Profession and Zeal Not True Piety.
By C. P. Bollman
PROFESSION of religion does not constitute true piety, and zeal is often only a cloak hiding even from the individual himself the deformity and corruption of his own heart. The great Teacher said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." Matt. 7:21. The gospel history abounds in instances in which the Jews manifested a zeal for God, and for his law, which under some circumstances would have indicated that they were indeed his children; but inasmuch as they were professing obedience without yielding it, and ascribing glory to the Father, while they were rejecting the Son, their professions of piety only served to brand them as hypocrites; and the term "Pharisaical" is now everywhere used as a synonym for spiritual pride, formalism, and hypocrisy. That this is a just estimate of their character, is evidenced by the fact that even while they were professing the greatest love for God, they were making void his law through human traditions (Mark 7:6-13); and, worse still, while falsely accusing the Saviour of breaking the fourth commandment, they themselves were plotting to take away his life, in direct violation of the sixth. Under such circumstances, their professions of love and pretensions to obedience must have been even more displeasing to God than open rebellion. Yet no doubt many of those Jews were honest—honest because ignorant (Acts 3:17)—and verily thought that they were doing God service; and, like Paul (Acts 26:9), felt that they "ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." But ignorance did not excuse them; they were none the less "the betrayers and murderers" (Acts 7:52) of the Son of God, because they did not know that he was indeed the Christ; for they might have known. The difficulty was not in the insufficiency of the evidence of the Saviour's divinity, but in their own moral condition. As has been truthfully remarked, "Ignorance [in matters of religion] is the result of wickedness." Their minds were so darkened by love of the world, and their hearts so hardened by spiritual pride, that they were incapable of seeing in the life and character of Jesus the fulfillment of the prophecies relative to the Messiah. Such was their condition that the Saviour said of them: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." John 3:19. They did not feel their need of the light, for they were righteous in their own eyes; their selfishness hid from them the evil of those things which they loved. Many of them, doubtless, reasoned that their fathers were men approved of God, and as they were observing the customs and traditions of their fathers, they had no need that any man should teach them. Instead of receiving the plain testimonies of the word of God, they made their own practices and traditions the standard by which to test the teachings of Him who spake as never man spake; and because his words condemned them, they turned away from the light which would have enabled them to see and correct their errors. But even while rejecting the Saviour, and turning away from the truth, the proud Pharisee was careful to observe all the forms of his religion; the more dense his moral darkness, the longer grew his prayers, and the more demonstrative his greetings in the markets; the less he enjoyed of true religion and communion with God, the more did he seek the favor of men; and the more he was praised and flattered by his fellows, the stronger grew his self-deception, until he was utterly incapable of seeing any good beyond or outside of that which he imagined that he possessed. Self-deception brings self-satisfaction, and self-satisfaction is often mistaken for the blessing of God, and therefore the Pharisee (like his modern brother), though in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, was happy, believing himself highly esteemed, not only of man, but of God. But the only true standard of Christian life is the word of God. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:20. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. This, then, being true, the Bible is a perfect standard, the only correct rule of faith and practice; and it matters not how loud the profession, nor how ardent the zeal, if in any particular the creed and life do not correspond with the Scriptures, we may confidently write upon them, "Weighed in the balance, and found wanting." "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Jer. 17:9. Therefore it should not be a matter of surprise that many are self-deceived. We have seen that the Jews were seemingly honest in rejecting Christ. From their standpoint they could not see the evidence of his Messiahship; but they were inexcusable, because they had placed themselves in that position, i. e., they had come to love their own ways more than they loved the truth. The apostle Paul, speaking of those who should in the last days occupy a similar position, says that they do not receive the love of the truth. "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:10-12. That this scripture applies to some who profess to serve God, is evident from the fact that they are deceived. They think, as did the Jews, that they are serving the Lord; but in reality they are the servants of Satan. They are self-deceived, having their hearts so set upon their own ways, that in time they really think that they are doing all that God requires of them; and though they do not realize it, they are taking pleasure in unrighteousness. Now the apostle John says, "All unrighteousness is sin" (1 John 5:17); and he further says, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law." Chap. 3:4. How aptly, then, do these scriptures describe the condition of many in these last days who profess to and do really believe that they are serving God; yet they take pleasure in violating the law, and teach, contrary to the words of the Saviour himself (Matt. 5:17, 18), that Christ abolished the law! Those who are in the sad condition almost invariably make a showy profession, and manifest a zeal, which, if according to knowledge, would be most commendable. They speak of God and the Saviour as they would of a next-door neighbor, and affect a familiarity with sacred things which cannot but do violence to all feelings of reverence and true worship. As well exemplified by the Saviour, those who live nearest to God, and are the most thoroughly consecrated to his service, will ever have, and will unconsciously manifest, the greatest reverence for his holy name. God is not only to be loved, but he is to be feared, and his name should be had in reverence by all his creatures. Ps. 89:7. God has given us his word, by which we may become wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ (2 Tim. 3:15); and yet men and women professing perfect love for its divine Author, so lightly esteem the Bible that they do not hesitate to make void its plainest precepts. Instead of making it the standard by which to test their lives, they make their own experience the criterion, and insist that the Scriptures must be explained in harmony with their feelings and sentiments! Of such a course the Lord says: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov. 14:12. God is the same in all generations; with him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning; nor is he a respecter of persons. He requires neither more nor less now than he did in the days of Abel, Abraham, or Moses. Paul plainly states the conditions of salvation as "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21); and that they have ever been the same, no student of the Scriptures can for a moment doubt. Those who profess to honor the Son while they despise and trample upon the Father's law, are making as great a mistake as did they who anciently professed such reverence for the law, while rejecting Christ. "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination" (Prov. 28:9); and he who rejects Christ, rejects "the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. The law of God leads men to Christ, by showing them their need of a Saviour; it thus acts an important part in every case of true conversion (Ps. 19:7), while a living connection with Christ brings us into harmony with the law. Rom. 8:1-9. God has joined these things together; let us beware of those who separate them. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.