Do Not Turn Aside to the Right Hand or to the Left

Do Not Turn Aside to the Right Hand or to the Left

The way of truth is the right way. All other ways are crooked ways that people seek out because they do not love to walk on the way of truth.

“Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.” Prov. 4:25-27.

Our entire life, our words and our actions, are the consequences of our inner life.

“For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Matt. 12:34. Therefore Jesus says, “But rather give alms of such things as are within, then indeed all things are clean to you.” Luke 11:41. Giving alms as such does not cleanse our heart, neither can it please God; but giving alms of such things as are within makes everything on the outside clean and is pleasing to God.

In other words, any digression begins on the inside. If we have the right attitude in our inner man, our works will be done in righteousness. Consequently, our works are a precise mirror of our inner man; therefore we are exhorted to examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith. By paying heed to ourselves, we will understand whether our works are done in faith or in unbelief. 2 Cor. 13:5.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb. 4:12.

Going straight ahead means letting the sharp sword pierce and divide and bring one’s secret thoughts and intentions before the judgment seat.

On this point, we are tempted to turn aside from the way in order to avoid the light. “And this is the condemnation [judgment], that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19.

When a person turns aside from the way, he goes either to the right or to the left. The way has two sides, two directions that a person uses when he draws back from the way of faith.

Why do you insist on something unique when you shall buy something? Isn’t it because you are “unique” and “great” in your inner man? If such a person has been enlightened concerning the way of contentment, he has turned aside from the way of truth in his inner man, and now he is carrying it out outwardly and has completely turned aside from the way.

We can call this turning aside to the right, but we shall not turn to the left either; we must not become so careful that we become greedy, and consequently sin gains power.

Everyone may examine himself and judge himself on the basis of his works. The right thing to do would have been to judge yourself inwardly; then such works that showed that you had turned aside would not have been manifested. But when they do become manifest, they need to be judged; otherwise it leads to apostasy. “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.” 1 Cor. 11:31-32.