seemed right to them are going
to be deeply disappointed with their eternal destination. God has warned man repeatedly, destroyed him
from the face of the earth once, except for Noah and his family, destroyed
nations and peoples because of their refusal to obey him but the lesson never
seems to sink in for very long that:
“THERE IS A WAY WHICH
SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO A MAN, BUT THE END THEREOF are THE WAYS OF DEATH.” Proverbs 14:12
We should take God at his word. He is our Supreme Being, our Creator, the
Finisher and Ruler of our universe. The
day will come when he will bring this world to an abrupt end and all mankind
from all ages will be judged.
“AND SAMUEL SAID, HATH THE LORD as great DELIGHT IN BURNT
OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICE AS IN OBEYING THE VOICE OF THE LORD? BEHOLD, TO OBEY is BETTER THAN SACRIFICE,
and
TO HEARKEN THAN THE FAT OF RAMS.” I Samuel 15:22
Matthew
Hebrews 5:8-9 “THOUGH HE WERE A SON, YET LEARNED HE OBEDIENCE BY THE THINGS WHICH HE
SUFFERED; AND BEING MADE PERFECT, HE BECAME THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION
UNTO ALL THEM THAT OBEY HIM;”
Invitation