The Inadequacy of Merely External Religion

The analysis of the condition of God's people as given by the prophet Jeremiah is not easy reading.  Being called and set apart by God for the work of the ministry, Jeremiah exposes a few things that God finds repulsive.  He mentions the inadequacy of merely external religion, of which there was much.  Religion has its external expressions and forms, and necessarily so; but if that iis all there is to it, then it is hopelessly inadequate.  In fact, just as a poor foundation may be worse than no foundation at all (because of the false sense of security it provides), so a merely external religion can have the same hypnotising effect on unthinking religionists.   In Jeremiah's day, there was enough and to spare of external religion - but it was a boast religion, like a kernal with no core. 

Today, the outward signs of external religion are fast disappearing from our national landscape.  That may not be an altogether bad thing, and I say that for this reason: in many, if not in most, cases there was nothing there anyway, no life, no heart, nothing.  It was merely external religion superstructure.

In your church with all its religious and ecclesiastical infrastructure, is there life in it?  Does it pulsate with the life of the living Christ?  Is God present by His Holy Spirit when worshippers meet together?  Or is it a house with no Occupant?  Is there nobody home in your church?  You have your shell, but nothing inside.

Merely external religion is worse than useless and may be a great deceiver.  If you are not working hard to bring change into your church, then it will die!  If you are not seeking God's face in prayer, then your church has no hope!  If you church proves to be irreformable, then get out and stay out, and join a church where Christ is loved and honoured in every aspect of its life.