Unlovely Religious People
The sermon highlights the iniquity of sins committed inwardly by religious people and how this inward sin can lead to unloveliness.
A.W. Tozer addresses the issue of unlovely religious people, emphasizing that the sins of the spirit are more severe than those of the body. He illustrates how Jesus was a friend to publicans and harlots while opposing the Pharisees, highlighting that religious individuals often harbor inward sins that are more insidious. Tozer points out that while careless sinners may express their sins outwardly, religious sinners tend to conceal their iniquities, leading to a compressed state of moral tension. This inward sinfulness contributes to the unloveliness observed in many who practice religion without true heart transformation. Ultimately, all sin is fatal to the soul unless forgiven and cleansed.
Text
Any act gains in power as it moves inward toward the heart. For this reason, the sins of the spirit are more iniquitous than those of the body. This was illustrated boldly by the attitude of our Lord toward these two kinds of sins and the corresponding two classes of sinners. He was the friend of publicans and harlots and the enemy of the Pharisees.
All sin is sinful and will be fatal to the soul if it is not forgiven and cleansed away. But for intensity of iniquity, the sins of the spirit are in a class by themselves. Yet they are the very sins which are most likely to be committed by religious people.
The careless sinner expresses himself overtly and so "releases" the moral tension; the religious sinner is not likely so to do. He scorns outward acts of wickedness and drives his sin inward to the sanctuary of his soul where it remains in a state of high compression. The notorious unloveliness of many religious people can be explained in this way.
Sermon Outline
- The Power of Sin
- The Lord's Attitude Toward Sinners
- The Nature of Sin
- The Unloveliness of Religious People
- Religious people often hide their sin inwardly
- Their sin remains in a state of high compression
Key Quotes
“Any act gains in power as it moves inward toward the heart.” — A.W. Tozer
“The sins of the spirit are more iniquitous than those of the body.” — A.W. Tozer
“The notorious unloveliness of many religious people can be explained in this way.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Recognize that sin committed inwardly can be just as deadly as outward sin.
- Be aware of the tendency to hide sin inwardly and the dangers of this approach.
- Seek forgiveness and cleansing for sin, regardless of its outward appearance.