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The Look of Holiness
by Steve Troxel (Steve's bio)
[Note: If you'd like to read more from Steve, be sure to visit God's Daily Word.]
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During the week before He was crucified, Jesus was asked many questions by the religious leaders. However, their questions were never asked for the purpose of education or to satisfy their curiosity - they were asked with the intent of finding fault: "The Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap Him in His words." (Matthew 22:15). Jesus answered each of their questions; but then He warned the crowds about the hypocrisy of those who were trying to trap Him.
Matthew 23:5-6
"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues."
The phylactery was a small box containing scripture. The box was worn on the forehead or arm to fulfill the command of God as given through Moses: "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads." (Deuteronomy 11:18).
The Pharisees strictly followed the Law of Moses, but they also followed many self-created rules. Jesus never condemned them for following these rules, but He greatly questioned the condition of their heart. The Pharisees had forgotten that the purpose of everything they did was to worship God; they focused on their appearance as they sought to look holy and obtain the approval of men.
This problem was not new to the time of Jesus. Over 700 years earlier, the people of Israel had lost their heart for worship. "These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is made up only of rules taught by men." (Isaiah 29:13).
Unfortunately, this problem is still rampant today. We've created a list of dos and don'ts, and consider ourselves "worshipers" when we properly follow the list. We define our closeness with God by our church attendance, our service to others, or even our time spent reading His Word. But all these "good" and worthwhile actions do not define our relationship - they do not define our worship! "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7).
Everything we do must be motivated by a desire to praise and honor our Heavenly Father. Our religious acts mean absolutely nothing if not accompanied by a heart full of love and thanksgiving. Let's become true worshipers who express our love for God in everything we do and say! Let's never allow our lives to be driven by the look of holiness.
Copyright 2002, Steve Troxel. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
| About Steve Troxel: Steve Troxel is the President of God's Daily Word Ministries. Steve was trained as an Electrical Engineer and received his PhD in 1994. After working as a researcher in a laser laboratory for several years, Steve felt the call from God to leave his trained profession and enter into full-time ministry. His devotionals are now sent around the world via email as well as distributed in book format. More information about this ministry as will as a "sign-up" page can be found at: http://www.godsdailyword.org |
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