You might find my answer to this question highly
distasteful, but I hope you will also find it Biblical. However, for these
teachings to make any sense, you must begin to distrust your own perceptions.
The prophet Samuel had to learn this lesson. God had directed him to go to the
household of Jesse to anoint one of his sons to be the next king of Israel:
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:6–7)
God primarily regards the intentions of our heart. It is also
hard for us to understand why God places so much emphasis upon faith:
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Faith reveals the condition of our heart. Faith looks
hopefully towards God, while those who reject faith in the Creator, arrogantly
trust in themselves despite all the evidence to the contrary (Romans 1:18-21).
The Bible associates the rejection of faith with “lawlessness,” “darkness” of
self-deceit, and idolatry, and the worship of oneself:
·
Do not be unequally yoked with
unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what
fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what
portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple
of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I
will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:14–16)
Their self-deceit and darkness becomes an invitation to the master
of the lie, the devil:
- We know that we are from God, and the
whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)
They have been defiled. Yet, according to Mosaic Law, their
façade is a whitewashed tomb, which will defile anyone who touches it:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27)
Therefore, whatever they do is corrupt and unacceptable to
God even when it looks good. Consequently, the unbeliever often looks better
than the believer, but it comes from an evil heart, although it might be
carefully concealed like the whitewashed tomb:
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him. (Proverbs 15:8)
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent. (Proverbs 21:27)
He offers these sacrifices with contempt for the God who
offers him forgiveness and has given him everything he has:
- If one turns away his ear
from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. (Proverbs 28:9)
How can this be? What if an unbeliever buys you are car, but
you know that he regards you with disgust? Would you be grateful? I don’t think
so. Of course, we cannot perceive their inner motives – perhaps to prove that
he is a better person than you or to impress someone else? We do not know.
However, the Lord knows what motivates unbelievers to do “righteous deeds.”
Since He desires truth in our inmost being (Psalm 51:6), and understands that
these deeds are just a show of self-righteousness, He will not look upon them
favorably:
We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment… (Isaiah 64:6)
What then does God want from us? He wants us to see as He
does. Even the “blameless” can harbor a deep vein of self-righteousness, which prevents
him from seeing his sins. God, therefore, had charged Job: “Who is this that
darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2) and “Shall a
faultfinder contend with the Almighty?” (Job 40:2). After being humbled by God’s
questionings, Job confessed his arrogance and pride:
After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:7-8)
When we confess our sins, we are washed clean and restored
to holiness. Therefore, after Job had humbly confessed his sins, it was as if
he had never sinned. This is how Jesus explained our relationship to our
Savior:
·
“I am the true vine, and my Father is
the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and
every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already
you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I
in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the
branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,
for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:1–5)
To abide in Him is to abide in the Light of His Truth. Since we know how fallible we are, we trust in Him and turn to Him to be forgiven and healed of the effects of sin (1 John 1:8-9).
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