THE FALSE SECURITY OF RELIGIOUS POSTURING

FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2025

BH 482: When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder.

Memory verse: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says; ‘reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say. This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!’ “ (Jeremiah 7:3-4, NIV)

Text: Jeremiah 7:1-15

[1] This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

[2] “Stand at the gate of the Lord’s house and there proclaim this message: “ ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord.

[3] This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place.

[4] Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”

[5] If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly,

[6] if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm,

[7] then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever.

[8] But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.

[9] “ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known,

[10] and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?

[11] Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.

[12] “ ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel.

[13] While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer.

[14] Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors.

[15] I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’

MASSAGE: Beyond the Facade: Unmasking the False Security of Religious Posturing

Beloved in Christ, today’s message cuts to the very core of our spiritual integrity. It forces us to confront a deceptive snare that has plagued God’s people throughout history: the false security of religious posturing. This is the perilous tendency to substitute outward religious performance for genuine, inward transformation and righteous living.

Our memory verse from Jeremiah 7:3-4 echoes the timeless demand of the Almighty: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says; ‘reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say. This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!’ “ This prophetic warning, delivered through Jeremiah, was a stark rebuke to a nation that had become adept at external religiosity while their hearts and hands were steeped in sin.

They believed that merely having God’s Temple in their midst, repeating its name like a mantra, would guarantee their safety and immunity from divine judgment. This was their “false security.” They thought their physical proximity to a sacred place, or their participation in religious rituals, negated the need for genuine repentance and obedience. This ancient deception is tragically alive and well in the Church today.

The Heart of the Matter: Charles Spurgeon’s Timeless Questions

The profound questions posed by Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” resonate deeply with our text: “It is of no use for any of you to try to be soul-winners if you are not bearing fruit in your own lives. How can you serve the LORD with your lips if you do not serve Him with your lives? How can you preach His gospel with your tongues when with hands, feet, and heart you are preaching the devil’s gospel and setting up an antichrist by your practical unholiness?”

Spurgeon’s words dismantle the very foundation of religious posturing. He highlights the glaring contradiction between outward declaration and inward reality. We cannot effectively represent Christ with our words if our lives contradict the very gospel we preach. This is the essence of hypocrisy, a disease that infects churches and individual believers, rendering their service ineffective and their worship an abomination to God.

It is very instructing to note that wickedness, fornication, adultery, idolatry, and oppression, among others, are detestable to God even when sacrifices are made to Him in the temple. This is the shocking truth laid bare in Jeremiah 7. The people of Judah were meticulously performing their religious duties: coming to the temple, offering sacrifices, observing feasts. Yet, outside the temple gates, and even within their hearts, they were engaged in a litany of abominable practices.

God explicitly addresses this hypocrisy in Jeremiah 7:9-10: ” ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?” This rhetorical question from God Himself exposes their absurdity. They believed that the sacredness of the Temple acted as a spiritual shield, a get-out-of-jail-free card, allowing them to indulge in sin without consequence.

This is a profound error. The presence of God’s name on a building, or the performance of rituals, does not grant permission for unholy living. In fact, such a mindset turns the very house of God into a “den of robbers” (Jeremiah 7:11)—a place where people come to hide their sin, seek refuge from judgment, and attempt to manipulate God through superficial piety, rather than a place of genuine repentance and worship.

The Warning from Shiloh: History’s Echoes of Judgment

To underscore the gravity of their self-deception, God instructs Jeremiah to remind them of Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:12-14). Shiloh was the site of the tabernacle, God’s dwelling place, for a significant period before the construction of Solomon’s Temple. It was a place of immense spiritual significance, where the Ark of the Covenant resided, and where Samuel was called.

However, despite its sacredness, Shiloh did not escape God’s judgment when His people, the Israelites, persisted in wickedness and hid under the pretense of the tabernacle (1 Samuel 4). The Ark of the Covenant was captured, the priests were killed, and the tabernacle was destroyed. God told Jeremiah that Solomon’s temple would not save them from His wrath, just like the earlier tabernacle at Shiloh, if the Israelites persisted in worshipping idols and hid under the pretence of Solomon’s temple.

This historical parallel served as a chilling warning: God is not bound by physical structures or religious traditions. His faithfulness is to His covenant, which demands a response of righteousness from His people. Their trust in the physical temple was misplaced; their true security lay only in their obedient relationship with God.

Thus, Jeremiah told them that violating God’s instruction is a detestable act and instrumental to exile, likening it to a hidden thief in the cave in the sight of God. Just as a thief hides in a cave after committing his crimes, hoping to escape detection, the people were hiding their detestable sins under the “sacred” roof of the Temple, believing their rituals would conceal their wickedness from God’s all-seeing eye. But God declared, “But I have been watching!” (Jeremiah 7:11). Nothing escapes His gaze. Their religious posturing was not a cloak for their sin, but an additional offense in His sight.

The Path to True Security: A Reformed Heart and Sanctified Living

In contrast to this false security, God outlines the path to true safety and blessing: However, their proper security is in pure relationship with God that is based on a reformed heart, justice, fairness, clean hands, and abstinence from idolatry.

This is the essence of God’s unchanging demand from His people, both then and now. It’s not about where you worship, but how you live.

A Reformed Heart: This is the starting point. It’s an inward change, a repentance that goes beyond regret for consequences and reaches to a genuine sorrow for sin and a desire to align with God’s will. It’s the “new heart” that God promises to give (Ezekiel 36:26).

Justice and Fairness: God commands His people to “deal with each other justly” (Jeremiah 7:5). This means treating others with equity, integrity, and righteousness. It’s about honesty in business, fairness in relationships, and not exploiting the vulnerable.

Clean Hands (Righteous Actions): This directly addresses the detestable actions listed in Jeremiah 7:9 – “steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury.” God demands a life free from moral corruption, where our actions reflect the holiness of God we claim to worship.

Abstinence from Idolatry: The command to “not follow other gods to your own harm” (Jeremiah 7:6) is foundational. Idolatry isn’t just bowing to statues; it’s anything we place before God in our hearts – money, power, fame, comfort, relationships, or even ministry itself if it eclipses God.

This transformation is what truly honors God and secures His presence and blessing.

The Contemporary Deception: Religious Practices Without Sanctified Life

The warning to ancient Israel is a direct mirror for the Church today: Christians must not hide under the disguise of religious practices such as prayer, Bible study, fasting, and other retreats without living a sanctified life.

It’s a subtle but dangerous trap. We can meticulously observe all the outward forms of Christianity:

Fervent Prayer: Spending hours in prayer, but our hearts harbor unforgiveness or bitterness.

Diligent Bible Study: Accumulating vast biblical knowledge, but failing to apply its truths to our character and conduct.

Rigorous Fasting: Denying ourselves food, but indulging in gossip, malice, or pride.

Attending Retreats/Conferences: Seeking spiritual highs and powerful experiences, but returning to lives of compromise and ungodliness.

Active Church Involvement: Holding positions of leadership, serving in ministries, but our private lives are marked by secret sins or lack of integrity.

Giving Offerings/Tithes: Faithfully tithing, but our financial practices outside of church are dishonest or oppressive.

Speaking in Tongues/Exercising Spiritual Gifts: Manifesting powerful spiritual gifts, but lacking the fruit of the Spirit, especially love, in our daily interactions.

All these religious practices, while good and commanded by God in their proper context, become a “false security” if they are not accompanied by a sanctified life. Sanctification is the process of being set apart for God’s purposes and progressively conforming to the image of Christ. It involves growing in holiness, purity, and obedience.

As the devotional states, Sacred living, characterised by Christian virtues and holiness, is a true religion that brings proper security here and in eternity. This is the essence of what God truly desires. He wants our lives, not just our rituals. He seeks our hearts, not just our attendance.

The Imperative of Discipline and Uncompromising Standards

To break free from the cycle of religious posturing and embrace true security, we must make a conscious decision: Make up your mind to maintain discipline and refuse to compromise the standard of the Scripture if His presence will always be felt in your worship.

This involves:

Radical Honesty with God and Yourself: Acknowledge any areas where your outward actions do not match your inward reality. Repentance begins with honest self-assessment.

Commitment to Personal Holiness: Holiness is not an option; it’s a command (1 Peter 1:15-16). It means actively pursuing purity in thought, word, and deed, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Integrity in All Spheres: Live a life of consistency. Be the same person at home, at work, online, and in church. Let your actions align with your confession of faith.

Prioritizing Relationship over Ritual: While rituals have their place in worship, ensure your relationship with God is the driving force. Seek His face, not just His hand.

Embracing Accountability: Surround yourself with trusted spiritual mentors or brethren who can speak truth into your life and hold you accountable to biblical standards.

Continuous Spiritual Growth: Don’t settle for past experiences or superficial knowledge. Press into deeper understanding of God’s Word and a more intimate walk with Him.

Fear of God (Reverence): Cultivate a healthy, biblical fear of God, which is a profound reverence for His holiness and a desire to please Him, leading to a hatred of evil (Proverbs 8:13). This fear motivates us to obey, not out of dread, but out of profound respect and love.

The Dangers of Religious Deceit: A Spiritual Robber

The devotional’s “Perceive” statement is a powerful summary: Religious deceit is a spiritual robber of acceptable service.

When we engage in religious posturing, we are essentially deceiving ourselves and attempting to deceive God. This deceit robs us of:

Acceptable Service: Our acts of worship, prayer, and ministry become unacceptable to God, as He detests hypocrisy (Isaiah 1:11-17, Amos 5:21-24).

True Intimacy with God: Deceit creates a barrier between us and God. His presence cannot fully dwell where there is unconfessed sin and pretense.

Spiritual Power: The anointing and power of God cannot flow freely through vessels that are filled with hypocrisy and uncleanness.

Lasting Fruit: Any fruit produced by religious posturing will be superficial and temporary, lacking the deep roots of genuine righteousness.

Eternal Reward: Jesus warned that those who perform their righteousness to be seen by others have already received their reward in full (Matthew 6:1-6). There is no eternal credit for actions motivated by human applause.

Authentic Witness: The world is not convinced by eloquent sermons from those whose lives contradict their words. Our hypocrisy hinders the spread of the gospel.

A Call to Introspection and Transformation

The “Ponder” question cuts deep: Am I not a chameleon in the church?

A chameleon changes its color to blend in with its surroundings. Spiritually, a chameleon Christian is someone who changes their spiritual “color” depending on the environment. They appear devout in church, but in their private lives, at work, or in social settings, they live no differently from the world. They put on a mask of piety for public consumption, but behind the mask, there is unholiness, compromise, and a lack of integrity.

This is a grave accusation that only honest self-examination before God can answer. Is your private life consistent with your public confession? Are there secret sins you harbor? Are your motives pure, or are you driven by a desire for human approval or personal gain?

The “Practise” provides the clear path forward: Remove the religious mask from your life, live justly, and change your ways and actions.

This is an active command for transformation:

Remove the Religious Mask: Be authentic before God and man. Let your spiritual life be real, not a performance. This requires humility and courage to admit imperfections and seek genuine change.

Live Justly: Act righteously in all your dealings. Pay your debts, be honest in your words, do not cheat or exploit others, uphold fairness in your relationships. This is a practical demonstration of God’s character.

Change Your Ways and Actions: This is the fruit of true repentance. It’s not just feeling sorry, but actively turning away from sin and embracing a lifestyle of obedience to God’s Word. It means putting off the old self and putting on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

This call for internal transformation leading to external righteousness is the core of true worship and relationship with God. It’s what God has always desired from His people, from ancient Israel to the New Testament Church.

A Prayer for Deliverance and True Worship

Let us now turn our hearts to God in prayer, seeking His divine intervention to break free from any form of religious deceit and to become true instruments of worship.

PRAYER:

O LORD, my Heavenly Father, I come before You today in humility and transparency. I acknowledge Your perfect holiness and Your unwavering standard of righteousness. I thank You for Your Word, which serves as a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, exposing the deceptions of my heart and the snares of the enemy.

Lord, I confess any areas in my life where I may have indulged in religious posturing, seeking a false sense of security in outward acts rather than in genuine transformation. Forgive me for any hypocrisy, for any instance where my lips have declared Your praise while my life has preached a different gospel. Forgive me for prioritizing the appearance of godliness over the power of it, and for trusting in rituals or titles more than in a pure, obedient relationship with You.

I pray now, O LORD, deliver me from the power of deceit. Unmask every hidden sin, every subtle compromise, and every area where I have failed to align my heart and actions with Your divine will. Remove the religious mask from my life, I pray. Help me to be authentic, consistent, and truly consecrated to You in every sphere of my existence.

Empower me by Your Holy Spirit to live justly, to walk in fairness, and to maintain clean hands in all my dealings. Strengthen me to abstain from all forms of idolatry, recognizing that You alone are worthy of all my worship, affection, and devotion.

May my ways and my actions be reformed daily, reflecting the true image of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Make me, O God, an instrument of true worship—worship that flows from a pure heart, a sanctified life, and an unwavering commitment to Your standards. Let Your presence be consistently felt in my life, not just in my outward religious expressions, but in the very core of my being. I desire to honor You in spirit and in truth. In Jesus’ mighty name, I pray. Amen.

PRAYER: My days of laughter are here in the mighty name of Jesus. (This is a powerful declaration of faith and a prophetic release of joy and breakthrough for all who embrace true righteousness.)

RBT: Isaiah 12-14