C.H. Spurgeon – Words of Warning for Daily Living

brucesbiblepage

May 2

Running for a Purpose
Another set of people take up with religious life for what they can get by it. I have
known trades-people attend church for the mere sake of getting the custom of those
who went there. I have heard of such things as people knowing which side their
bread was buttered, and going to that particular denomination, where they thought
they could get the most by it. Loaves and fishes drew some of Christ's followers, and
they are very attracting baits, even to this day. Men find there is something to be
gotten by religion. Among the poor it is, perhaps, some little charity to be obtained,
and among those who are in business, it is the custom which they think to get. "Verily
I say unto you, they have their reward;" for the church is ever foolish and
unsuspicious. We do not like to suspect our fellow creatures of following us from
sordid motives. The church does not like to think that a man would be base enough
to pretend to religion for the mere sake of what he can get; and, therefore, we let
these people easily slip through, and they have their reward. But ah, at what a price
they buy it! They have deceived the Lord's servants for gold, and they have entered
into His church as base hypocrites for the sake of a piece of bread; and they shall be
thrust out at last with the anger of God behind them, like Adam driven out of Eden,
with the flaming Cherubim with a sword turning every way to keep the tree of life; and
they shall forever look back upon this as the most fearful crime they have committed
— that they pretended to be God's people when they were not, and entered into the
midst of the fold when they were but wolves in sheeps' clothing.