“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.’” (Jeremiah 7:3, NKJV)

There is a great difference between reality and superficiality. An actor can know his role and play his part, but it is all make-believe. This may be fine for making movies, but it doesn’t work in real life, and it is devastating in our relationship with God.

The people of Jeremiah’s day were living under the delusion that their temple saved them. They went around saying, “The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.” But just because they had a beautiful temple didn’t mean that it would save them from God’s judgment. There was still time to avert devastation, but they needed to amend their ways and put away the evil that was in their hands. If they would do this then God would forgive them of their sins, and they could remain in the land. But if they ignored Jeremiah’s words and persisted in their sins, then their beautiful temple would be destroyed, and they would go into captivity.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Galatians 6:7–8, NKJV)

Self-deception occurs when we think that we can live however we want and escape the consequences of our actions. It occurs when we put our trust in anything other than the Lord. They trusted in their temple, but we can trust in baptism, church attendance, our own good works, or our parentage to save us. None of these things will save us if we are sowing to please the flesh rather than to please the Spirit.

God is a God of truth. And He requires truth in the inner parts. This is the essence of integrity, and it is the only acceptable form of worship. It is the difference between real Christianity and superficial religion.