A Way That Seems Right: The Danger of Trusting Feelings

Introduction: The Misleading Nature of Feelings

Proverbs 14:12 warns, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death.” Many people today trust their feelings as a sufficient guide in life, thinking that what feels right must be right. Common sayings such as, “Everyone has a right to their own beliefs” or “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere,” reflect this mindset. But is this approach reliable? The Bible challenges us to examine whether following feelings leads to truth or destruction.

Isaiah 1:18 encourages us to use reason: “Come now, and let us debate your case,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall become as white as snow.” While feelings can seem convincing, they are often unreliable, especially in matters of eternal significance.

The Unreliability of Feelings in Everyday Life

Even in practical, day-to-day matters, feelings can be deceptive. For example, just because we feel confident in solving a math problem doesn’t mean the answer is correct unless it aligns with the truth. Similarly, trusting feelings in matters of health without proper diagnosis can lead to harm. A person who feels healthy may still have a hidden illness.

Consider safety: thinking a bank is secure doesn’t make it immune to theft. Likewise, our perception of safety is meaningless unless grounded in reality. If feelings are unreliable in these areas, how much more dangerous is it to trust them in spiritual matters?

The Spiritual Danger of Relying on Feelings

Many people believe satisfaction equals salvation. This assumption is deeply flawed. A moral person may feel secure in their good deeds but remain separated from God. Likewise, someone living in open sin or as an unbeliever may feel content, but this satisfaction is not evidence of salvation.

Jesus addressed this directly in Matthew 7:21, saying, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” Feelings, no matter how strong, cannot substitute for obedience to God.

The Limits of World Religions

Feelings are also deceptive when it comes to religious beliefs. Many sincere followers of false religions feel confident in their faith, yet the Bible makes it clear that sincerity is not enough. Consider the following examples:

Mohammedanism (Islam): Though many adherents believe deeply, their faith does not align with God’s revealed truth.
Buddhism: The teachings of Buddha may inspire devotion, but as Colossians 2:8 warns, “See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition.”
Heathen Practices: Some cultures engage in practices that seem right to them, such as throwing infants into rivers or sacrificing to idols. While these acts may feel justified within their context, they contradict God’s truth.

Even among Christian denominations, feelings can mislead. Whether Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, or another group, doctrines must align with Scripture rather than human interpretation or emotion. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states, “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”

Proof From Scripture: Feelings Are Deceptive

The Bible repeatedly warns against trusting feelings. Galatians 6:3 declares, “For if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Similarly, Proverbs 14:12 underscores the danger of following a way that merely “seems right.” Jeremiah 10:23 adds, “I know, Lord, that a person’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a person who walks to direct his steps.” These verses remind us that human understanding is limited, and reliance on feelings often leads to error.

Biblical Examples of Misguided Confidence

The Bible offers examples of individuals who trusted their feelings, only to discover they were wrong:

Saul (Paul): Before his conversion, Saul believed he was serving God by persecuting Christians. Acts 7:58 describes him as a participant in Stephen’s stoning, and Acts 9:1 reveals he was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.” Saul felt justified in his actions but later admitted in Acts 26:9-11, “So I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” His feelings led him astray until God confronted him on the road to Damascus.
Those Who Crucified Jesus: Luke 23:34 records Jesus’ words from the cross: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” The people who crucified Jesus believed they were acting righteously, yet they were tragically mistaken.

Ways That Seem Right But Are Wrong

The Bible outlines several paths that may seem right to people but ultimately lead to destruction:

The Way of Unbelief: Revelation 21:8 warns of the eternal consequences of unbelief: “But for the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
The Way of Human Doctrines: Jesus rebuked those who followed human traditions over God’s commandments, saying in Matthew 15:9, “But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Colossians 2:20-22 also warns against relying on human regulations: “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’… in accordance with commandments and teachings of man?”
The Way of Neglectful Christians: Hebrews 2:1-4 cautions believers against drifting away from the truth: “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every violation and act of disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”

Conclusion: Knowledge Over Feelings

The conclusion is clear: feelings cannot be our guide. Knowledge based on God’s Word must take precedence. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us, Scripture is the only reliable source of truth. Solomon, in his wisdom, summarized the matter in Ecclesiastes 12:13: “The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.”

In spiritual matters, as in all areas of life, we must anchor ourselves in God’s truth rather than the shifting sands of human emotion. Feelings can mislead, but the Word of God stands firm forever (Isaiah 40:8). Let us commit to living by His Word, seeking knowledge and wisdom over fleeting emotions, and walking in the way that leads to life.