What is the best test for the value of something? It is not necessarily the number of servings per pound. I might go into a grocery store and see a piece of meat which I think is a good price. But you might realize that there is too much fat or an inedible bone, and what we could actually eat makes the price much less appealing. And a good value is not necessarily found in the percentage of discount that the store is advertizing. It could be that the store raised the price two days ago, just so they could advertize a discount today. And even with that discount the price is more than it was last week. Is something which will wear out in a year the same value as something more long-lasting? Some of you would never put regular gasoline in your car, even though it is cheaper than premium, because among other things the higher priced gas produces better mileage.
Obviously, the method we use to determine value depends a lot on the article which we are trying to evaluate. For example, as I say, some things might be valuable in the short-term, but not in the long term. In that light there is a general test which I think can be applied to everything. There is short-term value, long-term value, and then there is really, really, really long-term value. So perhaps the true test of something’s worth will be the value of that it has to us the moment that we die. A car, a house, a bank account, and those electronics that you recently bought will have a specific value at the moment of your death. But that value will be one thing to your heirs, and something entirely different to you. And what about those electronics which you bought on Black Friday 2023? You thought at the time that you picked up the best of the very best at a huge savings. And at that moment that might have been true. But today that technology is obsolete, and you might be able to buy a better version of the same thing for half of the bargain price that you paid a year ago. And what about the many intangibles in your life? Perhaps you paid a high price to create a friendship with a certain person; was he worth the expense? And what is the value of your health? Is the enjoyment of those poisons earlier worth it now? What is the value of your faith, your peace of mind, your freedom or your sense of forgiveness? How valuable will all these things be when you stand before God? That is a very important question to consider before you come to stand before the eternal Judge.
In this scripture, we see people at God’s assay office, weighing the value of their most prized possessions. It takes place “in that day.” What is the meaning of the words “in THAT day” in verse 22? Don’t you find it interesting that the Lord Jesus didn’t define the word, or explain it any way? I think it is referring to some specific day, somewhere beyond death, when those people will be standing before the Judge of heaven and earth. The Lord didn’t explain or define the day, because it was something well-understood by His hearers. It is not often considered in our more secular, irreligious world, but it was familiar to the people in Jesus’ day. “There’s a great day coming, a great day coming, there’s a great day coming by and by. When the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left. Are you ready for that day to come?” In the Bible we often see people pictured “in THAT day” – or thereabouts. For example, in Luke 16 we see one standing “in that day” with less than a drop of water on tongue. Belshazar drank wine from God’s sacred cups and in a few minutes was “in that day” before Jehovah. John talks of people naked before the Great White Throne “in that day,” because of their earlier lack of concern for the things of God. We learn from the Bible that riches, honor, pleasure, success, associations, activities – everything that we value – should be set in the light of “that day.” And this is an excellent test for our religious profession as well.
Let’s notice more closely the people described here.
Recognize first of all the ABUNDANCE of their religion.
I’m sure that they were not ashamed to claim the name of some synagogue where their membership rested. Knocking on doors in our neighborhood, I meet people who attempt to boast about their church. They may have all kinds of reasons for extolling their particular assembly. Maybe it’s its size, or the fame of their pastor, or the quality of their entertainers. Sometimes it is because or their social programs, or youth programs, their dental plan or the coffee… But some ofthose same people rarely attend their church, except in their minds, and when speaking to other religious people, like me. The fact is, it is just NOT politically correct to be an active, avid, inspired church member any more. It IS politically correct to be “politically correct,” but not “spiritually correct.” I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that a Trump shirt or a pro-abortion t-shirt is acceptable to wear to Post Falls High School, but to wear a shirt with the word “REPENT” across it would be considered offensive. We can talk about Biden’s chronicles, but not Christ’s chronicles, II Chronicles or Calvary Chronicles. Sin is an acceptable topic for conversation, but don’t let your conversation be filled with conversion. Apparently, the people of our text were different from the below average Christian of today. They were not afraid to open their mouths to speak boldly, or to boast, about their religion.
They were also genuinely hard-working when it came to their religious exercise. They wore their religious Nikes and Reeboks with pride. I have noticed that at many doctor’s offices, there are televisions turned to home decorating channels. I was at one recently and saw that the producers had blurred the insignia of the shoe brands people were wearing. I wonder what they would have done with a t-shirt with John 3:16 printed on it? That was not a problem for the people of our scripture – they boasted of their religious brand-names. These people felt that they had all the spiritual gifts. They could prophesy with the best of them – Ezekiel, Daniel and Jeremiah. Or maybe it was that they could prophesy as well as Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyers. They had seen angels in the outfield and had near death-bed experiences. They were charter members of various religious societies. They had cast out demons with the sons of Sceva or just like Paul in Philippi. Some might have been able to heal the sick and to speak in tongues. They had been to church 278 times during their lives, and had been christened as babies. What’s more, they apparently had done these things in the name of the Lord. Was that in the name of Christ Jesus, or Jehovah? That really doesn’t matter because as far as I am concerned there isn’t any difference.
Despite these things, the Bible clearly shows that such things do not prove the presence or power of God. Such things are not proof of the blessings of Jehovah and certainly not of the salvation of God. The possessed woman of Philippi and the Witch of Endor could prophesy, but they were not servants of Jehovah. The False Prophet of Revelation will heal the sick and raise the apparently dead, but he will be Satanic. Thousands may speak in tongues today while clinging to ungodly and unscriptural religious practices. Peoples’ lives declare they are children of Satan, while their words profess to be children of God. There are very few rules in Satan’s spiritual warfare. He will even feign defeat in order to bring about another victory for himself. He will appear to cast out a demon in order to send in a dozen more. And of course, he likes to pretend to be an angel of light. These people were saying: “Since we cast out demons, we must be in God’s army.” It just isn’t so, said the Lord Jesus. And what was true for those people may be equally true of you and me.
Those people were filled with practical and wonderful deeds. Throughout all Christendom there is the idea that God is pleased when you do good and refuse to do evil. And while this is undoubtedly true, it must be kept in its proper context. The “do unto others” idea is not the narrow door through which we pass on our way to heaven. The text clearly shows that a life of service does not merit heaven for anyone. From page 1 to page 310 in my New Testament, I read that “by GRACE are ye saved through faith….” These people may have been marvelous humanitarians. But no amount of self-sacrifice or giving is able to overcome, undo, reverse, erase or otherwise solve our natural wickedness and alienation from God. We cannot prove a godly spiritual condition by the volume of our religious noise. What we all need is the grace of God not gracefulness of service.
Beside these things, these people were generally considered to be orthodox in their faith. Three times here they claimed “the name of the Lord.” They had most of their ducky little doctrines all lined up in a row. Don’t you think they held to the doctrine of the virgin birth and deity of Christ? Remember that Jesus is speaking primarily to people who claimed to be His disciples. Did they believe in the inspiration of the Bible, the reality of Satan and of Hell? Had they read “The Fundamentals” and nodded their assent?
Basically you could not find a more religious group of people than those whom the Lord described here. Never was it proved that their religious position was folly. If they were liars and hypocrites, no one ever detected their inconsistencies. If they were self-deceived by the beauty of their lives, apparently neither God nor man ever made them doubt their condition.
AND YET they were fatally mistaken.
While sincerity is a wonderful virtue – something to be practiced each and every day of our lives – it is not the answer to the problems of sin in this life and in the face of eternity. People are so illogical when it comes to their eternal souls. They know that ignorance of human laws doesn’t protect them from prosecution, but they think that spiritually the rules are more kind – or blind. How often is it thought, “If I do my best; if I am sincere in my worship, God won’t be too hard on me.” Beloved, sincerity is as effective with God as it is with the mortgage company. Sincerely doesn’t pay the bills, keep the electricity on or satisfy the IRS. Good intentions don’t fill the gas tank or drive away bodily infections. Sincerity has literally killed more people than it has helped. You have read of highly religious people who stop taking their insulin, sincerely believing that God would heal them if they step out in faith. God may very well heal them, but unfortunately they may have to die first. Proverbs 14:12 says “there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Moses had good intentions when, contrary to God’s instructions, he hit the rock expecting to strike water. In one way, Eve meant well as she bit into that beautiful fruit – she was sincere.
Let me remind you of the etymology of the English word “sincerity”? It comes out of Latin, where “sine” meant “without.” Originally “sincerity” meant “without wax.” A man who builds houses might cover mistakes that he makes with little tricks of the trade. A painter might repaint something that he didn’t feel was well done. And unscrupulous sculptors might cover over their mistakes with a bit of colored wax. Using the word “sincerity” declares that there is no cover up here; this carries absolute integrity. One day all the wax of our sincerity will be melted off, and our true colors, flaws and sins will be revealed. Our lives, intentions and deeds, will be put to the test – the assay fires will define our true value. Our true relationship with God will be revealed without gloss, tarnish, shine or unnecessary vocabulary. And like the people of our text, that revelation may even be a revelation to ourselves.
And obviously, that is a terrible way to make that discovery.
Christ Jesus spoke with omniscience, seeing those people standing before God “in that day.” Death will then be behind them, and as Hebrews 9:27 says judgment follows death for us all. There is a sense in which death instantly freeze-dries its prey. The spiritual condition of a man will be sealed eternally at that moment. There will be no second chance for heaven; there is no purgatory.
What a terrible way to learn of one’s true and eternal estate. These people had pictured the best for themselves, but they ended up with the worst. It might be entirely different for those who are openly wicked. The unrepentant murderer, electrocuted for his crime, doesn’t usually expect too much from the Lord. The alcoholic who has destroyed his marriage, his kids and his life, often enters eternity with no hope for pity or for AA – he may properly think of himself as unworthy of salvation. But pity the poor person who never heard of his need before God. He had attended the First Church of the Feel Good Religion, and he felt fine all his life. He had heard the preaching of Dr. Do Good, and he became a first-class disciple of that false prophet. He thought that everything was in great shape before Jehovah.
Picture your closest friend putting a cloth sack over your face and holding the rope at your hanging. These people thought Jesus was their friend and Saviour; but far too late they learn He is their Judge. The one whom they claimed to love and worship will be saying, “Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire.” They had been thoroughly religious, but Christ had been forced outside of their particular religion. They had pictured themselves as so perfect that there was no direct need of Christ. And the Lord will be forced to say, “I never knew you, depart from me ye that work iniquity.” What terror is implied in those words. Christ will says, “Leave me without ever having any hope of return.” Matthew 25:41 expands the thought: “Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels.” “Depart from me,” says the Creator, Sustainer of the world, and lover of mankind.
May YOU never have to hear those words.
Rather listen now to some words of contrast as found in Isaiah 1:18. “Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” In another scripture the Lord Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Is your life filled with RELIGION – but a religion apart from the Saviour? Your church membership and frequent synagogue attendance means little to the omniscient God. I hear people extol their personal “spirituality.” “Spirituality” is one of the most useless and invaluable things ever prized by man. Satan and his demons are spiritual creatures, living in fallen spirituality. Religion may be considered extremely important today, but if it is without Christ it will be valueless at that first moment after death. Only Jesus Christ can forgive your sin and heal your soul, and religion has nothing to do with it. Are you resting on the blood-covered chest of the Saviour this morning?
Repent before God; believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Empty yourself of your pride, your prayers, and your religious preferences. You need the holy, righteous and perfect Saviour – the Lamb of God who gave Himself a ransom for many. Are you a part of that “many” – the redeemed “many?” Prove it by throwing away your religiousness and humbly clinging to Christ Jesus for your salvation.