Religious Mannequins

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I don’t think it has ever happened to me before and I am still smiling about it this morning.

The girls and I were up in town and, after completing a transaction at Khol’s, I was anxious to inform my husband about the $44.00 item I had just purchased for $5.98. 😉 As I stood leaning up against a display of ladies’ tops, I began to text him while waiting for the girls to finish their shopping. From behind me, I heard –

“Oh, I thought you were a dummy.”

I turned around and replied quite matter-of-factly –

“I am.”

I think the lady may have been a little embarrassed at that point and proceeded to explain how she had been talking to herself while going through all of those tops…all the while thinking I was “just a dummy”. 🙂

The other morning, I was reading in Matthew 23 where Jesus is giving a very clear description of the scribes and Pharisees. These people were a very religious group who worked very hard at keeping the law. But, although their outward actions and appearance were impressive to many, Jesus knew the motives behind all of their good works:

“But all their works they do for to be seen of men…”  Matthew 23:5

Although these people LOOKED like what we may call “the model Christian”, Jesus knew just how very empty they were within:

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”  Matthew 23:27,28

Thinking on yesterday’s incident, I am afraid there are many religious mannequins…”dummies”… mixed in with true disciples of Christ. In churches, I am afraid there are many walking around…leaning up against the end of a pew…standing up in the choir…working a bus route…etc…looking JUST LIKE a believer “should look”. But inside…if we could look inside, we would see an unregenerate heart.

Now, I’m not sure exactly what it was that caused that lady yesterday to realize I was NOT a dummy. I would say that she saw some evidence of life – moving…breathing…speaking. Yes, although dummies can pass as real human beings for a while – and vice versa – eventually the difference will be discovered.

In the same way, religious mannequins can blend right in with true believers and not be suspected at all…for a while. But a discerning Christian will realize that, although that religious mannequin LOOKS like a Christian, something very important is missing. That key ingredient is LIFE.

Genuine Believers Have Evidence of a New Life in Christ:

Genuine believers have an appetite for God’s Word. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” I Peter 2:2

Religious mannequins never get hungry.

Genuine believers love the fellowship they can have in Christ with other believers. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” I John 3:14  

Religious mannequins aren’t able to enjoy or even understand Christian fellowship.

Genuine believers love to talk about the things of the Lord and what He has done for them. “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:20  

Religious mannequins can’t talk about what they have not experienced.

Genuine believers are concerned about the spiritual well-being of others. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Romans 10:1  

Religious mannequins show no concern because they are spiritually dead and therefore have no care for the spiritual condition of family and friends.

Genuine believers are grieved when confronted with sin in their lives.  “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Luke 5:8 

Religious mannequins can be poked, prodded, hit over the head…and they won’t feel a thing.

Genuine believers strive to obey the Lord. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” I John 2:3 

Religious mannequins can be told to do something over and over and over and over…and they will never budge.

Genuine believers overcome temptations and spiritual battles. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” I John 4:4 

Religious mannequins are helpless to attacks.

Genuine believers love NOT the world. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I John 2:15  

Religious mannequins can be placed in any environment and it won’t bother them one bit.

(Now, I realize that a Christian can get out of fellowship with God because of sin in their life. And, until they confess and forsake that sin, the fellowship will be broken and some of this evidence may not be present. But, when a person is first saved, there will be immediate evidence of their conversion.)

This morning, if you claim to be saved, do you truly have evidence of the Holy Spirit living within? Do you truly know what it is to feel the conviction of sin? Do you truly have an appetite for God’s Word? Do you truly enjoy being around God’s people? Do you truly get concerned about the spiritual condition of others? Do you truly desire to obey the Lord…NOT to impress others as the Pharisees…but because you love God? This morning, do you know what it is to have a NEW LIFE in Christ? Or, as those religious Pharisees, are you empty inside? Could you be described as a “religious mannequin” who has perhaps fooled many by your outward appearance? As you read the above Scriptural evidence of a new life in Christ, would you have to admit that those signs just aren’t present in your life?

My friend, if the evidence of a new life in Christ is not there, won’t you stop pretending? Won’t you stop trying to impress? Won’t you stop being a religious – but dead – mannequin? Today, humble yourself before the Lord. You may be fooling many others but you aren’t fooling God. Acknowledge your sin and trust in Christ alone to save you!

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24