eremiah 6:30
“Rejected silver
Mark 11:13
“Nothing but leaves”
1John 3:18
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth”
Revelation 3:1
“..thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead”
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“If we profess to have any religion at all, let us be careful that it is authentic. I say it emphatically, and I repeat the saying: Let us be careful that our religion is authentic.
What do I mean when I use the word “authentic.” I mean that which is genuine, and sincere, and honest, and thorough. I mean that which is not inferior, and hollow, and formal, and false, and counterfeit, and sham, and nominal.
“Authentic” religion is not mere show, and pretense, and skin-deep feeling, and temporary profession, and works only on the outside. It is something inward, solid, substantial, intrinsic, living, lasting.
The times in which we live demand attention to this subject.
● Is there not a false “humility?” Without a doubt there is. There is a pretended meekness of demeanor, which often covers over a very proud heart. Paul warns us against a “forced humility,” and speaks of “having an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility” (Colossians 2:18, 23).
● Is there not a false “praying?” Without a doubt there is. Our Lord denounces it as one of the special sins of the Pharisees–that for a “show make lengthy prayers” (Matthew 23:14). He does not charge them with not praying, or with praying short prayers. Their sin lay in this, that their prayers were not authentic.
● Is there not a false “worship?” Without a doubt there is. Our Lord said of the Jews: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8). They had plenty of formal services in their temples and their synagogues. But the fatal defect about them was want of authenticity and heart.
● Is there not a lot of false “talking” about religion? Without a doubt there is. Ezekiel describes some professing Jews who talked and spoke like God’s people “but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain” (Ezekiel 33:31). Paul tells us that we may “speak in the tongues of men and of angels,” and yet be no better than a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1).
What shall we say about these things?
To say the least they ought to set us thinking. To my own mind they seem to lead to only one conclusion.
They show clearly the immense importance which Scripture attaches to authenticity in religion.
They show clearly we need to be careful lest our Christianity turn out to be merely nominal, formal, unreal, and inferior.
The subject is of deep importance in every age. There has never been a time, since the Church of Jesus Christ was founded, when there has not been a vast amount of trivial and mere nominal religion among professing Christians.
I am sure it is the case in the present day.
Wherever I turn my eyes I see abundant cause for the warning, “Beware of inferior religion. Be genuine. Be thorough. Be authentic. Be true.”
~ J. C. Ryle
(Practical Religion: Chapter 3 – Authentic Religion)
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“I beseech you consider, that what you give your time, pains, thoughts, and affections to, that is your God. You must give God all your heart, and so retain nothing of your own will if God be your God.”
~ Hugh Binning, 1627-1653
“If you do not hate heresy and corruption in worship, there is no true religion or godliness in you.”
~ Thomas Manton
“The man that takes up religion for the world will throw away religion for the world.”
~ John Bunyan
“Our religion is not to be confined to our closet; we must carry out into practical effect that which we believe.”
~ Charles Spurgeon
“A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.”
~ Martin Luther