READER.—We live in a day when “ever changing fashion," stands high in the estimate of the great majority; " As well out the world as out the fashion " is a common enough statement, and you will agree with me when I speak thus, in connection with dress and worldly position; but how far you will agree with me, as I call your attention to the heading of this paper, remains to be tested.
To speak of "fashionable religion" with the object of laying bare the false, one needs definite authority. Whither shall we turn for such? Where, dear friend, but to the oft-slighted Word of God?
Come now with me, and see the “fashionable professor" unmasked by One who scans the deepest recesses of the soul.
The scene I ask you to look at is found in the Gospel by Luke, chapter 11, verse 29, to end.
Jesus had been speaking to the multitude around Him, of sign-seeking and judgment, light and darkness, when a certain Pharisee asked Him to cline with him, and 'tis here we have the fair exterior of the professor standing out so prominently to the human eye, while the dark interior is revealed by One who measured all in the light of eternity.
A clean outside, a patchwork robe of righteousness, interwoven (in market places and chief seats in the Synagogues), with many a long prayer; knotted together with almsgiving, seen of men. Such was the fair outside of the Pharisee with whom Jesus sat at meat.
But he wist not the man in his presence, mighty in word and deed, was very God, veiled in the likeness of sinful flesh; who takes the robe so fair in the eyes of fallen man, rending it from top to bottom as worthless filthy rags.
Hear His word in verse 42; " But woe unto you Pharisees, for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God.”
Two things the religious Pharisee lacked— Jesus declared it—judgment and love, without which, the soul was dead to God. Listen to the prayer of such an one, and see if you can find either of such qualities named in the text before us, Luke 18: “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican: I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”
No! no! must be the only reply, of all who bow to the Word of God. Self! Self! self alone stands exalted and unjudged. Therefore, love, we conclude, is an element foreign to the soul of such a professor.
Now mark the contrast in that other man; he, too, has entered that "house of prayer,” without profession he stands, head bowed, and no word to God about his goodness; evidently he has concluded with God's word, that he was born in sin, and shapen in iniquity, a sinner by nature, and by practice too, he cries out, " God be merciful to me a sinner." His judgment is true—a sinner—and love from its eternal source, the love of God, meets, and justifies him a sinner.
And here I turn to you, my friend, for whom this message is written; you who are a professed believer in God and His Word, you, whose name has a place in the roll of a fashionable church, standing high in the estimation of its members, well known for your liberality and humble walk; so much so, who could raise a finger, to call in question, the reality of such prominent profession as this?
Hark! one special feature of this day is drawn by the Holy Ghost in 2 Tim. Chap 3. describing a class who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.
Profession without reality, form without power, a name to live, and yet dead; dead to God in trespasses and sins.
Professor, are you saved for eternity? a possessor of eternal life? if not, where does this message find you, it must be one of two places?
Lost or saved. Which? No neutral ground is there to stand upon here. A child of the first Adam, only born once, or, washed in the blood, twice born, one with the second Adam, Christ.
No marvel that infidelity progresses, and open testimony against God ranks so high.
Thou, precious soul, art identified with those who swell its ranks, because thou art a professor, in whose religion, judgment and love are unknown. Thy sin-covered soul, unconfessed and unjudged before God, finds thee with an empty profession, a stranger to the love of Christ. What then, but a child of wrath? A hand-shaker with the world, a robber of God's glory, one that has not been born again; making haste to an infidel's hell.
Reader, words cannot be found to fully expose this soul-damning, fashionable religion with Christ so closely shut out.
Mark the contrast, Jesus the Son of God took the lost sinner's place, on the accursed tree. He died, " the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." And whosoever receives Him by faith, has his sins forgiven, has peace with God, has a robe of righteousness, has eternal life, has the Holy Ghost dwelling within, unfolding the beauty of Christ, by His precious Word.
He ha s no need of the world's passing pleasures, so attractive to the Christless professor, but separation from it, is the marked character of such a soul. "For me to live, is Christ," is written within, and in presence of such reality, flowing out of utter weakness, the unsaved professor, with the proud skeptic, alike, must own that the source of such joy, power and love, cannot be found here.
No, reader, its eternal source is the bosom of God, the channel through which its flows, the Lamb once slain, the communicator of it the Holy Ghost; and as He convinces you of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come, may your soul bow in self-judgment before God, and look by faith at His heart of love, revealed on Calvary's cross; and say, dear friend, can you pass by or pass over such love as this, love stronger than death, mighty to save?
You have been long deceived by the deceiver, the eyes of your soul blinded by the god of this world, to hinder the "Gospel of Christ" shining in. As you read, does your heart say Yes! deceived too long, and the deceiver would add, Too late. But, hark! “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
To save you, will you trust Him. Is He not worthy? Come, read with me that sweet verse, and as you read believe, and believing, rejoice.
“I hear the words of love,
I gaze upon the blood,
I see the mighty sacrifice,
And I have peace with God.”