A Devotional from the Pen of John Bunyan
For November 12
Rebukes to Those Whose Heart is Far from God
“And the LORD said: ‘Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught of men . . .’”
Isaiah 29: 13.
[First:] Such as regard not to worship God at all. Be sure they have no reverence of his service, nor fear of his majesty before their eyes. Sinner, you do not come before the Lord to worship him; you do not bow before the high God. You neither worship him in your closet nor in the congregation of saints. The fury of the Lord and his indignation must in [a] short time be poured out upon you and upon the families that call not upon his name (Psalm 79: 6; Jeremiah 10: 25).
[Second:] This rebukes such as count it enough to present their body in the place where God is worshipped. [They don’t] mind with what heart or with what spirit they come thither [there]. Some come into the worship of God to sleep there. Some come thither to meet with their chapmen [peddler] and to get into the wicked fellowship of their vain companions. Some come thither to feed their lustful and adulterous eyes with the flattering beauty of their fellow-sinners. O what a sad account will these worshippers give when they shall [give ac]count for all this and be damned for it. Because they come not to worship the Lord with that fear of his name; became [for] them to come in when they presented themselves before him!
[Third:] This also rebukes those that care not, so they worship, how they worship. How, where, or after what manner they worship God. Those, I mean, whose fear towards God “is taught by the precept of men.” They are hypocrites; their worship also is vain and [are] a stink in the nostrils of God. Thus, I conclude this first thing, namely, that God is called our dread and fear.
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