WE are told in Proverbs 16:2525There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 16:25) that “there is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” But on the face of it, a way that only “seemeth to be right” cannot afford any assurance that it is right, especially when connected with it are the solemn words, “but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Many are traveling a way that to them “seemeth to be right,” but who have never inquired of God’s Word whether it is right or not. Sad it is to see the multitude going on in such a “way,” when nothing but death and judgment are at the end of it.
The way of the Unitarian to him seems to be right. Seeking to judge by human reason, instead of accepting in faith the great mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, he becomes the ready dupe of Satan, and is led into the awful sin of denying the Son of God, and therefore the glorious truth of the atonement, and thereby shuts himself out from all blessing, and shuts himself up to the eternal judgment of God, who will know how to reward those who so daringly insult His blessed Son, of whom it is written, “This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:2020And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)).
The way of the mere religionist to him seems to be right. Like his predecessor Cain, he brings his sacrifice, and places it, with the feeling of satisfaction, down before God, and thinks that that will propitiate the offended majesty of God.
But in a matter involving so much, and which is of such stupendous importance, it will not do to be satisfied with a “seemeth to be right.” We must have an absolute assurance from God Himself that the way we are treading is of Himself, and therefore right.
Now as to any round of works for salvation, be they what they may, there is nothing in them that can remove our sin out of the sight of God, or enable Him in righteousness to clear us of all charge of sin. Nothing short of this will do for God. And nothing short of this will give us settled solid peace in the prospect of meeting Him.
Long ago this way, which only “seemeth to be right,” was exposed by Isaiah, a prophet of Jehovah. He said by the Spirit of God, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)).
Such a way as this can only end in death and judgment, because it is the open denial of the solemn truth that man is lost and guilty, and is without strength to do anything; and more than this, it is the rejection of the truth of God that redemption and cleansing are only by the precious blood of Christ, and not by anything that man can do.
The way of the infidel to him seems to be right, but that does not make it right. God, to him, is the unknown, and the unknowable, and therefore it were impossible for Him to communicate His mind to His creatures. He is shut up in the darkness, forever to be unknown, while we (and this is what the devil would like us to believe) are left to the dreary waste of our own darkened understandings.
What an infinite calamity, if it were true! God never to be known, the blessedness of sins forgiven never experienced, the joy of known relationship to Him as children never possessed, but left in a greater than Egyptian darkness, to pick and choose of the endless theories of men, as much in the dark as ourselves, and then just having to grope like blind men in a way which only “seemeth to be right.” What perfection of misery! And this is the best that they, or their master (Satan) can give us. Thank God, we have something infinitely better, because we have a way that is infinitely sure, and infinitely blessed! “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have, this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Cor. 4:6, 76For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Corinthians 4:6‑7)).
These are incomparably blessed words. God hath shone into our hearts, and the light that has shone there has given “the knowledge of the glory of God,” as displayed in that blessed Man at His right hand, in whom God was and is displayed. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:1818No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18)).
Apart from Him no one can know God, or be brought into that relationship of children to Him, whose blessed privilege it is to cry, Abba Father.
On this the Word of God could not be plainer. “All things are delivered unto Me of my Father; and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; and no man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Matt. 11:2727All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)).
It may be, asked, “Who is it to whom the Son reveals the Father?” The next verse gives the blessed answer. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Ah, yes, all who are wearied of man’s wisdom, and human religiousness, and really desire to know God, and get the forgiveness of sins, such are invited to the Saviour. By coming to Him they get the blessed knowledge of the Father, and the burden of their sins rolls away forever, and they obtain rest.
Thus it is that the lost sinner recovers the knowledge of God, and gets to know the Father, and to this the words of the Saviour agree, where He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)).
Beloved reader there is no “seemeth to be right” here; all is divinely simple, and divinely real; and instead of “the end thereof are the ways of death,” it is “For whom he (God) did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren” (Rom. 8:2929For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)).
Friend, ere you lay this paper down, tell me, which way are you treading: the way that only “seemeth to be right,” or the way which is absolutely right because it is God’s way?
“The love of God is righteous love,
Inscribed upon Golgotha’s tree;
Love that exacts the sinner’s debt,
Yet, in exacting, sets him free.
Love that condemns the sinner’s sin,
Yet, in condemning, pardon seals;
That saves from righteous wrath, and yet,
In saving, righteousness reveals.
No, not the love without the blood;
That were to me no love at all:
It could not reach my sinful soul,
Nor hush the fears that me appall.
I need the love, I need the blood;
I need the grace, the cross, the grave;
I need the resurrection power,
A soul like mine to purge and save.
This is the love that stills my fears,
That soothes each conscious pang within,
That pacifies my troubled heart,
And frees me from the power of sin.”