like to turn in the old testament to proverbs book of proverbs and first going to read the first six verses of proverbs proverbs chapter one and the first six verses The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity. To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man, knowledge and discretion.

a wise man will hear and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels to understand the proverb and the interpretation the words of the wise and their dark sayings purpose the use of the proverbs is to make men young and old wise wise in the things of God

I turn now to Proverbs chapter 14 and verse 12 of the Proverbs to make us wise and to give us understanding. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. That's quite a statement, especially in these days. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, and the scripture is full of those ways. And yet, as we see in Genesis, because every man did what he thought was right in his own eyes, so came the flood and the destruction of all men apart from eight who were saved. in the ark it's evident as we read through the scriptures and this verse there are only two ways two paths for mankind to walk in we shouldn't be in any doubt that there are any more there's the way we look at the scriptures and see what the scriptures say about it i'll go to psalm one first which gives us an illustration first of all

blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful but his delight is in the law of the lord and in his law does he meditate day and night And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruits in his season. His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

I'm pretty clear about the man whose interest is in the Word of God, all the Word of God, not just one bit, but all of it. But the ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

That may not be very popular in certain circles, but is nonetheless the word of God. Matthew chapter 7 also. puts it quite simply. Matthew 7 verse 13.

Enter ye in at a straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat. Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.

Two ways. There's no argument about it. There is but two ways. Christ is the one way. Destruction is the other. Again, not popular in these days, ecumenicalism and love. A love without truth. But nonetheless, it's the Word of God.

Destruction though, it's Bible language. It's Bible language not for tearing something down, demolishing it, getting rid of it, like we might with an old building or an old car or something like that. It's eternal destruction. We think, we must think in terms of eternal torment. Mark chapter 9 verse 43 and verse 44. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off. it is better for thee to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell into the fire that shall never be quenched where their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched and it goes on you notice how personal that seems where their fire is not quenched where their worm dieth not quite an incredible statement if you really think about it that eternal torment in hell Psalm 11 also speaks of it they can turn to Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 9 as well

I want to show you from God's Holy Word could go to Psalm 11 in the Old Testament because it's the same theme is repeated 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 9 It speaks of, I'll read from verse 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.

Notice there everlasting destruction. everlasting. They don't disappear suddenly, the soul just disappears. They go into a place of torment as we can see and probably in Mark 9 it is the most graphic possibly explanation of what is going to happen to the soul that obeys not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why? Because they're sinners. probably can't really comprehend these sort of things if you've been burnt you may get an idea of flay but I think of what the martyrs went through for a short time thankfully when they were martyred in the name of Christ they were in the name of Christ on two counts one they were faithful to the gospel and the people who murdered them let's call it what it was who also named the name of Christ they were thought they were Christ's servants and they thought they were doing God a favor by getting rid of these people such is the perversion of man's religion

and also I've made a note here specifically, that as we consider the punishment that people suffer in hell, we might think about what Christ went through upon the cross. Can we really truly imagine, when he said, I thirst, what he was going through? No, we can't. But we can get some idea from these passages that we have read, of the condemnation of sinners, the judgment of sinners, what Christ went through for us. You can't comprehend it. I can't. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Because of sin. Because of my... I can say, thankfully, my sin. And for those of you who can say, my sin too. What a great blessing. But what torment. God's son went through when his father had to distance himself from him. Could not look upon him because of the sin. that he bore for us he who knew no sin

the torment then but he came through it he bore that sin and because sin could have no dominion over him because he was righteous then he rose again from the dead for our justification he had to rise for us to be justified and what a great blessing that he did

Now just be mindful when we look at the words of the Bible. The Bible uses words carefully but I also understand that some words may or may not have lost something of their meaning or the depths of their meaning in translation. But the point of fact remains from Ezekiel 18 verse 4. The soul that sinneth it shall die. Make no bones about it. Make no bones about it whatsoever. That is God's holy word.

But thanks be unto God, there is a remedy for our sin. And that is in Christ our Saviour. Now, coming back, I shall refer to Proverbs 14, just now and again. There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the ways thereof are the ways of death.

is especially relevant when we consider philosophy. The Oxford Dictionary describes philosophy as the study or the knowledge and love of things or subjects and their causes whether they be natural or moral plus it has studies of ultimate realities and general principles and how many go to university to study philosophy now maybe you can see a problem the problem is that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him and being foolishness unto them he is condemned for his ignorance and for his sin but how can philosophy actually teachers of things of which it denies if you do not accept God if you do not accept that he is the creator of the world all your philosophies in the world all your philosophizing or whatever the verb you use for it cannot give you understanding of God and that the state of men scripture only can provide that Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Psalm 111 verse 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

That's where true knowledge, true wisdom begins. We do owe a lot to Greek, I'm going to say philosophers, Greek wise men. Let's not be blind to that there's many things that they've come out with over the years that we can take note of but where they deny God or yet where they deny the God of the Bible then we have to part company with them and say that their wisdom is dross absolute dross you may think that that's an arrogant statement it's not i'm going on what God's word says fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge and it is also the beginning of wisdom.

Now wisdom and knowledge are different things but they go together. Knowledge is facts. Wisdom is how you use those facts, how you put them together. I was a soldier for six years and I had to learn many things. I learnt to put them together in the field. Partially so I didn't get my own head blown off. But I also was an electrician. and I had to learn many things about electricity all theoretical but it all went together and it was under certain parameters laws of electricity that I had to learn now when we want to know wisdom and knowledge in eternal matters, in soul matters there is only one place to come to and that is the Scriptures but to come in the fear of the Lord many men come to the Bible, the Jews of old and the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees, the Sadducees all that they had the Word of God in the Old Testament but it didn't do them any good Well, maybe to a point. Paul acknowledges what benefit was there for them. Well, unto them were committed the oracles of God, the word of God. But they didn't study them in reverence and fear. There were exceptions. Blessed be the Lord for his grace and mercy towards them. But, by and large, they were blind leaders of the blind. And they most certainly ended up in the ditch.

And it's no different today. What Christ do they preach today in pulpits throughout this land? I'll leave it there you may know more than I do but in my experience it's particularly tragic to see Christ touted basically as the saviour of man not preached as the saviour of man. We must come then and ask for understanding of His Holy Word. Holy Spirit grants us understanding. There's many things that we need understanding from and it takes sometimes many years to get to the bottom of things. Certainly has done for myself. But our facts must come from the Bible.

It's interesting mentioning philosophy. Bible does actually mention it. You may be aware of it. in Colossians chapter 2 verse 18. Let no man beguile you, trick you twist things of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind puffed up in his mind beware I think I've got a wrong reference here but it speaks of philosophy and vain deceit yeah it mentions philosophy and vain deceit I've just lost the reference to it

there is a way that seemeth right to a man but the ways thereof are the way of death and we can see that in psalm 73 verse 11 where the psalmist speaks of the death of those who have no fear in their hearts they say How does God know? And is their knowledge in the Most High? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches. And the psalmist says, Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. He sees how the wicked prosper.

Go back to verse 8. They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. but then he comes to a point where he goes into the sanctuary verse 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I their end surely thou did set them in slippery places thou castest them down into destruction

men limit God to our own parameters. How can God know? Well, because God is God. They think of God as a man. I've never watched them, the so-called superheroes. And the Greek gods were just the same. Just like supermen, able to do fantastic and marvellous things. But their gods were still, as it were, men, with their own failings which are the failings of men but our God is not like that he is well above our ways and his thinking our God is a consuming fire a holy God and if we want to have any understanding the only place we will find out is from God's holy word by study of it

we're told we live in times when we must use reason and I'm debted to Martin Luther in his commentary on Galatians and it's very telling what he said what over 500 years ago or round about 500 years ago he speaks of reason which dismisses Abraham and Sarah why? because Isaac was born when Sarah was past childbearing age well past childbearing age Both is described in Hebrews 11 and Genesis 18. Both were old and stricken in years. Stricken in years. It was their disability. Extreme old age for the time. No worldly reason says you cannot have children at that age. That's reasoning.

Now there's those who say when we come to God we must use right reason. is that right? what reason? what reason says is impossible? God did and we have the evidence before us in the scriptures now you may say well it's not reasonable well to God it is and God doesn't lie we have the feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000 now I've heard that dismissed by those who say We've got to preach a gospel that is reasonable to me, to be accepted to me. This is on Radio 4 some years ago on Thought for the Day. I don't suppose it's got any better. But everybody brought sandwiches. And what we were doing was teaching everybody to share. I kid you not, that's what was said. Now the Bible says that the Lord miraculously fed 5,000 and not long afterward fed 4,000. It was an actual event. I don't like to call these things Bible stories by the way. The reason why not is because a story implies that it is maybe a fable or something along those lines. I rather call them Bible events.

but if we get rid of Abraham and Sarah having Isaac when he said we get rid of a miracle an intervention by the Lord in time much more we're also interfering with the we're almost saying Isaac wasn't born you could get to that sort of reasoning, can't you? Oh, it's just a story, isn't it? But then you interrupt the lineage we're given of the Lord. Going back to Adam, Luke chapter 3, where you dismiss Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, all in the lineage of Christ. The human lineage of Christ. Because obviously, he is God the Son from eternity.

and if we get rid of, if we insist on everybody having sandwiches or whatever I mentioned it this morning in Hegen what we undermine the evidence that we are given of the Lord Jesus Christ being on earth and the purpose of him being upon earth John chapter 20 verse 30 and 31 and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you might have life through his name

but it's not reasonable reasoning people say it's a miraculous it's outside of human reasoning outside of human experience but it still was so and it convinces us that Jesus is the Christ the promised one the Messiah who should come prophesied of old prophesied to Adam and Eve he who would bruise Satan's heel Christ the Son of God not just Jesus Christ but Christ the Son of God

There should be no doubt in our minds, and we should never be embarrassed to stand for the name of Christ. And as I say, we get rid of these miracles, and not just these two miracles, or these two events, three events, we get rid of them all. So what have we got? We've got a moral, call him what you want, Dalai Lama, call him a Buddha, call him what you will, he'd be no different. he wouldn't be our saviour couldn't be our saviour because he was sinless and only God could be sinless that we know because we're all sinners all sinners each one of us

first there's no risen Lord Jesus Christ as a son of God there's no eternal life there's no eternal life there's no eternal hell either so there's no law there's no judge let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15

reason calls God a liar reason mate but I won't and I will call all those who maintain that reason says God doesn't exist I will call them liars as well because they are just repeating a lie Satan's lie may be but it's a lie all the same I believe the record of creation I believe the record and the events that we have in the scripture and Christ himself as an authentic Lord Jesus Christ God the Son

So again, there is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death, judgment and condemnation of which I've already mentioned. But it's the law that brings condemnation. It brings condemnation upon all men. but eternal life comes by the righteousness of Jesus Christ through the mercy and grace of God to sinners and what a hope that we have in Jesus Christ our Lord Romans 5 verse 19 to the end again I mentioned it this morning for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners that's Adam and everybody from Adam so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous that's the righteousness of Jesus Christ the perfect law giver perfect law keeper who his righteousness is imputed to us wherever the law entered that the offense might abound we might see that we're sinners by the law is a knowledge of sin But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Blessed be the name of our Lord, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. What a hope!

Turn over to Romans chapter 6 verses 3 to 7. Know ye not that so many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, We shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

Now speaking of baptism, what baptism stands for? What it represents? We signify by baptism our death to sin in Christ. Christ being our Saviour. Dead to the law. what a great blessing that is we're no longer under the law we're no longer of the law of condemnation but we are under grace grace of God knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin but he that is dead is free from sin now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him what a great blessing that is to understand do you know that? do you know that for yourselves? you understand that being dead to sin you're no longer under condemnation not that we can go and live as we want but rather that we are mindful that we are redeemed we have new life we are sanctified we're cleansed from our sin made righteous all by Christ Jesus according to the will of God our Father and of course reason says can't be so reason would say throw it away no chance there's absolutely no possibility that I'm going to throw my Bible away for reason philosophies of men any of that is just nonsense what a hope that I have and I trust that you too have that same hope, that great blessedness that comes from the knowledge of sins forgiven.

Being born again, we are now in Christ. Carries on in Romans 6. Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God. through Jesus Christ our Lord

let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in the lusts thereof we're free from the condemnation of the law but we still sin the Lord knows that it says so in the scriptures go to 1 John but now we are free from the penalty of the sin the condemnation of the law thanks be unto our God

as I say we can only know what sin is by the law but not just by knowing what the law is it's by the reality of knowing the law work in our souls I've got the term here experiential I'll use the term experimental as well but what does experiential mean? it's learning by actually learning or by inference of experience and observation

biblically is one becomes aware that one is an offender against a holy God God is a holy God and we must never think that there is any way to be saved from our sin except through the Lord Jesus Christ

but what is it? what is the knowledge of this conviction of sin well it's explained Luke 18 verse 13 by that publican who went to down to the temple to pray Well, he was in the temple praying as a Pharisee. We're not going to deal with the Pharisee. I would just deal with the experience, experiential experience of this publican.

God have mercy upon me, a sinner. He knew what it was to be a sinner. He knew what it was to be under condemnation and wrath. How much he knew, I'm not aware. But those very words, having had some some sight into this, not insight an experience of it it's a deep experience that sometimes you cannot express mine was so deep it was overwhelming I'm not saying that that makes me better than anybody else absolutely no way it's just that I had that experience and I'll never forget it the conviction of the sin, the darkness that was in my soul I don't want you to think that I'm bragging about it. It's just a reality.

You do wonder about some people. And I'm not saying they're not saved. I don't mean that. But I wonder, have they had this knowledge of being a sinner?

If you've ever been to court, you've stood in the dock and been for some offence or other. You're there. and you're charged and you've got to say yes I am well you may get a fine might get stuffed into prison for a bit but we're talking of eternity here this is no light thing and in our preaching of God's word the law as well as a gospel we must never think that it is a light thing to be under the condemnation of the law but equally we should never forget to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But as we preach these things, let us remember that last verse of which we looked at in Hebrews 12. Our God is a consuming fire. Never forget that. May we be given understanding But that understanding only comes from the ministry of the Holy Spirit into our soul. We must go through that new birth. Ye must be born again. I know it's used by many people in different ways, but it's a reality. The Lord's words to Nicodemus, ye must be born again.

And then in the next chapter, we have the Lord Jesus Christ who speaks to the woman at the well at Jacob's well in John 4 verse 14 reading from I'll read from verse 10 Jesus answered and said unto her if thou knowest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From whence thou hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

see there that's the natural man no idea what the lord is speaking but the lord reveals himself to this woman jesus answered and said unto her whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again but whosoever drinketh of the water that i shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life it's also mentioned in John 7 he that believeth on me as the scripture sayeth sorry scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit of God God the Holy Spirit bringing Life, where there is death. Bringing grace and mercy, where there was but condemnation. Faith, the gift of faith, that we might believe these things and repent of our sins. The spiritual understanding, spiritual desires, spiritual longings. The Lord says in Matthew chapter 5, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness sake, for they shall be filled. That's a promise of Christ. The things of truth, the things of peace with God, they shall be filled. Peace with God, a holy God, a righteous God who's angry with the wicked all the day, Colossians 1, I hope I get this one right, gives us the answer, verse 13 to 22.

Who hath, this is Christ, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath traced, sorry, God's work, sorry, translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist and he is the head of the body the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross." Notice that, peace through the blood of his cross. That's the only place that we can have peace with God. "...having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him i say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven and you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death that was the necessity of his death through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight unreprovable in his sight

Just as I read that I'm thinking of it, I think it's Zechariah 3 where Joshua the high priest is presented before the Lord and Satan standing there to accuse him. And then we have that beautiful picture of the robe of righteousness because all his filthy garments are taken off, all his filthy righteous rags, his own righteous deeds, his own righteous works. stripped of them, cleansed from them, and a robe given to him. He mentions it in Revelation 19. The righteousness of the saints. The righteousness of saints. Not the righteous deeds. Not the righteous acts. Not the righteous works. The righteousness of saints. That which is imputed to them. The righteousness of what's been read of in Romans chapter 5.

Peace then. comes through the death and the blood of Jesus Christ. Our sins dealt with, but let us not forget that work in our souls. It's not stirring up repentance. Esau sought repentance, mentioned it in the Bible, sought it carefully and with tears because he gave away his birthright for a morsel of meat. He couldn't find repentance and we can't find repentance unless there's a work of grace. unless there's confession of sin, unless there's a real work of the Spirit in our souls,

2 Corinthians chapter 7 deals with that subject. 2 Corinthians 7 verse 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, repentance the fruit of faith, It's not to be repented of. We won't go back on it. And if you do go back on it, then it wasn't true repentance. It goes on. The sorrow of the world worketh death. Because the sorrow of the world is here today and gone tomorrow.

Or we may be sorry for what we've done to our neighbour. Somebody's pointed out, oh that's not very good. Christians don't do that. Sadly Christians do. Think of King David. But he found repentance. He found repentance with God. because his salvation didn't depend on his good works it depended on God's mercy and grace but he came to the place of sorrow true godly sorrow for his sin you can read about that in the penitential psalm is it psalm 71 true godly sorrow leads to repentance a spiritual fruit that leads to a turning away from the world's way philosophy All that, let's call it what it is, rubbish. Worldly rubbish, dross, that were burnt up. Or it may be admired in our universities. Well that tells you a lot about our universities.

May this pulpit, and I believe it does at this moment and ever, continue and same in hegemony and all those other faithful pulpits and i would desire more pulpits of this land to echo to the words of sovereign grace over sin abounding ransom souls the tidings tell that we won't engage in philosophy the ideas of men worldly reason but rather that we should speak of a holy god a god who hates sin and he hates sinners Psalm 5 hates the workers of iniquity he does but he also loves sinners as sinners in his mercy and in his grace in Christ he can't look at sinners as they are his eyes are too holy than to behold sin but he sees us in Christ.

I won't turn to it, but if you go into Ephesians chapter 1, I said it this morning, I'll say it again, I'll say it till the day I die I hope, is what a wonderful passage we have. Some people speak about John 3.16 being the most wonderful passage in the scripture. Well, all of the scripture is given for our edification. but I really have come to appreciate what the Lord is telling us in Ephesians chapter 1 those first 11 or 13 verses. I don't discount the rest of the scripture but I know for some of us certain passages bring out so much of what God has done for wretched me and for his people.

I wish to conclude then there is a way that seemeth right to a man but the end thereof are the ways of death but then go to Romans chapter 6 verse 23 the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord I've got something else but I'm going to leave that to where it is gift of God is eternal life it's a gift It's a gift which is granted. It's not earned by us. It's a grant by God to unworthy sinners who are redeemed through the blood of the Saviour.

I trust each one of us will be able to carry on to the end of our lives, be it a long way away or a short way away, and we don't know. We just don't know. but they might remember these words the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord whatever the world says trust the word of God it's stood for how many years I don't know and it will stand because it is God's word and he will own it that is the AV forget the rest of them the so-called versions just forget them just come back to the old AV the word of God in black and white, Christ revealed on the pages of scripture.

May the Lord then receive all the glory for our salvation. and may we be able to sing praise to him now and until the end of our days here on earth. For surely in heaven, as we read in Revelation, Revelation 4 and 5, we shall be around his throne forevermore singing praise to the Lamb who received glory and honour, and it carries on forever and ever. Amen.