Lessons

When Man Does Right in His Own Eyes. The lesson on July 15, 2007 was given by Leland Maples of the LOOPS Organization (Loved Ones Of Prisoners). What happens when men decide to do right? There are plenty of scriptures that talks about men doing what’s right, in their own eyes. In the history of Israel, you go from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into Egypt. Moses was selected to bring Israel out of Egypt and Joshua took them into the promised land. After Joshua died, you come to the time of the judges. The judges of Israel were good men wanting to do what is right (in fact, four were listed in the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11). When good men start doing what’s right in their own eyes, you will find that in two generations, this is when bad people start to take over. Proverbs 14:12; 16:25 say “16 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Do you know who implemented capital punishment? The answer is God (see Genesis 9:6) It’s been man who has tried to try something else because he’s thinking in his own eyes. God has established what is right, we just need to follow it. One example of this was with Saul, who didn’t follow the commandment of the Lord because he thought in his own mind that the spoils of the conquered enemy was fine to sacrifice unto God (1 Samuel 15:12-26) This is where Samuel told Saul that it is better to obey, than to sacrifice and rebellion is the same as witchcraft. Mans right is usually wrong! The number one problem in today’s modern church is that man is improving it. The same is true in society with issues like Capital Punishment, Abortion, Evolution vs. Creation, Tattooing, Homosexuality, Prayer in school, etc. Somewhere man thought in his own eyes that these issues should be handled differently than what God has established in scripture. Man’s biggest mistake about being right was the thought that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. Surely, it wouldn’t be right if the opposite were true? But with God, it is! God said that everyone is a sinner and no one is righteous. Does this mean that we should all go to hell? No, because God provided a program that if a man chooses to accept Christ Jesus, he can be forgiven of his sin and go to heaven.