Are You a Whitewashed Tomb?

"...on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."  - Matthew 23:28

The arrival of warm weather signals changing out of our heavy winter garb into lighter summer attire. Magazines tell us if we want to be "swimsuit ready" in time for summer vacation we'd better start that new diet and exercise program now!  

Whether we spruce up, beautify, dress up, it's all about outward appearances, that is, what we or others see on the outside. But what about the "inward" aspect of our lives; namely the spiritual? 

"For ye make clean the outside of the cup." It isn't really that difficult to remake or overhaul things on the surface. We all know what a fresh coat of paint can do for an older house. But exterior appearances may not tell the whole story (Matthew 23:28).

The way to a spiritual (inward) change is through the heart. Any outward changes, minus the heart, will not do a thing spiritually. The scribes and Pharisees' followed and taught the Law precisely, but their deeds were mainly done for men to see (Matthew 23:5).

In fact, Jesus admonished them for being "like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean" (Matthew 23:27).

Christians, especially, must be diligent about their inward or "spiritual" status. We won't be held accountable for our outward appearance when we stand before God some day, but we will have to answer for what's in our heart (Proverbs 21:2).

The only way to cleanse and promote change in the heart is through faith in the perfect cleansing element-the precious blood of Jesus. Changing only the "outer" while leaving the "inner" unchanged is hypocrisy (Matthew 23:28).

Take inventory of where you stand today. Are you just a symbol of hypocrisy; beautiful on the outside, but impure within? It's never too late to restore your heart, but don't put it off. Waiting only increases the difficulty. 

Scripture: Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26; Jeremiah 17:10; James 4:8; 1 Timothy 1:5 

Prayer: Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water, amen.   - Hebrews 10:22

Stay blessed,

Kate