What is External Religion?

External religion is when the more central things like love, justice, mercy and faithfulness are ignored while pretending to be righteous. This is distortion of God's will as revealed in Scripture. This is the hypocrisy Jesus found among the teachers of the law and the Pharisees.

Matthew 23:25-26 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."

The Pharisees were exceedingly exact in observing all the washings and purifications prescribed by the law; but paid no attention to that inward purity. A man may appear clean outside, who is unclean inside. The Pharisees were full of injustice and uncleanness, covetousness, wickedness, and iniquity.

Matthew 23:27-28 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."

The law considered anyone who touched anything belonging to the dead as unclean. The Jews took care to have all tombs white-washed each year so that they can be easily seen and avoided. The Pharisees appear righteous to men... but this appearance will be of no use when God sits in judgment upon their souls. Like the white-washed tombs they look clean outside but their hearts are unclean as rotten flesh and bones. They may have the reputation of being righteous among men, but their hearts are the seat of unrighteousness. In sin they have sinned, and in sin they will die. They will be judged and punished from the Judgment Throne of God. Their empty profession of holiness will only sink them deeper into the lake of the unquenchable fire.

Readers! Set your hearts right with God!

Selie Visa