When the prophet went about to show them their transgressions, they pleaded they could see no transgressions they were guilty of; for they were diligent in attending God’s worship, and what more would he have of them?
Now,
1. He owns the matter of fact to be true. As far as hypocrites do that which is good, they shall not be denied the praise of it; let them make their best of it. It is owned that they have the form of godliness.
(1) They go to church, and observe their hours of prayer. “They seek Me daily.”
(2) They love to hear good preaching. “They delight to know My ways,” as Herod, who heard John gladly, and the stony ground, that received the seed of the Word with joy; it is to them as a lovely song (Eze_33:32).
(3) They seem to take a great pleasure in the exercises of religion, and to be in their element when they are at their devotions. “They delight in approaching to God,” not for His sake to whom they approach, but for the sake of some pleasing circumstance--the company or the festival
(4) They are inquisitive concerning their duty, and seem desirous only to know it, making no question,, but that then they should do it.” “They ask of Me the ordinances of justice, the rules of piety in the worship of God, the rules of equity in their dealings with men, both which are ordinances of justice.
(5) They appear to the eyes of the world as if they made conscience of doing their duty. They are “as a nation that did righteousness and forsook not the ordinances of their God. But,
2. He intimates that this was so far from being a cover or excuse for their sin, that really it was an aggravation of it. Show them their sins that they go on in, notwithstanding their knowledge of good and evil, sin and duty, and the convictions of their consciences concerning it. (M. Henry.)
Religious, but unsaved
Men may go a great way towards heaven, and yet come short; nay, may go to hell with a good reputation. (M. Henry.)
Two great problems
The prophet and the world may be considered as engaged in two opposite problems. The problem which the world is ever seeking to discover is to find out what is the least religion they may have, and yet be saved; the problem which the prophet is here endeavoring to solve, is what is the most religion you may have, and yet be lost. (D. Moore, M. A.)
Forms of religion
There are four distinct forms of Gospel service, all of which, if accompanied by right affections towards God, afford just and scriptural evidence of an accepted or reconciled state. These four forms of service are--the habit of daily prayer, a love for the preached Word, an open profession of Christ, and an apparent earnestness in inquiring after the ways and will of God. These, however, are not in themselves decisive tests of spiritual character; causes may operate to induce these outward observances, wholly distinct from the love of God in its governing and ruling power. Education may prompt a man to acts of daily worship; by local sympathies, or by the power of fashion, a man may be induced to make a religious profession; and he may with much apparent earnestness be inquiring which is the way to life eternal, when he has a secret mental reservation to keep the joys, the comforts, and the forbidden delights of the present world. (M. Henry.)
Formalism
I. WHY MEN GO SO FAR.
1. It is a sentiment of moral uneasiness which makes the formalist of every grade and character.
2. But in estimating the causes which induce men to go certain lengths in a religious life, we should not entirely omit the expectation of a considerable degree of credit in the world; a secret pride at being numbered among the people of God--an indefinite notion of outward prosperity as usually following on a bold religious profession.
II. WHY IT IS THAT THEY WILL NOT GO FURTHER, For this I shall assign two reasons.
1. Defective knowledge--an imperfect acquaintance with the way of salvation. Men know not the end of Christ’s work, they know not the jealousy with which He regards any interference with that work.
2. Defective obedience--they stop short of some form of Gospel requirement with which they should comply.
III. APPLY SOME TESTS OF SPIRITUAL SINCERITY. (M. Henry.)
