Are We Really Faithful?

Paul C. Keller wrote this piece which appeared in the September 5, 1971 edition of Reminders. The paper was published by the Moundsville Church of Christ in Moundsville, West Virginia and was edited by Keller.

As Christians, one of our greatest dangers is that of allowing our religion to become a mere formality; only a profession. Living as a Christian ought to live involves more than attending the services of the church, making some financial contribution to the work and showing a little enthusiasm during the few days a series of gospel meetings is in progress. These things will of course, be done by the person who is devout and consecrated. But these things may also be done by a person who is not devout and consecrated. The pitiable part of it is that such a person along with many others, does not discern the difference. Many go merrily along their way trusting that a few outward observances make them pleasing to God, while their real affections are set upon other things.

To people of His day who, in a formal way were very religious, Jesus applied the words of Isaiah. "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me" (Matthew 15:8). Each of us will do well to search his own heart to see if this statement may truthfully describe us.

Formality is not to be substituted for spirituality. Mere profession can not take the place of genuine devotion to the Lord. Public avowal of Christianity does not always guarantee purity and piety. Nor does praying guarantee the absense of pretense. (Matthew 23:14)

While all of this may be true of the conscious hypocrite, the deliberate deceiver, it may likewise be true of those who do not intend it to be so. Self-deception is easily possible or the the part of each of us. As a matter of fact, one is more apt to deceived himself than anyone else. Against such, we need to guard.

Christianity must really affect our entire lives. There is no endeavor of the Christian's life but that the principles of Jesus Christ are to control. The teaching of the Lord will restrain the Christian from wrong conduct in the home, dishonesty in business, sinful pleasures, lying speech, harboring envy and malice in the heart, uncharitableness toward others and irreverence toward God. In short, the teaching of Christ restrains us from wrong thoughts, words and deeds.

Nor is the religion of Christ merely negative in its nature. It does not simply prohibit the doing of that which is wrong. Christianity calls upon one for the employment of his intellect, time and abilities in the doing of that which is good. The, "author and finisher of our faith" set an example for us and, "went about doing good." (Hebrews 12:2; Acts 10:38) His word plainly tells us that our failure to do the good we know, is sin. (James 4:17) Furthermore, by His word we are, "completely furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:16-17)

Let each of us heed the words of Paul. "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you...Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." (II Corinthians 13:5-8)