A Way Which Seemeth Right Prov. 14:12 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Prov 14:12 says. “There is a way which seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” If you want the way of life, you must have Jesus Christ [Jn 14:6]. That’s plain and simple. But there are many others who have devised different religious ways, because they seem right to them. The Bible says any way that a man chooses aside from Jesus Christ is a way of death. Let’s examine the way of one very well known religion, Catholicism.
The Catholic way seems right and is a way that includes:
Family honor – family honor binds most people to the family religion. The family way is a way which seemeth right. They are not easily going to let go of something held to be true by generations of their family. But Jesus gave us Matt 10:36-37. Family division is often the consequence of trusting Christ by faith and no longer practicing religion.
Centuries of Tradition – many of the traditions of Catholicism date back many centuries. Religious adherents generally don’t doubt the validity of something that they have held onto for that many centuries. The tradition is a way which seemeth right. But Jesus gave us Mk 7:7, 8, 9, and 13.
Fear (superstition really) – many Catholics are bound to their religion by fear, often manifesting itself as superstition. That’s why Catholics routinely cross themselves. Their fear is really the fear of man [priest or pope, Prov 29:25]. But the Lord gave us Ps 111:10, to show us that we need the fear of God, not the fear of man.
Religious Devotion – many Catholics are very devout. The way of devotion is a way which seemeth right. But the Lord gave us Acts 10:2. Cornelius was devout but devotion and the feeling associated with it don’t save.
Baptism – priests affirm that once a Catholic has been baptized in water in the Catholic Church, he is in the kingdom of God. The way of infant baptism is a way which seemeth right. But the Lord gave us Acts 8:13, 22-23 to show us that water baptism doesn’t save. We need to be baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, which occurs at the new birth when you trust Christ by faith [Rom 10:9-10].
Eucharist – Catholics go to communion at every mass because in communion you are supposed to be receiving Jesus Christ. They take this doctrine from Jn 6:53. However, you need to read Jn 6:63. The flesh profiteth nothing. In other words, they cannot be saved by taking communion. Matt 26:29 shows us that the cup contained the fruit of the vine not wine or blood. Eternal life is not in the cup but it is in the man Christ Jesus [1 Tim 2:5; 1 Jn 5:11-12]. However, there is such a feeling of fulfilment from taking communion that it is very difficult to convince a Catholic that the bread is not Jesus’ flesh, the wine is not Jesus’ blood and that communion can’t give him Jesus. The Eucharist is a way which seemeth right.
Good works – all people depending on their religion to get them to heaven pride themselves on their good works and on doing well. The way of good works is a way which seemeth right. But the Lord gave us Tit 3:5; Eph 2:8-9.
NO ASSURANCE – one thing common among religions is that there is no assurance of salvation. But the Lord gave us 1 Jn 5:13 to show us that when we are saved, we know that we have eternal life!
The way is Jesus – the way of salvation in Jesus Christ doesn’t SEEM right to religious people. But it is RIGHT. Several Catholic men that we led to the Lord said, when they heard someone talking about Jesus from their religious perspective, it was like walking into a dark room and not knowing what salvation is all about. Then when they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ plainly from the Bible, it was like someone turned the light on [2 Cor 4:3-4]. One Catholic man that we led to the Lord got saved and then got very mad at the Catholic priest because as he said, “If I had continued following the way that Catholic priest told me to go I would have ended up in hell!”