The WAY That SEEMS RIGHT!

[KenH]

Two times in the book of Proverbs, the wisest man that ever lived, with the exception of our Lord Jesus Christ, wrote: "There is A WAY which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."(Proverbs 14:12); "There is A WAY that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."(Proverbs 16:25) The original word translated "a way" means 'path, road, journey, habit, or COURSE OF LIFE'. So Solomon basically said: "There is a path, road, journey, habit, or course of life THAT SEEMS RIGHT." The original word translated "that seemeth right" means 'straight, upright, correct, level, or JUST'. Here's a question: What course of life seems correct, level, or just to any person with a conscience? Solomon isn't saying that men think a life of ungodliness and immorality seems correct or just, IS HE? The way that seems right to man is the way of morality, sincerity, and religious zeal, what they refer to as "walking the straight and narrow". Solomon said TWICE that "the end thereof [are] the ways of death." Here's a literal translation of Solomon's words - "And its latter end [are] ways of death."(Young's LITERAL Translation) Think about what Paul wrote concerning his religious, moral, sincere, law keeping Jewish kin - "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."(Romans 10:1-3) These religious Jews, who had the law, the Temple, the ceremonies, and the Priesthood, were doing everything they could religiously and morally to establish a righteousness in order to gain or maintain salvation. WHY? Because they were "ignorant of God's righteousness." What is "God's righteousness"? Paul wrote - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."(Romans 1:16,17) In Romans 3:20-24 Paul made it clear what God's righteousness is - "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." This speaks of salvation through the righteousness of God which Christ established by His obedience unto death as the God sent Messiah. Anyone who is "ignorant of God's righteousness" is LOST, no matter how sincere, religious, and moral they are by man's standard. They will always reveal their LOST CONDITION by "going about to establish a righteousness of their own." We were told that good people go to heaven, and bad people go to hell. The reality is, only those who are "made the righteousness of God IN HIM" go to heaven, and all those void of or not submitted to Christ's righteousness alone as their ONLY HOPE and CAUSE of salvation are found in that number of whom wise Solomon declared - There is A WAY which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."(Proverbs 14:12) IMAGINE THAT! Spend your whole life in a way of religion, morality, and sincerity, only to perish in IGNORANCE OF THE ONE TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS which resides in Christ. John Bunyan wrote the following: "Indeed this is one of the greatest mysteries in the world - namely, that a righteousness that resides with a Person in heaven should justify me, a sinner on earth."

- Richard Warmack, Pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Ruston, Louisiana

 

[Dave G]

Two times in the book of Proverbs, the wisest man that ever lived, with the exception of our Lord Jesus Christ, wrote: "There is A WAY which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."(Proverbs 14:12); "There is A WAY that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."(Proverbs 16:25) The original word translated "a way" means 'path, road, journey, habit, or COURSE OF LIFE'. So Solomon basically said: "There is a path, road, journey, habit, or course of life THAT SEEMS RIGHT." The original word translated "that seemeth right" means 'straight, upright, correct, level, or JUST'. Here's a question: What course of life seems correct, level, or just to any person with a conscience? Solomon isn't saying that men think a life of ungodliness and immorality seems correct or just, IS HE? The way that seems right to man is the way of morality, sincerity, and religious zeal, what they refer to as "walking the straight and narrow". Solomon said TWICE that "the end thereof [are] the ways of death." Here's a literal translation of Solomon's words - "And its latter end [are] ways of death."(Young's LITERAL Translation) Think about what Paul wrote concerning his religious, moral, sincere, law keeping Jewish kin - "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."(Romans 10:1-3) These religious Jews, who had the law, the Temple, the ceremonies, and the Priesthood, were doing everything they could religiously and morally to establish a righteousness in order to gain or maintain salvation. WHY? Because they were "ignorant of God's righteousness." What is "God's righteousness"? Paul wrote - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."(Romans 1:16,17) In Romans 3:20-24 Paul made it clear what God's righteousness is - "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." This speaks of salvation through the righteousness of God which Christ established by His obedience unto death as the God sent Messiah. Anyone who is "ignorant of God's righteousness" is LOST, no matter how sincere, religious, and moral they are by man's standard. They will always reveal their LOST CONDITION by "going about to establish a righteousness of their own." We were told that good people go to heaven, and bad people go to hell. The reality is, only those who are "made the righteousness of God IN HIM" go to heaven, and all those void of or not submitted to Christ's righteousness alone as their ONLY HOPE and CAUSE of salvation are found in that number of whom wise Solomon declared - There is A WAY which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."(Proverbs 14:12) IMAGINE THAT! Spend your whole life in a way of religion, morality, and sincerity, only to perish in IGNORANCE OF THE ONE TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS which resides in Christ.

Amen.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Acts 4:11-12. 'This is the "stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone." Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.'