APRIL 19, 2015

MAN GOES HIS OWN WAY

   Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

14:2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

28:6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Isaiah 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

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.

   MEMORY VERSE: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. —Isaiah 53:6

   CENTRAL THOUGHT: Instead of being obedient to the commands of Almighty God, man has followed his own selfish ideas and thoughts, sinking into the deep pit of sin and transgression against God. Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, paid the price to redeem us, by taking God’s way and giving His life on the cross of Calvary. To partake of His salvation we must forsake our ways and be fully obedient to His Holy Word.

WORD DEFINITIONS

Isaiah 53:6, “laid on him the iniquity of us all”: God sent Jesus to pay the debt of sin by giving His life as a ransom for us.

Proverbs 14:2, “perverse”: Turned aside and departed from what pleases God. “despiseth”: Counts lightly and of no value.

Proverbs 21:2, “pondereth”: Searches and weighs up.

Proverbs 28:18, “fall at once”: Be cast down immediately.

Jeremiah 6:16, “see”: earnestly search and carefully examine. “old paths”: Ways tested and proved true by those of long ago. “good way”: The way that God is pleased with. “rest”: True contentment and peace.

Isaiah 35:8, “the wayfaring men”: Those who seek to go the way of holiness. “though fools”: Though ac- counted as fools by the ungodly. “shall not err therein”: Shall not fail to go the right way.

Isaiah 35:9, “No lion nor any ravenous beast”: No devouring and hateful person. “the redeemed”: Those who are saved and delivered from sin.

Matthew 7:13, “strait gate”: The narrow way of holiness and submission to the will of God. “wide gate and broad way”: The life of living to the flesh and worldliness.

LESSON BACKGROUND

   In our lesson today we have from the Holy Scriptures the great difference described between the true, holy and righteous way of life and the way of selfish pleasure and fleshly lust. All mankind is declared to have gone astray from the pure and holy way of pleasing our Creator and from what God originally de- signed for us to be and do. And, sad to say, so many have thus gone astray from what is good and benefi- cial and acceptable to God, and are not aware of their error and selfishness. But, as Isaiah prophesied in chapter thirty-five, God, through Christ, has made available the way of holiness that will not be taken by the lustful and selfish person. Those who are partakers of Christ’s redemption and plan of salvation will be able to find this blessed way of life and walk therein with great joy and gladness.

It is a very important matter to be influenced in our minds of what is God’s way and how much better it is than our own selfish way. Young people and children all need the influence of the gospel of Christ and the counsel of godly parents and holy saints of the most High. The Bible has fully sufficient instruction and admonition to bring the light that is needed to the souls of men. But how sad that it happens as the text in Jeremiah declares: “But they said, We will not walk therein.” God is not going to force any human being to go His way of truth and holiness, but each one of us will be held responsible for the choice we make. We pray the Lord to bless this lesson to every one who takes part in its study.

–Bro. Leslie Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. Why is the way to destruction a wide gate and broad way?

2. What makes the way of holiness so strait and narrow?

3. Who is responsible to decide which way one will take?

4. Where does the wide gate and broad way lead us?

5. Why is going the strait and narrow way so greatly worthwhile?

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

   “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). In this writing of Paul, we can see one of the reasons that people are more inclined to choose the wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction: Things that are seen and felt by the body–satisfying the appetites, enjoying physical pleasures, and having fun–have a greater attraction to humanity than things that are not seen.

Yes, there are things that a Christian can partake of and enjoy, to a certain extent, that are earthly, fleshly, and of material value. But if they take up our entire time, energy and scope of life, we will be found coming short of eternal values. Earthly activities such as sports, racing, gaming, and movies; relationships based on physical attraction; the pursuit of wealth with its ease, prosperity, and security; the luxury and comfort of beautiful homes, cars and expensive, fashionable clothing all have a great attraction for the human mind and heart. But the fear and reverence we need to cultivate is that toward the realm of life that is unseen by the natural senses. Careful living, sober, godly speech and conduct, and sensitivity to godly things such as truth, peace, and wisdom need to have a great part in one’s behavior and actions. Prayer, worship to God, mercy and love toward others, attention to the Holy Scriptures, spiritual themes and songs of worship should be sought after and cherished in our hearts, interwoven with the earthly joys of marriage and precious family times of love, laughter, wholesome fun and enjoyment of God’s creation. Let us take heed to the counsel of Ecclesiastes 12 to remember our Creator in days of youth, and give our hearts wholly to God and the pursuit of His holy way!

—Bro. Leslie Busbee

REFLECTIONS

   Do we comprehend what it means to have “gone astray” as in our memory verse today? It simply means that when we take our own way, as opposed to God’s, we go astray. It doesn’t say, “we have turned every one to violence,” or “we have turned every one to immorality”; it says “our own way.” If you or I continually do things our own way, though we may even feel we are religious, moral, kind or fair, we are still on the road that leads to destruction.

   Think what this means in marriage and home life. God’s way is that I would, as a wife, be willing to lay down my way in submission to my husband. To do this with victory in my soul, I must do it as unto the Lord and in faith, that He will use my submission to win the heart of my husband. My way? It would be to protect my rights, insist upon my voice being heard, and fight for my side every time. My way would be to undermine, disregard, or belittle my husband’s wishes.

God’s way is that I would, as a husband, honor the desires and needs of my wife, and give myself for her as willingly as Christ laid down His life at the cross. To do this successfully and with victory in my soul, I must do it as He would, as in His place as Savior and Protector of my wife; and in faith, that my sacrifices for her would bring about her reverence and submission. My way? To be controlling and demanding; to manipulate her by my rank and position as “head of the wife.”

What bitterness, chaos and destruction is brought by each of us going our own way! If we all could only know the God-given secrets that belong to the peace of our homes!

–Sis. Angela Gellenbeck