(February 13, 1991)
The Book of Lists #2 says that a firefly is not a fly, it’s a beetle; a silkworm is not a worm, it’s a caterpillar; an English horn is not English and not a horn, it’s an alto oboe from France; a guinea pig is not from Guinea and is not a pig, it’s from South America and it’s a rodent; and a banana tree is not a tree, it’s a herb. Things are not what they seem!
We don’t need a book of lists to know that. Some days I feel 92 but I’m not (yet). The sunshine outside looks warm and inviting, but the thermometer says it is -40 degrees. The ice on the lake is clear and looks safe, but it is only an inch thick. Our eyes can fool us. So can our hearts.
God says we need to watch out for what seems to be. He says: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.”
Deception can destroy a person physically, mentally, emotionally, morally and spiritually. What seems right can lead into poor health or even death, confuse the mind and render rational thought impossible, play on the emotions causing tremendous confusion, or drag an unthinking person into moral and spiritual bankruptcy.
Some biblical examples of deception:
- A desire to be like God triggered two people made in His image into doing what He said would destroy them... the forbidden fruit only looked good.
- Confidence in the power of retaliation (it seemed right) led Moses to kill a man rather than rely on God to vindicate His people.
- Lies by the Gibeonites duped the Israelites into making friends with a nation that actually intended their destruction.
- Lust deceived a king into thinking it was okay to take another man’s wife and kill her husband (it felt good).
Murder, adultery or any other sins seem wrong to those not caught in the deception, yet to those who are deceived, they actually seem right, even up until the victim is destroyed or hopelessly scarred by the consequences. Is there no way out for someone caught by lies?
Thank God, there is a way that is right; a way that leads to life not death; a way that can be found, even by those who are most deceived. That way is Jesus Christ. He even called Himself “the way.”
But first, how does a deceived person even begin to know whether or not they are deceived? Or how can they even want to know? For them, the true way, God’s way, will not “seem” right.
The Bible says that on their own, people are spiritually blind. All follow with what seems right to them and haven’t a hope of discovering anything different — unless the Spirit of God moves in to convince us otherwise. In John 16:8 Jesus told the disciples that when He was resurrected and gone to heaven, He would send the Holy Spirit, and “when he is come, he will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment...” Without the Spirit, “There is no one that understands, there is no one that seeks after God” (Romans 3:11). Everyone continues down the path that “seems right.”
When the Spirit came, His task of opening human understanding to the things of God and showing people that God is righteous, hates sin, and will judge it, has turned millions from a deceptive life. Those who respond to Him and call out to God for mercy discover that mercy has already been extended: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
So faith in the One who called Himself “The Way” is the only way out of that other way that only seems to be the right way!
September 27, 1989
A recent miniseries dramatized the downfall of President Marcos in the Philippines. Running parallel to actual news stories, this television presentation documented some shameful aspects of human nature. Even after their fanatical hunger for power and wealth was exposed by the media, both Marcos and his wife clenched their teeth, shook their fists and claimed the media was lying. Toward the end, repeated requests by the American government finally convinced them that they had indeed lost the election and must leave the country to prevent a bloody civil war.
Marcos and his wife had set their mind on a goal and even though their intention may have been honorable to begin with, greed soon destroyed their perspective. They put their own desires ahead of human lives and in spite of the overwhelming pressures against them, they refused to change. They clung to the assumption they were right and everyone else was wrong. This insistence on being right reminded me of what Solomon wrote: “There is a way that seems right to a man...”
For Marcos, his way to wealth and power seemed right, but he and countless other tyrants expose the fatal error of the popular philosophy of relativism. It is the idea that each of us ought to be free to do whatever seems right in our own eyes. But think about it... relativism justifies murder, robbery, extortion, adultery and all kinds of criminal and destructive actions. Can anyone rely on “what seems right.” Or will our motivations corrupt our judgment and lead to a bitter end?
At the opposite end of Marcos’ ambition, there is another way that seems right to most people... “You can earn or deserve God’s favor in order to get to heaven.” Seems pure and logical, doesn’t it? After all, God is good and He will honor our sincere efforts to please Him.
But do you know... God never says that our goodness will purchase a place in His heaven. This is a way that seems right only to MAN... just as Marcos’ way seemed right only to him.
Having misconceptions about what is right is obviously not a trivial matter. In Marcos case, hundreds lost their lives. Even worse, under the delusion of, “I must be good to get to heaven”, millions are losing their souls. Please note the end of Solomon’s proverb: “There is a way that seems right to a man... but the end of that way is death.”
Heaven is a real place where we can spend eternity with God (if that is not true, then Jesus Christ is a liar). Thus, the criteria necessary for getting there has to be God’s criteria, not ours. In other words, what seems right to us ought to be checked out, not assumed. What does God say about the qualifications for heaven? Does He say it’s possible to be “good enough” all by ourselves? Does He list how many good things a person must do before the pearly gates will swing wide open for them?
Not at all. God’s qualifier for heaven is faith, not works; grace not human goodness. Both grace and faith drastically change a person, even making possible a goodness that will please God, yet even that does not change His entrance requirements. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
In spite of open preaching of the gospel, in spite of realizing in our hearts that we fail in every way to be all that a holy God requires, many still cling to “the way that seems right.” What does it take to shake a man or woman loose from such ideas so tenaciously held?
Marcos crumbled, fell, and now lives in exile, a broken and defeated man, perhaps without fully recognizing the futility of the way to wealth and power that seemed right to him.
Praise God, that is not what happens to anyone who recognizes the futility of trying to earn our way to heaven, the way that seems right. When we turn from it, to Christ, we are not banished but exalted, not broken but made whole, not defeated but given victory. Jesus Christ is the way — and His way leads not to a bitter end, but to everlasting life.
Stephen stretched his six-foot frame across the swirling waters of the hot pool. Head on one end, toes on the other, he reminded me of a bridge: “a bridge over troubled waters!”
Typical of an always-penniless sixteen year old, he quipped in response, “Yea, a toll bridge!”
Some declare “life is a beach.” Sometimes I wish it were more like a hot pool — the troubled waters buffet out the tensions instead of creating them! In fact, it would be fantastic to have wall switches like those that they do at the pool, so we could turn OFF the turbulence now and then. Somehow, I can quite easily manage turning ON the trouble switches.
Years ago, some friends had a wall plaque that said, “JESUS IS OUR BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS.” I liked it. Any means to rise above turbulent circumstances appeals to me. Since then, I’ve realized this nifty saying doesn’t mean what I thought it did. I often feel as if I’m swimming the rapids with no way out provided. However, Jesus is still my bridge.
But bridges can be tricky. Remember the Second Narrows? The troubled water didn’t hurt anyone, but when the wind hit, whoever trusted that bridge never made it to the other side. And even safe bridges can be irritating. You know the kind with side rails just at eye level so you can’t see anything. Drawbridges can be distressing too. Like it or not, the bigger water traffic is more important than you are. Those swinging rope bridges give me the most problem. They are like a carnival ride. I’m so scared while I’m on them that I miss the fun I’m supposed to be having.
What kind of a bridge is Jesus? Will He give us a ride like that ill-fated Second Narrows Bridge? Will He guard our vision so much that we can’t see or enjoy the surroundings? Will He suddenly drop His attention from me and give it to some more important traffic? Will my journey with Him be a “five-ticket” ride? Or will He, like Stephen, be more like a toll bridge?
Jesus called Himself “the way” to the Father. He bridges the gap between our sin and God’s holiness. He said His way is narrow, but not twisting, like that ill-fated bridge of similar name. No winds of adversity can twist or destroy Him. His narrow way is better described as turn-style; only one at a time can pass through and enter the life He offers. There is no room for excess baggage. In other words, we don’t go across as a member of a group nor can we take a suitcase of good intentions in one hand and a case of religious or social good deeds in the other. We have to cross alone and just as we are.
This Bridge also promises “abundant life,” meaning among other things that we will not only be able to see what is happening as we go, we will see it more clearly than we ever thought possible. In fact, the view from the Bridge is fabulous!
Jesus is not a drawbridge either. He not only guarantees safe travel and a sure destination but continuous, individual attention. Nothing is more important to Him than giving His people all the loving care we need.
And the greatest of all, Jesus is not a toll bridge. He takes us from our sin to the eternal shore without money or price. He paid the toll when He died in our place. “The wages of sin is death but the GIFT of God is eternal life.” (Romans 6:23) No coin boxes, no payments. Eternal life is a gift. Setting foot on this Bridge means no toll. When we receive His gift of life, He takes only our sin in exchange. Then He buries it — as deep as the bottom of the sea. We may still have to learn how to “swim,” but it will be with His strength and with the sure hope of reaching the other side.
