FALSE RELIGION by Horatius Bonar
from FALSE RELIGION AND ITS DOOM I will lay your corpses in front
of your idols and scatter your bones around your altars. Ezekiel
6.5 There is such a thing as false religion. It may be earnest
and zealous, and yet false. No amount of sincerity or zeal
will make that true which is in itself false. False religion
is the worship of a false god, or the false worship of the true
god. We worship the true God untruly
when we give him only half a heart, half a soul. Do not think that
the utterance of some true words or the expression of a little
sentimental devotion is the true worship of the true God. False
religion is useless. It profits nothing and nobody,
either here or hereafter. It is not acceptable to God.
It will not be counted a substitute for genuine piety. It does not
satisfy the conscience. It does not make the man happy.
It does not fill the heart. It does not remove burdens. It
will not stand the fire. It is but wood and hay and stubble. The judgment will sweep it all
away. It is useless, both for time
and eternity, both for earth and heaven. It is irksome and
unprofitable, only cheating the poor worshipper into the belief
that he has felt or performed something good and worthy. God
abhors false religion. It has not one feature that is
pleasing to Him. It is merely external. It is
untrue. It is against His word. It is
dishonouring to Him. It is self-exalting, it is pure
mockery, it is rottenness and death, it is a mouthful of words,
a handful of dust, and ashes. Therefore, God abhors it. I will lay your corpses in front
of your idols and scatter your bones around your altars." Ezekiel
6, 5.