The first charge of general defilement Christ brings against the church in Sardis was that they had a vast deal of open profession, and but little of sincere religion.

“I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (Revelation 3:1).

That is the crying sin of the present age. I am not inclined to be morbid in my temperament, or to take a melancholy view of the church of God.

I would wish at all times to exhibit a liberality of spirit, and to speak as well as I can of the church at large; but God forbid that any minister should shrink from declaring what he believes to be the truth.

In going up and down this land, I am obliged to come to this conclusion, that throughout the churches there are multitudes who have “a name to live and are dead.” Religion has become fashionable. The shopkeeper could scarcely succeed in a respectable business if he were not united with a church.

It is reckoned to be reputable and honorable to attend a place of worship, and hence men are made religious in shoals. And especially now that parliament itself doth in some measure sanction religion, we may expect that hypocrisy will abound yet more and more, and formality everywhere take the place of true religion.

You can scarcely meet with a man who does not call himself a Christian, and yet it is equally hard to meet with one who is in the very marrow of his bones thoroughly sanctified to the good work of the kingdom of heaven. We meet with professors by hundreds; but we must expect still to meet with possessors by units.

The whole nation appears to have been Christianized in an hour. But is this real? Is this sincere? Ah! we fear not… (Online source)

Charles Spurgeon

See also:

T.D. JAKES IS HERETICAL CONCERNING MODALISM WHETHER HE BELIEVES IT OR NOT

A REVIEW OF T.D. JAKES’ CODE ORANGE REVIVAL SERMON

WORD FAITH PASTRIX CHRISTINE CAINE PREACHES SUNDAY MORNING SERMON FOR STEVEN FURTICK