Know the way of peace
Know the way of peace
In this lesson, we consider three short passages in Paul’s letter to the Romans which relate to the theme God's living way. We will introduce each passage at an appropriate point in the lesson.
Rom 3:12,16-18
In our first key passage, Paul quotes from Psalms and Isaiah. Here are the passages he quotes (his excerpts underlined):
The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God!"
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt,
There is none who does good, no, not one."
(Psa 14:1,3)
Their feet run to do evil,
And they make haste to shed innocent blood.
Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity,
Wasting and destruction are in their paths.
The way of peace they have not known,
And there is no justice in their ways,
They have made them crooked paths.
Whoever takes that way
Shall not know peace.
(Isa 59:7-8)
Transgression speaks to the ungodly in his heart;
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
(Psa 36:1)
Paul could have added many other passages but he leaves that to us. Here are three examples...
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Prv 16:25).
"Thus says the Lord: stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the ancient paths where is the good way, and walk in it; then you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it' "
(Jer 6:16).
"Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it; because narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way, that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Mtt 7:13-14).
There are times when communities, churches, and nations will turn aside from God’s living way and not one person among them will stay on the true path. This happens because people make the foolish choice to abandon the right ways of the Lord, to turn aside and go with the crowd down a crooked path. We call this “transgression” or “digression”. God’s true path is always there; but we have to choose to walk in it rather than in the path of ignorance and evil. We may have to do this even when nobody else will.
Are you choosing God's living way, or are you refusing to walk in it, and choosing your own way instead? You determine that for yourself. God has determined that if you choose his way, you will end up in eternal life.
Why do few find God’s way?