Appear or Be Honor From Men or From God

Appear or Be Honor From Men or From God

Everyone who really seeks the truth is genuinely interested in becoming and being as they ought to be in their inward man—in truth—before God.

On the other hand, the fervent interest of all hypocrites concerns the impression they and their possessions make in the eyes of man.

It is of the utmost importance to them that everything has a good appearance and that what they say sounds good in people’s ears. Everything has to do with how it appears to be, not about what it actually is in its innermost being! Their concern is what people think about it and not what God thinks about it.

Hypocrisy is far, far more common than people usually suspect. Even the wise apostle Paul addresses this question so strongly that he writes to the entire church in Corinth: “You look at things only according to the outward appearance.” 2 Cor. 10:7.1

The explanation is that the things that come from God—spiritual things—also have an external side, in the same way as good fruit has a peel.

You can be interested in spiritual things and yet be only interested in how it appears outwardly. Let everyone examine himself!

Isaiah 53:2-3: “He has no form or comeliness [outwardly] . . . . There is no beauty [appearance—marg.]that we should desire Him.” He had not committed a single misdeed, nor was guile found in His mouth. V. 9. This was the glorious and great thing!

The fear of God is something great! But a form of godliness is just deception! It is less than nothing.

It is of the utmost importance to have our eyes opened to the inward glory, to its honorable quality! We ought to evaluate things according to the motives!

For example, it may appear to be, and sound like it is hardness, mercilessness, etc., and yet be genuinely true care, goodness, and sincere love. The peel is like it is, but the question is: what is the core like?

Let it sound however it sounds, if only it is genuinely noble and good!

Loving a woman because she is attractive or a man because he is handsome is undiluted foolishness! What one should value is a good and pure heart and a good attitude of mind. This is part of wisdom.