Biblically Speaking

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We might wear a costume to a party, to a ball, or going to homes on Halloween (not commenting on the celebration of Halloween). We might wear a costume if we are private investigators or if we are hiding from someone. No matter what the situation we are always trying to do the same thing when we wear a costume. We are always trying to pretend to be someone who we are not, and we are trying to fool people into believing that we are something that we area not. The more convincing the costume the better it is usually considered.

We might wear a uniform to work, to an event, or when performing a ceremony, and the purpose of wearing a uniform is exactly the opposite of wearing a costume. When we wear a uniform we want to broadcast to others who or what we really are. While costumes are designed to hide what is inside of us and portray a false identity to others, the uniform is designed to show forth on the outside exactly what is inside of us. Uniforms don't hide but rather expose our true character.

If I was to wear a policeman's clothes, it would be a costume for me. I would be pretending to be something that I was not. I wouldn't really become a policeman just because I was wearing a policeman's clothing. However, if a real policeman was wearing a policeman's clothes, he would be identifying himself outwardly with what he really was beneath the clothing. The proof is in the fact that if the policeman took off the uniform and wore "street" clothes, he would still be a policeman. The clothes don't make the man but rather bring out the inner man.

When we go to the church we can either be metaphorically wearing a costume or we can metaphorically be wearing a uniform. Christ quotes Isaiah 29:13 (in both Matthew and Mark) when he speaks of a people who are wearing religious costumes instead of uniforms. He says that they honor Him with their lips but their hearts are far from Him. The church building, church activities, even religious talk can all be uniforms or costumes. Either we can be honoring God on the outside when our hearts are far from Him, or we can be showing forth His goodness as a light set upon a hill. How do we tell the difference?

James 1 holds the key. We must be both hearers of the Word of God and doers. Lots of people hear the word of God. They listen for intellectual stimulation. They listen to massage their conscience. They listen to get cheap, clean entertainment. They might seem to be religious, or they might consider themselves religious. But, God says that when we listen and don't do our religion is in vain. He says that a non-practicing Christian is not a Christian, but he is deceiving his own heart.