In Japanese, there is an expression…

In Japanese, there's an expression, "tatemae to honne" (outward appearance and true feelings).

Tatemae refers to the outward appearance one presents to others, while honne refers to one's true feelings, the things one doesn't say to others.

Isaiah chapter 29 describes the judgment against Jerusalem, and one of the reasons for their judgment was their "outward appearance and true feelings" faith.

While they outwardly declared their love for the Lord, their glorification of Him, and their reliance on and gratitude to Him, in their hearts they distanced themselves from Him, strayed from Him, and walked according to their own desires.

...However...the Lord, who created the human heart, can search to the depths of a person's heart, and He knows everything, no matter how much a person tries to hide it.

The Lord desires that Christians abandon outward appearances, empty confessions, and double-hearted faith, and instead love the Lord with their hearts, rely only on Him, and walk with Him!

…

“Children, let us not love with words and speech, but with actions and truth.”

1 John 3:18

Shalom 😃

This page archives a Morning Word message shared by Pastor Peter Sunagawa on LINE. The English prose is a translation of the Japanese source message. For Scripture wording, use the BSB link above.