What does proverbs chap. 14 v12 mean king James bible?

Answer 1

(Prov.14:12 KJV): "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

This is speaking of how the "human mind" works [the human brain in conjunction with the human "spirit" or "intellect"].

Except for God's revealing "the presence of the spirit in us" in His Word, The Bible [Zech.12:1; Job 32:8; Isa.26:9; Eph.4:23; I Cor.2:11; James 4:5]... man would not be aware of the "spirit" within him; which is a "spark of godly creativity" [God is our "Creator" after all, and He did make man in His image].

It's this "spirit" in us that provides man's ability to "think" -- to dream, envision, design, plan... and to manifest our "thoughts" into physical action or work.

But the thing is... the "way man naturally thinks or reasons things out"... or what "seemeth right unto a man" [which the Bible calls "carnal mindedness"] is based on the "physical data" or information that his easily-deceived "five physical senses" sends to his brain for processing and decision-making.

This, potentially deceptive, processing of erroneous data leads to many "wrong conclusions, decisions and actions" in the human mind, heart, life and character-development that is, according to the Truth of God's Word [see Prov.14:12], the "opposite" of the Godly way of thinking [which is with a "human spirit awakened by the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit, that's receptive to the Truth of God's Word," the Bible]:

"...Thy Word is TRUTH." (John 17:17)

Man naturally thinks shallowly and reactively, with a slumbering spirit; a spirit without the Knowledge and Understanding of God's Word... without Belief, Faith and Trust in God's Word - which the Bible says is God's Bread that feeds and nourishes the human heart and mind].

God tells us that man's "carnal minded" way of thinking - the ways that "seemeth right unto him" - is naturally HOSTILE and REBELLIOUS to His Truth [His Laws]!

"Because the carnal mind is enmity [hostile] against God: for IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD, neither indeed can be. So then they that are IN THE FLESH [thinking carnal mindedly] cannot please God. But ye [speaking to God's Faithful] are not in the flesh, but IN THE SPIRIT, IF SO BE THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELL IN YOU. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, HE IS NONE OF HIS." (Rom.8:7-9 KJV)

Note: the Bible reveals TWO WAYS OF THINKING! Carnal mindedly or "in the flesh"... and thinking with the "Mind of Christ" or "in the Spirit."

So, back to the question: man's natural carnal minded way of looking at things [the world, life, people, etc]... the way he perceives things without the Divine insight of God's Holy Spirit dwelling within his mind and heart [his spirit].

Why does this erroneous way of thinking [what seemeth right unto a man] lead to death?

It's because man's natural carnal minded way of thinking is HOSTILE TO GOD'S LAW, the Ten Commandments. It CANNOT OBEY THEM. Man's nature is selfish and rebellious to authority; God's or man's. And it's this naturally rebellious resentment and rejection of God's Laws [man thinks 'don't tell me what to do'] that results in DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD's LAWS... or TRANSGRESSION... or THE BREAKING OF GOD's LAWS. And "that's what SIN is!"

"Whosoever committeth sin trangresseth also the Law: for SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW." (I John 3:4)

And what are the wages of sin [which man earns from the 'way he thinketh and acteth' {???}] ?

"For the wages of sin is DEATH; but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our LORD." (Rom.6:23)

Ever since "that old Serpent" [see Rev.12:9] introduced himself to the first two people, and awakened the spirit in them to it's selfish, rebellious nature... man began to "think wrongly"... "think selfishly, lustfully, wickedly"... which is the exact opposite of his Creator's "Selfless, Loving, Giving, Merciful way of thinking... and acting."

"Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, 'The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?'" (James 4:5)

"What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? GOD FORBID. Nay, I had not known sin, but BY the Law: for I had not known LUST, except the Law had said, 'Thou shalt not covet.' {Commandment 10}" (Rom.7:7)

Sin is the breaking of God's Ten Commandments... which man's selfish nature LIKES to do. This way of man's thinking towards his Creator and His Laws "seemeth" right to men. But that way of "disobedience"... man's natural way of thinking without the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit... is the way of "sin."

And the wages of sin is "DEATH."

That's what Proverbs 14:12 means.