I recently read an “eye-opening” illustration; it went like this: “A number of years ago a preacher delivered a sermon titled, ‘Twelve inches from God’. In it, the preacher maintained that many religious, ‘churchgoing’ people are indeed just twelve inches from God. You see the distance to which he referred was the approximate distance between the heart and the lips. Many profess a good religion with the lips, but their heart is just not in it.”
Of course this eye-opening illustration is exactly to what Jesus was referring when He warned, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it written, this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Mark 7:6). The difference in just twelve inches is immense! The difference between sin and salvation, humility and hypocrisy, sincerity and shams is found in those twelve little inches. On the surface, “lip religion” may look good, but it lacks the substance that genuine Christianity demands. Those who practice “lip religion” expose their hypocrisy in a variety of ways.
They are quick to tell others how to live, but seldom do they follow their own advice. Jesus, referring to the scribes and Pharisees that sit in Moses’ seat, declared, “Therefore, all that they tell you, that observe and do. But do not according to their works, for they say and do not” (Matthew 23:3).
They often did good works, but merely to be seen of men. Jesus said that the hypocrites of His day were so concerned about man’s applause that they would stand in the streets and deliver lengthy prayers just to be seen of others. Certainly one thing that causes onlookers to detest Christianity is when religious people perform works with only the motive to be applauded by their peers. Good works are only to be done so others may see them and glorify God, not us (Matthew 5:16)!
They were very concerned about the exteriors and how things look outwardly, but the Pharisees and scribes cared nothing for the weightier matters of the heart. Jesus called them hypocrites because they paid “tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and …neglected the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith…” (Matthew 23:23).
They worked hard at demonstrating an outward show of respectability, but were little concerned about inner thought, motives and genuine love. “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25). The external must never be emphasized to the neglect of the internal!
We must remain on guard so as to never slip into this type of facade. Christianity is a heart religion. No wonder why the first and great commandment begins, “You shall love the lord your God with all your heart…” (Matthew 22:37). Many love God with their mouths, but their hearts are not engaged. Sadly, they are just “Twelve inches from God.” What about you?
