Are you pretending?

Now in past few lessons we have been discussing the concept of worship as opposed to religion.

We understand that we PRACTICE (or we DO) religion but we OFFER (GIVE) worship . . . therefore we must concede that “by definition”

religion must be associated with WORKS that can easily be SEEN among men . . . while worship must be associated with FAITH which can only be “seen by God”.

Matt 15: 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

The point here - is to teach us that it really does matter what we do “as a church” in terms of worship . . . it really does matter what we do

individually regarding what we define as worship . . . 

The men being addressed here in Matthew were among the most religious men who lived at this point in history.

But Jesus clearly indicates here that “trying real hard” or “being sincere in our efforts” will not excuse us from what He expects of us in terms of worship. 

“Acceptable worship” is something that only occurs when the attitude of our heart is consistent with “our behavior”.  

Our behavior is a thing that can be seen by everyone – but the attitude of our heart can only be seen by God.

“In vain they do worship me” . . . tells us that God does not accept every man’s type of worship. 

The problem here with the worship that is offered by this group is described for us a being bad (or vain) for two reasons . . . 1) hypocrisy and 2) false doctrine.

One reason that the worship of these men was rejected is because of the attitude of their heart. 

It is not possible to be a hypocrite without knowing how we “should act” (or what is really expected of us) . . . 

these men knew what God expected – so they put on an outward performance that was very convincing (this is why Jesus called them HYPOCRITES) they were “pretending” to be something that they were NOT – 

the fact that they were acting like Christians – indicates clearly that they KNEW how a Christian was SUPPOSED to act . . . but in their heart – they did not really have a desire to actually BE what God wanted them to be

John 8: 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

After learning God’s Word – if we then choose to continue in God’s Word it is only then that we will stop pretending . . . the reason that we

pretend (or play the part) is so that we can be accepted by others as a Christian – we want our families to think that we are a Christian . . . and “we also” want to believe that we are Christian . . . but in reality we are 

not what God really wants us to be - because we do not want to make the "inner sacrifices" that are required to have a Christians heart . . . So we learn

to give a performance that is convincing - but because God can see past our actions into the motives of our heart – He will reject our worship – just like He rejected the worship of these men we read of in Matt 15:7 . . .

We might ask the question – if you do “the right thing” then what difference does “the motive of our heart” make . . .
  
1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD “looketh on the heart”.

Let me put this on a personal level that we can all understand . . . Suppose that your husband/wife could not be criticized at all for their “actions”.

But suppose that you found out that your spouse was not “being nice” and behaving properly just because they loved you – but that their behavior

was being motivated by “their hope” of outliving you so they could collect your life insurance and then be able to really enjoy their life after you died.

Now if you could read their heart – and if this was what you saw . . . are you telling me that this would not be a “game changer” in respect to the relationship that you had with them?

If you could not fault them for anything “they actually did” – but if “as a mind reader” you could fault them for the selfish motives which were

actually “responsible” for what they did – then you would reject their behavior – no matter “how correct” it appeared to be.

Pr 23: 6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

The key phrase in this passage is “for as he thinketh in his heart – so is he.”

The point to this in regard to worship that is offered with a selfish heart – or to a life that we commit to another because we are motivated by greed . . .

Is simply that the way that we think in our heart “over shadows” anything that we can possibly do with our hands/life/worship.

If we put ourselves in the position of the man offering bread to another in Pr 23 . . . the act of offering the bread is covered up and hidden behind the mans’ EVIL HEART so that his good deed cannot even be seen.  Notice verse #8

The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

What this tells us – is that if we allow this man to beguile us with his offering of bread . . . when we come to realize what he was attempting to  

buy from us with his “supposed kindness” – then what we once saw as an act of genuine kindness – we will learn to look upon with disgust as we vomit it up and lose that “nice warm feeling” that we once had for one who has been exposed as nothing but a HYPOCRITE . . .

Re 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth