March 20: Demonstrate your trust in God

Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.

There appears to be a vast mission field existing virtually unreached by today’s efforts. Somehow, it has slipped under our spiritual radars for centuries and seems to be growing in its blindness and thriving in its rebellion. Jesus warned of this people group, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt. 7:22-23). Incredibly, the greatest mission field for evangelism may be assembled together each Lord’s Day throughout the churches of America.

As reported in the November 1991 issue of Signs of the Times, “fewer than 10 percent of Americans are deeply committed Christians.” In the article, pollster George Gallup is quoted as saying, “While many more Americans than this ten percent profess to be Christians, most actually know little or nothing of Christian beliefs, and act no differently than non-Christians.” “Overall,” Gallup concludes, “the Sunday School and religious education system in this country is not working.” Thus, regardless of rapidly “growing” mega ministries and the ever-so-popular “purpose-driven” models, the church is being tempted by becoming purpose-less and may be guilty in some respects of doing more harm than good.

Such was the case with popular Christian author, C. S. Lewis, who is recognized by many as the most influential defender of orthodox faith in the nineteenth century. The struggle in his decision to become a Christian was largely due to a demonstration of empty religion. According to his brother Warren, Lewis’ conversion was “no sudden plunge into a new life, but rather a slow, steady convalescence from a deep-seated spiritual illness.” The illness that he spoke of was the result of witnessing an empty religion that held little hope for genuine change. His brother went on to say, “[The illness] had its origins in our childhood, in the dry husks of religion offered by the semi-political churchgoing of Ulster, and the similar dull emptiness of compulsory church during our school days.”

Our study this week shows us a similar danger among the people of Judah. Jeremiah describes a misplaced trust in the temple rather than the Lord (7:1-4). Perhaps for us likewise, we have placed our confidence in the institutions of religion rather than in the sincerity of surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Church attendance and religious custom have now become the substance of our faith.

Rather than trusting in the rituals of religion, we should demonstrate our trust in God through lifestyle reform and begin to magnify the righteousness of God with our behaviors. Genuine surrender will result in genuine reform, which will result in genuine blessing (7:5-8). As one commentator wrote, “In order to enjoy the blessings of fellowship with the Lord, we need to demonstrate our trust in Him by living according to His standards.”

That begins with ridding our lives of all hypocrisy (7:9-11). No longer can the church be a “den of robbers.” Beyond our words must be the honesty of our motives and the compliment of our actions. There has to be more to the Christian life than simply feeling good about following the rules. Christ died for His glory in redeeming His Church and to make His glory known throughout the earth. If He will not be glorified in the church, how can the church expect His favor? Thus, the name of Christ has been blasphemed by our silly trust in ceremony and our diligence in pretense.

The call to repentance in the church is constant (7:12-15). There are consequences for the disobedience of counterfeit religion. God has warned His people throughout history and warns us today, “But I have been watching! declares the Lord.”