FORM VERSUS SUBSTANCE

I’m not trying to impress or confuse you with some complicated philosophical subject. But if we fail to understand the difference between what someone appears to be (or wants us to think that he is) & what he actually is, that mistake can do a lot of damage.

How many families suffer today because of someone who “seemed like a nice guy” when he was dating a girl? How many churches suffer because their “successful” ministers had unresolved moral or ethical issues that came home to roost? How many nations suffer needlessly because political candidates were presented as being more “professorial” or “wise” than others who would have served the people more conscientiously?

Sometimes people have even considered actors or actresses to be credible experts on something, simply because they were in a movie about that topic. If that weren’t so sad, it would be funny.

But the most serious implication of form versus substance is that one day many people will be confronted by a Judge who is never fooled by appearances. 

Matthew 7:21-23 tells us,

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Substance is important – eternity depends on it.