LIVING IN A WORLD OF "SEEM GOOD" CHRISTIANS 

 

 

"It should be more our care to be good really, than to seem good outwardly." - Matthew Henry

 

 

"Seem good outwardly"

 

Is this how you are?

 

You seem to be godly, but in all actuality, you are wicked and evil.

 

You argue - but I am a Christian!

 

Nowadays, we find many labeling themselves as such, but on closer examination of their lives, we find that things are not as they appear.

 

Pastor Henry would counter many a "believer's" profession of faith with these words - "...that we are really, which we are inwardly."

 

So many are living a very shallow life when it comes to their walk with the Lord. Things are only on the surface-level. On closer examination of their lives, we find that their hearts are "stony ground" - ground that receives the Word for a time, but in the end proves unfruitful(Mark 4:5-6).

 

As we look around, we can see that many folk are basing their Christianity on outward conditions being right rather than the inner condition of their heart. Their "religion" consists of going to Church twice on Sunday, once on Wednesday, teaching Sunday School, conducting a midweek prayer meeting or Bible Study in their home, visiting the sick, etc. Some will even add to that list the fact that they have a good paying job, spend time with the children, are active in the community, etc. These are all well and good, but they do not reveal the true condition of one's own heart.

 

As we all know, one - for example - can teach Sunday School, pray, prophesy, speak in tongues for hours, or even preach and still have corrupt affections and inclinations and secret lusts. 

 

How many are there among this group who are so hardened in their heart through indulging in some "secret sin" or overcome by bitterness, hate, unforgiveness, or anger?  

 

Surely, we can understand that being involved in certain godly activities does not give a true estimation of the condition of one's heart. So, how do we avoid being a Christian outwardly and another person inwardly?

 

Not everyone who serves the Lord is a hypocrite. There are some of God's children who sincerely desire to serve Him in spirit and in truth.

 

How do we do this?

 

Matthew Henry hinted at our answer - "It should be more our care to be good really, than to seem good outwardly."

 

"It should be more our care..."

 

Did you catch what he said here?

 

In other words, we should make it our rule or commanding principle to cleanse first that which is within. When we do so, the outward will take care of itself.

 

What did the Lord Jesus tell us to do?

 

In Matthew 12:33, He alleged - "...make the tree good...for the tree is known by his fruit."

In Matthew 23:26, He had this to say to the Pharisees - the ones who were the biggest hypocrites around - those who emphasized the externals at the expense of the inner condition of their heart - "Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

In Luke 11:39-40, it is recorded that He said it this way - "...Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part if full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not He, that made that which is without, make that which is within also?"

 

Notice that He addressed them as - "Thou Blind Pharisee" and "fools" - and also indicated the proper order of spiritual matters - "cleanse first that which is within..."

Also take note of the fact that it is very easy to appear religious or sanctimonious among the people - as the Pharisees did - and all the while be full of worldliness, covetousness, and spitefulness.

 

Judging from this statement, we need to ask ourselves a few heart-searching questions - Just how many "blind Pharisees" or "fools" do we have in our churches today? Are you one of them? Are you one who tries to impress others with an outward show when you know yourself that you are unclean and filthy in your heart?

 

It's time like never before that we - as the Body of Christ - get real with ourselves!

This hypocrisy, phoniness, and pretense among our ranks is killing our testimony as "lights" shining in a dark, sinful world(Matthew 5:16).

 

But how exactly do we "make the tree good"? What do the Scriptures say?

 

There are three inspired writers in the Bible - Ezekiel, Amos, and James - who give us the answer -

 

Ezekiel 18:31 says - "Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit..."

Amos 5:15 says - "Hate the evil, and love the good..."

James 4:8 says - "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded."

 

How do we "make the tree good" as the Lord Jesus commanded?

 

First of all, we must put away all sin - hurl it away from us with a holy violence...forsake it with a resolution never to return to it again...break all leagues or abandon all sources that led us to it in the first place.

 

Secondly, we must cry out to God to do a "work of grace" in our hearts - making "a new heart and a new spirit." This "new heart" and "new spirit" will cause us to "hate" or avoid that which is "evil" or ruinous and "love" or cleave to that which is "good" or helpful. It will cause us to separate ourselves from the world and its many defilements and consecrate ourselves wholly unto the Lord and His service. The result being - there will no longer be the halting between evil and good, the flesh and the Spirit, selfishness and unselfishness, or impurity and holiness.   

 

We close with another quote from Pastor Henry's commentary - "The principal care of every one of us should be to wash our hearts from wickedness. The main business of a Christian lies within, to get cleansed from the filthiness of the spirit..."

 

What about you - O Reader?

 

Are you obeying the Lord in "making the tree good" and "cleansing first that which is within... that the outside may be clean also"? Have you made this your "principal care" or "main business"?

 

"...that we are really, which we are inwardly."

 

What are you really?

 

May God Bless His Word.