Why are we more alarmed and concerned at breaches of duty to man than God, but because they are seen and observed? What then is our principle of action? (Thomas Adam, Private Thoughts on Religion)
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Many people, though not all, are horrified at the thought of a breach of duty or of civility toward another human being or while at a civic function or perhaps a ceremony of some kind. We will go to great lengths to do things so that others will not think we are odd or rude or just simply less than informed. It is self-love that drives us to most of these, though it is not thought of in that way. But when it comes to being rude to God or not giving Him the proper respect or having a breach of duty to Him, if we notice at all it is of no real concern to us.
Most people are also horrified to be thought of as having a breach of duty at church, but not because they see themselves as living before God and under the Great Commandment of doing all out of love for Him and His glory, but because they don’t want to be seen by others as not being faithful or good or a host of other reasons. Human beings will go to great lengths at doing an outward duty because they want to appear as holy before men. What virtually all don’t seem to realize in this day where such an appalling disregard of God is on display is that to disregard God is the worst sin of all and it is a wicked act of idolatry to want others to respect us for our duty while we don’t do it for God primarily on two counts. One, it is an act of idolatry in my own heart if I think of myself rather than God. Two, it is a wicked act against my neighbor if I want them to honor me and I don’t intend for them to honor God in what I do.
If we will look in our own hearts and take the motions of the soul and the intents and motives of the heart seriously, we will see a pattern in our hearts that is most like the Pharisees. When we “pray” or whatever it really is, we are more concerned to utter words that are for the health and temporal welfare of men rather than of respect and honor for God. Why is it that people never (or seemingly never) seek the Lord and pray for His name to be hallowed, His kingdom to come, and His will and pleasure to be done? Why is it that we can pray for the temporal concerns for ourselves and others while we seemingly ignore the interests of God and the eternal welfare of others? Is it not, as Adams suggests in the quote above, that it is because those things are seen and observed? If that is correct, and while it may not be the one and only explanation, it is certainly true, then we need to repent.
The Scriptures tell us that we are to walk (live) by faith rather than by sight. So why is it that we live and pray by sight? Has Christianity become nothing more than a rational philosophy an external morality? Is it true that what distinguishes Reformed theology in our day is little more than a written document or creed but the essence is self-serving religion lived before men? If we could simply ask the question, where is God in most of our daily lives and in the churches? If He left, though He may have left already, what would the difference be? We could still hear a nice sermon based on correct theology and remain unmoved. We could still hear a nice moral lecture and remain unmoved. We could all speak words into the air and sing songs into the air and leave the building much the same as when we entered it. As long as we do out duties before men during the day, out family at night, and the church on Sundays and perhaps another meeting or two, we have done all that could be expected (or so we seem to think).
While we live out our lives doing out duty to please men, we are getting closer and closer to eternity. During the meantime some of our families and some of our friends enter eternity and we do what is expected of us before men in our nice and tidy little lives. But where is God? If God is our basic principle of action in all of life, wouldn’t we speak of Him more and love Him more? But where is God? Where is God in our preaching, our praying, and our living? Is He nothing more than a word we use to help convince us that we are doing our duty while what we really want is ease of life and to please men? Where is God in our lives? Where is God in our hearts? Is it not apparent that the vast majority (to be kind) of professing Christians are living in a way that is essentially without God while they take His name on their lips? Do we not hear theological lectures that are essentially without God and certainly without a real intent to hallow His name? What principles are we living by when the true and living God is not needed in our churches because we are getting along quite well (we think) without Him? Are things okay as long as the preacher and the bills are paid and no one is disturbed? Isn’t that really the case? Where is God?
God Loves... Himself 
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