U
&In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths&

"Cosmetic Religion"

[ Back to Article Titles Page ]  [ Back to Home Page ]

Cosmetic surgery is indeed a booming business today and many people are going under the knife of some surgeon in an attempt to make themselves look better.  It seems there is no limit to what people will go through or how much money they will pay to look good.  People by the groves are having face lifts and tummy tucks and nose jobs and I won't even mention some of the other surgeries they are having.  A lot of them just want to look younger and some just want to look appealing to those around them.  Many of these same people who just want to look younger or prettier are not so concerned about the arteries in their heart that are becoming clogged more and more daily and though they may look good when they die, they will be just as dead.  That body they were so worried about will rot and it won't matter any more.

In the church today, there are an awful lot of people who for different reasons are having cosmetic surgery done on their souls.  They worry so much about what other people think they look like or they are seeking some false sense of immortality and yet inside they so desperately need a heart transplant.  Oh there are so many "spiritual" face lifts in the churches that it appears that everyone will live forever, but "spiritual" heart disease is rampant and people are dying and going to hell by the groves.  The sad part is that these people  can't see their condition.  I heard a sermon just this morning where the preacher said, "It's gonna rain", and I wrote an article awhile back which I entitled, "It's Gonna Rain" and what these poor people cannot get hold of is the fact that just as the rains came as promised in the days of Noah, the end will surely come in their lives.  "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."  Hebrews 9:27.  Friends, it couldn't be any plainer than that.  The Lord Jesus revealed a good example of those who in that day had cosmetic religion.  In Matthew we read, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not leave the other undone."  Matthew 23:23.  The Lord went on to show them what they had accomplished by doing this, as He told them, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess."  Matthew 23:25.  Then He went on to tell them that they indeed were pretty now as He said, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."  Matthew 23:27-28.  Friends, the Lord didn't just stop before telling them what the outcome of their cosmetic religion would be as He went on to say, "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"  Matthew 23:33.  These men had a face lift that made them really pretty, but they had a terminal heart disease that required a transplant.

There are those who may read this little article and either become angry about it's contents or they will just pass it off as being about someone else, but my dear friends, it is out of a spirit of love and compassion that this article is being written and I can assure you that I know what I am writing about.  You see, I was one of those whom I am writing about.  I know how it feels to have these thoughts put before you.  But please, don't let your anger or your pride get in the way of the one experience that will not only change the life you now live, but more importantly the life that begins when this one is over.

God's Word gives us a description of a man with cosmetic religion compared to a man who got the real thing in just seven little words.  In the book of Luke we read, "And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."  Luke 18:9-12.  Now, this man apparently was a pretty good man, if indeed he did all that he claimed to do.  He truly had religion-a-plenty, but, there was one statement that he made that was untrue, which where I come from is a lie.  He said that he was not unjust.  If you will also notice, it says that he stood and prayed with himself.  There is a very good reason for this.  This man was lost and the only prayer that a lost man can ever pray that the Lord will hear him is that of repentance.  It has been said and is most true that the only man that the Lord will send away empty is the man who comes to Him already full (of himself).  Friends, this Pharisee was really full of himself and he came away empty.  But wait, there was another man, the publican.  A publican was a tax collector.  He collected taxes from the Jews for the Romans. The Bible tells us, "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."  Luke 18:13  Seven little words.  Seven words from the heart of a man who realized that he was unjust and unrighteous.  Seven mighty words from an empty man and yet, "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."  Luke 18:14.

My dear friend, it truly would be so wonderful if you are a good person, but I beg you, no matter how good or bad you are, please search your own heart and be sure, be very sure that there was a time in your life when you truly trusted and accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.  A time when God forgave you of all your sins, past, present and future and Jesus Christ came into your heart and life.

"Look To The Blood"

When Satan tells me that I'm unworthy,

To be in the family of God.

I'm so glad because of grace,

I can look back to the place,