1685. Rites Vs. Righteousness

Rites Vs. Righteousness

"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 to leave the other undone" (Mat_23:23).

There are many following the Pharisaical idea. They place the whole emphasis on religious rites, ceremonies, and forms; while right living and a right faith are wholly forgotten.

1. The Pharisees were scrupulous in their tithes, but unscrupulous in the way they made their money. They knew how to devour widows' houses, thereby adding to their coffers, they knew how to press a legalized robbery, but they satisfied themselves in their methods of making money, by their exactness in paying tithes.

2. The Pharisees were scrupulous in their religious rites, but unscrupulous in righteousness. They knew how to come before the Lord with impressive ceremonials. They could stand, or kneel; they could lift up unholy hands, and strike holy postures, but they did not carry their religion into their daily walk.

On the Sabbath, they were the holiest of saints; on week days they were the unholiest of sinners.

Let no one place their trust in the outward observance of ceremonials–the Lord demands a cleansed heart and a clean life.

3. The Pharisees were scrupulous in their forms of worship but unscrupulous in their faith. For forty years, we have been a member of the Baptist Church. We have seen, to our sorrow, how many Baptists place a tremendous emphasis upon the form of baptism, yet entirely overlook the meaning of baptism.

They are willing to fight for immersion, but they forget that immersion is meaningless unless it sets forth a life buried with Christ, and risen with Christ, to walk in newness of life.

There are some who follow in fullest detail the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and yet deny the vicarious sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

People are right in Scripturally emphasizing baptism, or the Lord's Supper. This they ought to have done, but people are wrong in minimizing the spiritual significance which these ordinances set forth. This they ought not to have left undone.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR