There is a way that seems right to man, but it is a way that walks only in the futility of man’s mind.

     There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end, it leads to death.  Which is the way that leans toward “being right” versus “doing the right thing”.

     There is a way that seems right to man, but it is a way that walks in the darkness of the futility of man’s mind.  Which is a way that has its understanding darkened.  For it is a walk that is alienated from the life of God.  Which is a way that, in the end, always leads to death (a fall), for it is a way darkened by the FUTILITY OF PRIDE. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18).

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12). 

     Which is to do thing’s “in man’s way”, according to the truth of man, which is a truth thoroughly alienated from the way, and the truth, and the life of God.  For God says, I AM the way, and the truth and the life (John 14:16), and that I came to give life abundantly (John 10:10), for My ways are not your ways and My thoughts are not your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8).  For when man walks in the futility of his own mind, in a way that is not taught by God, which is a mind that is not renewed by the spirit of God’s mind, it is then that man doesn’t walk in “the way, and the truth and the LIFE”, but in a way that instead produces DEATH.

     Yes, when we do things in the wrong way (man’s way), the truth (being right) doesn’t produce life, it produces death instead.  It produces the death of division, brokenness, pride.  He says, I AM “the way”, and “the truth”, and “the life”.  The way, and the truth, and the life is both a “combining form” and a “sequential progression”.  It is the pilgram’s progress, which is the walk to genuine maturity, which is righteousness in Christ.  It’s when we do do things in the right way, in the truth, and the life of Christ that our ways both live and walk in righteousness.

     “Being right” is about PRIDE. “Doing the right thing” is about RIGHTEOUSNESS. Which is about living and walking in union (communion) and unity (community).  Which is to live and walk in “agape love”.  The Word is clear.  The Word states emphatically that “before pride comes the fall!”  And if I am to look back along the timeline of my life, and look at all my interactions with my neighbour, not that I want to be like Lot’s wife, the evidence of that truth is like a series of accident scenes strewn across the highway of my life.  And if it is true for me, I would hazard a guess that it is also true across the lives of most of mankind.  Without fail, every time I have responded to a situation by choosing to “be right” rather than to “do the right thing”, the end result has always been emphatic!  PRIDE had the upper hand!  And instead of being ELEVATED to the higher position, because “I was right”, I ultimately FELL to the lower position according to the FUTILITY of my mind, rather than raising the bar according to the POSSIBILITY of His Mind by “doing the right thing”.  

     Being right divides because it says “I am right” and “you are wrong”.  That’s division.  Division is death.  We are to walk in unity, not division.  A far better result will always be accomplished by instead doing the right thing.  Because it’s the way that leads to life.  The Word is clear on this too. “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”‭‭(Ephesians‬ ‭4:1-3‬).  What does a prisoner mean?  It means to be held captive.  We are prisoners of the Lord because we are “held captive” by His ways and thoughts.  We are “captivated” by His heart.  We are “a prisoner” to doing His Word, which is to obey Him both “in spirit” (agreement) “and truth” (lifestyle) (John 4:24).  ““But the hour is coming, and now is, when the TRUE WORSHIPPERS will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”” (John‬ ‭4:23-24‬).  When our hearts are “in agreement” with Him, and our lifestyles show “the truth” of that agreement, our lives become a “living worship”.  Our lifestyles become an expression of worship when we first love God totally, with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength (spirit), and then love our neighbours as ourselves (truth), being together the very essence and “spiritual spine” of true worship.  We are to live (be in agreement) and walk (practice) in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).  Those who are sons are led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14).  Sons are THE FRIENDS of God because they are led by the Spirit (John 15:14).  Sons are those who LOVE GOD because they are led by the Spirit (John 14:15). 

     The Christian walk is a walk from baby to adult just like natural life is.  It’s a sequence, a progression.  That’s why John Bunyan called it the Pligrim’s Progress.  Which is the second most read book of all time next to the Bible.  The Christian walk to maturity (the pilgrim’s progress) begins with repentance and ends in righteousness. Repentance >> Redemption >> Righteousness.  Repentance is when we are saved from sin.  Redemption is when we are being redeemed from the fallen nature (being right or thinking like man).  Righteousness is when we do the right thing (divine nature or thinking with the spirit of the mind of God).

     Being right” is about pride. “Doing the right thing” is about righteousness. Being right?  Or doing the right thing?  The question of being right or doing the right thing is like asking the question “to be or not to be?”

Father, let us not walk in the futility of our minds, but let us walk in the fullness and liberty of Your mind according to Isaiah 11:2 and in the soundness of Your mind according to 2 Timothy 1:7, LORD our God, that we may no longer have our understanding darkened, or be alienated from the life of God, that we may “no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but rather be speaking the truth IN LOVE, that we may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—”, according to Ephesians‬ ‭4:14-15‬, and be complete in every good work that you planned for us all ahead of time, according to Ephesians 2:10.  Let us no longer live and walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds, but let us rather walk hearing You, being taught by You, as the truth is in Jesus, that we may thoroughly put off the former conduct (fallen nature), which always seeks to be right rather than doing the right thing (divine nature), so that in all things, and all times and seasons, we may put off the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, but that we rather be renewed in the spirit of your mind, so that we may all put on the new man (divine nature) which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness, according to Isaiah 11:2 and Ephesians 4:21-24.

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;” (Ephesians‬ ‭4:17-18‬)

“if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”‭‭ (Ephesians‬ ‭4:21-24‬)