---

I. HE IS NOT A TRUE CHRISTIAN WHO ONLY BEARS THE VISIBLE BADGES OF CHRISTIANITY, BUT HE WHO, WITH THE VISIBLE BADGES, ALSO PARTAKES OF THE INVISIBLE GRACE (Mark 16:16).

1. One may be baptized in the name of Christ, and yet be even at the last only an outside Christian (as in our text, and Acts 8:13, 21). But he is a true Christian who has the invisible grace signified by baptism. See the difference in this (Matthew 3:11, and 1 Peter 3:21).

2. Persons may be admitted to the Lord's table, and yet not be true Christians. They may be admitted to an external partaking of the children's bread, and yet be but dogs in the sight of the heart-searching God (Luke 12:26; Matthew 22:13). But he is a true Christian who is admitted to communion with God in that ordinance (Song of Solomon 5:1; John 6:57). The one is held in the outer court, the other is admitted into the inner, and is there feasted.

II. HE IS NOT A TRUE CHRISTIAN WHOSE OUTWARD MAN ONLY IS CLEANSED FROM THE POLLUTIONS OF THE WORLD, BUT HE WHOSE INWARD MAN IS ALSO CLEANSED. Saving grace penetrates to the inside (Psalm 24:3, 4; Luke 28:11; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10). A blameless life in the world, though good in itself, yet comes not the length of true Christianity.

1. There are several things that may in some measure cleanse the conversation from gross pollutions.

(1) Good education and company, as in the case of Joash under the tutorage of Jehoiada. This may chain men's lusts, though it cannot change their nature.

(2) A good natural temper and disposition. But no man is born a true Christian, as he is with his natural temper; religion is a supernatural temper (2 Peter 1:4).

(3) Their being kept out of the way of temptation. The outward cleanness of many is owing more to circumstances than to any gracious disposition. Many have kept right as long as they were not tried, but so soon as the trial comes they give way.

(4) The workings of a natural conscience under a rousing ministry (Mark 6:20).

(5) Self-love, fear of punishment, and hope of reward, are powerful incentives, where God's authority is but little valued (Matthew 6:2; Ezekiel 8:12).

2. But the true Christian has this cleanness of the outward conversation, and goes farther.

(1) He joins internal purity to external (Psalm 24:4; Matthew 5:8; Galatians 5:24).

(2) Even his external purity is from religious motives, springs, and principles (Genesis 39:9).

III. HE IS NOT THE TRUE CHRISTIAN WHO ONLY PERFORMS THE DUTIES OF EXTERNAL OBEDIENCE, BUT HE WHO ALSO WITH THEM JOINS THE DUTIES OF INTERNAL OBEDIENCE.

(1) A man may perform the external duties of morality towards his neighbour, and yet be no more than an outward Christian. He may be just in his dealings with men (Luke 18:11), and be liberal towards the needy (1 Corinthians 13:3). True Christianity makes a good neighbour; but when a man is nothing else he is but half, and hardly half, a true Christian.

(2) A man may perform the outward duties of piety towards God, yet after all be but an outside Christian.

(a) Persons may be very punctual in their attendance at public ordinances, and behave themselves gravely and attentively (Isaiah 58:2; Ezekiel 33:1; Ezekiel 31), and be at much pains in following ordinances from place to place (John 6:24, 26), and talk well of what they hear (1 Corinthians 13:1), and after all be but outside Christians.

(b) They may be praying persons, and so carry religion into their families, and into their closets (Jeremiah 12:2; Hebrews 12:17).

(c) They may also be sufferers for religion (1 Corinthians 13:3). Hypocrisy is such a salamander as can live in the fire of persecution; and many whom the violent wind of persecution has not been able to drive off the Lord's way, the warm sun of prosperity has done their business.

(3) They may join both the outward of the first and second tables, and yet be but outside Christians (Luke 18:12; Philippians 3:6). All this may be, and yet not beyond the boundaries of Pharisaical righteousness (Matthew 5:20).

2. The inside exceeds the outside Christian.

(1) He performs the duties of evangelical obedience, in subjecting his whole heart and soul to the Lord, as well as the outward man (John 4:23; Philippians 3:3; Galatians 5:24).

(2) He is unreserved and universal in his obedience, which the outside Christian never is.

(3) His obedience is son-like, the other is servile and slavish. The highest principle with the hypocrite is fear of punishment, and hope of reward (Hosea 10:11), their highest end is themselves (Hosea 10:1). Jehu professed zeal for the Lord, but in effect it was but zeal for a kingdom. The inside Christian serves God as a son does his father. Prompted by love to Him, and aiming at His honour (1 Corinthians 10:31).

IV. HE IS NOT A TRUE CHRISTIAN WHO HAS INSIDE RELIGION ONLY IN THE LETTER OF IT, BUT HE WHO ALSO HAS IT IN ITS SPIRITUALITY.

1. A man may carry his religion into internals, and yet be but a Christian in the letter. He may do and have that in religion which no eye but God sees or can see, and yet be no true Christian (Jeremiah 17:9, 10; Jeremiah 3:10).

(1) A natural conscience may cheek for sins that no eye sees but God's (Romans 2:15).

(2) An unsanctified desire of salvation, in the way of the covenant of works, may carry a man to the internals in religion (Romans 10:3). Observe the case of the young man in Matthew 19:16-20.

(3) Light may be strong, and kept strong by the common operations of the Holy Spirit, in an unholy heart. Thus, Balaam durst not entertain a thought of cursing Israel; though he would fain have gained the wages of unrighteousness.

2. The true Christian has inside religion, not in the letter only, but in the spirituality thereof (Philippians 3:3), which consists —

(1) In the graciousness of the principle (1 Timothy 1:5). Their inward religion is the fruit of their new nature; it is natural, and not forced by terrors or necessity.

(2) In the holiness of their aim (Colossians 1:10).

(T. Boston, D. D.)

---

---

KJV: For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

WEB: For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.