“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” (Matt. 23:27)
And then revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2nd Tim. 3:5)
Which is the greater evil my friends, the bad man who does not pretend to be nice, or the wolf in sheep’s clothing?
How many profess to know the Lord Jesus Christ, but their hearts are far from Him, showing an outward light that does not come from within, who are well versed, and that not with evil intent, in the ways of a religious life, but inside is a darkness and foul stench in the nostrils of the Living God? That form of godliness is nothing more than dead men’s bones, an outward appearance of holiness that has no light within.
“For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19)
These I bring before you today to examine are not outwardly intentionally evil by their own design and free will, they are not those bad people that want to be known as such, nor are they wolves who each day don the apparel of one of the sheep with mischievous intents, hoping to lead some astray that are on the path to the Almighty’s eternal Kingdom, these are they who claim to serve the Living God, and do so by the knowledge of rote repetition in the assembly, yet are not members of the body of Christ.
They are, in the eyes of many, “good” people, but they are not saved people, they are self-deceived, believing the outward appearance is more important than the inward heart, they know how to put on the proper exterior attire of the righteous, they know how to fit in with the congregation of those who are hid in Christ, they know the songs and the proper words to say at the proper time, but those words are not hiding in their heart, but in their pocket, to be brought out at the correct time, not to deceive others, but to assist themselves in believing that they have also been chosen by God.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22)
These have done all they were commanded to do, and thereby believe they are profitable.
The thoughts of feeling sorry for what they consider sin never leads to true repentance, there is no broken and contrite heart within them, the life they live is not the life that has died to self, but they have taught themselves how to emulate that which is not truly in them. An outward appearance of holiness with darkness and dead men’s bones inside.
And because few are chosen, few can recognize them as they sit in the pews with the assembly, and if we do, and in love contend with them, revealing to them the deception they have fallen prey to, we will be rebuked, and not only by them, but by the majority of the congregation, for most cannot see the error of their lives, but are living it as well.
A form of godliness is quite easy to achieve my friends, and there are many that have been deceived in this manner, a man can change his life, but only the Most High can change our heart, a man can walk a path of seemingly proper righteousness, but it will not lead him to that strait gate. These profess to know what cannot be revealed as truth in their hearts.
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:14)
They are humble for the sake of self and an outward appearance, but they do not know the humility that the servant of the Living God knows.
That outward appearance is recognized by those who have been born-again, and for the sake of their soul, must be revealed to them.
