You are a classroom teacher.

• Classroom 1: you walk into a room with a chalkboard and chalk in the tray.
• Classroom 2: you walk into a room with a white board and markers in the tray.

Both rooms appear to be equipped and ready to go? What’s the difference between Classroom 1 and Classroom 2?

Answer: we don’t know if the markers have ink in them or not. People frequently pop open a marker and write until it runs out of ink. Then, instead of throwing it away, they put it back on the tray and grab another marker. Pretty soon, the tray is filled with empty markers. In that respect, a plain old chalkboard with chalk in the tray is superior. What you see is what you get.

Scripture is clear.

…I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. (Revelation 3.1, ESV)

And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him. (Judges 16.20, ESV)

…having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. 2 Timothy 3.5, ESV)

These are wells without water… (2 Peter 2.17, KJV)

This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15.8, 9, ESV)

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23.25 – 28, ESV)