NOT WITH THE HYPOCRITES
Jesus never went to the synagogues or temple to study the Scriptures or worship with others. There were people there that didn’t understand the Scriptures as well as He did. There were hypocrites who taught one thing and practiced something else. There were people there that didn’t like Him and talked about Him. They didn’t do things the way He thought they should have been done. So, He followed His own religion. He taught those whom He could, did many good deeds and cared for others. If someone needed help, He’d even give them the shirt off His back. After all, it was not His relationship with man that mattered, only His relationship with God.
I hope that as you read that paragraph you were thinking, “How ridiculous!” From the time Jesus was a child, it was His custom to go to the synagogues and study and discuss the Scriptures. And shortly before His death, He was in the temple daily teaching the people. Yet, how often do you hear someone justify their own actions, or the actions of someone else, with the attitude expressed above?
Just recently, as I was talking to someone and he described his friend with these words, “He knew the Scriptures well and lived a good Christian life. He just didn’t “go to church” anywhere and wasn’t a member of any congregation. He felt like he couldn’t worship in a congregation because there were more hypocrites there than real Christians. So, he just had his own religion, focused on his relationship with the Lord and did a lot of good for others.”
What a shame. Here was individual who thought he knew and was doing what was right, but in reality, he was not. He reminds me of the man described by Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ “ (NKJV)
So, what’s wrong with this attitude? Why can’t you just learn the Scriptures, have a personal relationship with God and Jesus, and do good unto others?
Okay, here you probably are expecting me to give a list of reasons to detail what is wrong with this attitude. However, before I post my list, I want to give you an opportunity to express your thoughts. So, feel free to add your comments by clicking on the “Leave A Comment” phrase above.
~ John
