SEMESTER 5
375 – The Mark of False Praise
BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSE: ECCLESIOLOGY V LESSON # 75
COMMON MARKS OF FALSE RELIGION – THE MARK OF FALSE PRAISE
Read: Mat. 15:1-20
INTRODUCTION:
1. Praise and obeisance are the essence of all religious claim.
2. The basic expression of this is verbal, yet talk is cheap.
III: By the religious bumper stickers today that seem like mockery.
3. Praise may, through ignorance, be sincere, while religion is false.
4. But if the praise is a farce, surely, the religion is false.
5. In our text, the Lord asks an unanswerable question: Why do you do it?
6. If praise is real, it is not in word only, but in head, heart, hand and habit.
I. IN THE HEAD – THE DOCTRINES OF GOD (Mat. 15:9
)
1. The word means teachings, when of God, it means immutable concepts.
2. These are in absolute contrast to the religious philosophies of today.
3. I am saying that praise with wrong doctrinal concepts is foolishness.
4. Paul gives his word on this matter to the Athenians. (Acts 17:22-25)
5. Praise to a falsely revealed God is, in reality, a form of idolatry.
III: A god who approves all and is manageable is no more real than “Allah.”
II. IN THE HEART – DEVOTION TO GOD(MAT. 15:8)
1. The word heart here denotes affections, or the source of our love.
2. These people were engaged in worship verbally, they drew near to God.
3. Conversely, the heart was far away. How do we love or hate God?
4. Since He is a Spirit, it reverts back to teaching His word or law.
III: “I delight in the law of God after the inward man.”
5. Worshipers who praise God, but reject His moral principles are false.
III: By religious Magic Johnson's confession, “I made a mistake.”
6. Those who resent His sovereign nature are false disciples.
III: By Dan. 2:21, Eph. 1:11, and Mat. 11:25-26
III. IN THE HAND – ACTING IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD (JAM. 1:21-24)
1. Natural man will refuse free salvation, but demand a cheap one.
2. Neither obedience, love, work, nor perseverance saves us, but we do practice them.
III: By the false philosophy, “God loves you whether you like it or not.”
3. Thus, praise (Lord, Lord) is hypocrisy when you do nothing to obey.
III: By the “Oh how I love Jesus” by the Sunday morning only crowd.
4. “We love Him because He first loved us” goes both ways.
IV. HABIT – DWELLING WITH GOD (JOH. 6:66-69 AND JOH. 8:31)
1. Today’s philosophy is: Have you BEEN saved? TRUSTED Christ? or, INVITED Christ into your heart and life?
III: Salvation is not the fit of a moment, but the creation of a new life.
2. Christ said, “If you continue in My word,” then it is really real.
3. Do not praise God just because He passed by, and knocked, or you invited Him in..
4. Is Christianity your habit, or is it just hypocritical praise?