The Gospel Messenger—January 1894

With their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.”—Ezek. xxxiii 31.

In the above text and its connection, account is given of the deception of the people of Israel, among whom the prophet labored, and to whom he spoke the word of the Lord as he was commanded to do. But instead of his own people, to whom he was sent, kindly and faithfully receiving and doing what the word of the Lord enjoined upon them, they would dissemble before the Lord’s prophet as though they loved him greatly for the truth’s sake and for the heavenly message from the Lord which he had spoken unto them, but at the same time they were secretly talking one to another against him. And even when they said one to another, “Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord,” they said it deceptively and in derision—not sincerely or in truth. With their mouth they showed much love for the Lord’s prophet, and for the word of the Lord which he proclaimed to them, but their heart’s desire was not in harmony with their words.

Ezekiel, the prophet of the Lord had a great deal of  wordy attention and compliments heaped upon him by his brother Israelites, and they would sit before him with apparent devout attention to all that he said unto them, as though they were the Lord’s people in deed and in truth, receiving the engrafted word in meekness and in love. Yet the Lord saw their deception and dissimulation, knowing that their heart was going out after covetousness. And it seems from the account given in the text and its connection, that the tone of Ezekiel’s voice and the manner of his delivery, was much more pleasing and attractive to them than the solemn message from the Lord which he delivered unto them. “He was unto them as a lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument;” “for they hear thy words, but they do them not.”

Now, it is presumable that what is here briefly out­lined of the dissimulation of the Israelites is often practiced by thousands of professed Christians and church members till this day. Their words and works do not agree. They praise the preacher and sit before him as the Lord’s obedient children, manifesting great interest in what is said, but as they are only hearers of the word, and not doers, they bring no fruit to prove the sincerity of their profession.

We find the inspired writers of the New Testament laying particular emphasis upon the importance of pro­fessed Christians and ministers giving full proof of the reality and sincerity of their profession. Something more is needed than flattering compliments to the preacher, that “you have preached a great sermon;” “I was delighted with it.” This may sound very well in words. Words are cheap things with some people; they have a superabundance of them at their tongue’s end, and they often flow out in vows, and promises, and professions of candor, fidelity and love for the truth, but their heart goeth after their covetousness to such extent that their works of obedience to the word do not prove the sincerity of their words. To the church at Corinth Paul said: “To this end did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” —2 Cor. ii. 9. And in the eighth chapter, 24th verse, he enjoins upon them to “show before the churches the proof of their love,” the sincerity of which was being put to the test by calling upon them for a certain con­tribution for the poor saints.

How often do we hear loud and strong wordy profes­sions of love for the truth of the gospel and for those whom God has sent to proclaim it to us, but when it comes to giving some solid, substantial proof in very deed and truth, it is much the same as it was with Israel, “With the mouth they show much love,” but their whole heart, mind and soul is so overcharged with covetous practices, the “cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches,” that no fruit abounds to prove the sincerity of their words.

When those who profess to be Primitive Baptists voluntarily make certain promises to the preacher or to the church that they never fulfill, it lessens if it does not entirely break confidence in the sincerity of their Christian profession. A man must respect himself if he desires to be respected by others. If he does not have enough confidence and respect for his own word to comply with his own voluntary promises, how can he hope that others will respect his word, or confide in any of his promises?

It seems, from a certain expression in last chapter of 2 Corinthians, that some brethren had rather demanded further proof that Christ spoke in and by the Apostle Paul. He retorts upon this insinuation by saying, “Ex­amine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.”—2 Cor. xiii. 5.

But we must now close these scattering remarks with a hope that what the reader is in word so he will also be in deed and in truth, and not be as those whose words are so cheap and at such a discount that neither they themselves nor any who know them can receive them at par value with sincerity and truth.—M.