Posted on 09/13/2022 6:42:17 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
Matthew 7:13 tells us that there are two ways: one way is broad and the other is narrow.
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,” it’s the religious way. The successful, materialistic way “seems” right, but all of it has a hollow ring to it. All those religious people go to those religious services and they go through all that religious ritual—and deep down inside they know it doesn’t satisfy them and doesn’t do them any good. Most of them sit around and say, “When are we going to get out of here! Aren’t they going a little long today?” They aren’t getting anything out of it, but for some strange, self-justifying reason they got to do it. It just seems like the right thing to do.
“. . . but the end thereof are the ways of death,” there are a lot of ways to die. You can die being religious—but if it isn’t according to truth, it won’t do you any good. You can die being rich—it won’t do you any good. “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits” (Proverbs 16:2).
Notice the two uses of the word “way” in our passage: “way,” and “ways.” There are only two ways that man can take, as was mentioned, but the individual only knows of a “way” – the Catholics have a “way”, the Buddhists have a “way”, every religious group has their own “way.” They just have it in their mind that there are many ways to the same place—they are all working to go to the same place. But really it is only one way—the wrong way.
“Singular” in the way of religion are many different ways, but they all lead to the same place—destruction, “. . . the end thereof are the ways of death.” It is all the same super highway, though it might be called by different names.
God’s way is called John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
This road is the only way you’ll get to God.
Even some preachers think theirs is the right way when all around them can see they are on the wrong way . . .
In pioneer days a North Carolina preacher was put up at a hotel for a few days, where he was most hospitably entertained by the host. It was the custom there to entertain evangelists without charge. As he was leaving, he was much surprised to be presented with his bill.
“Why,” he said, “I thought preachers were entertained free.”
“Well,” said the innkeeper, “you came and ate your meals without asking the blessing, no one has ever seen you with a Bible, and you smoked big cigars. While you were here, you talked about everything but religion. Pray, how were we to know that you were a preacher? You have lived like a sinner, so now you will have to pay with the sinners.”
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Proverbs 14:12 makes me think of Islam.
Good one.
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