And the Lord said unto him, “Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.  Ye fools, did not He that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.  Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.”
Luke 11:39-44

Religious folks always present a good outward appearance, mostly by using religious terminology of their own making; but on the inside are full of wickedness, and all kinds of evil.

God made both the outside and the insides of every one of us. Both are important. The Pharisees were really strict  on outward matters, working on appearances, maybe trying to change the heart and mind from the outside to the inside. Religion wants to be seen by men. That is certainly the way of most Pharisees. Those words spoken by Jesus in verses 39-44 began after host, who was a Pharisee, questioned Jesus about why He did not wash before eating. It was more a ceremonial thing. They had their traditions to keep. May God help you if you do not keep them, was the Pharisee mindset.

Jesus is the only One who can change the heart and mind. There are many who are religious, but without Jesus. Many of these people go to church worship services faithfully, and say they are alright with God, yet there has been no changing in their hearts and minds. They know about Jesus, but they know not Jesus.

Jesus recognized the Pharisees principles of tithing, but they did not practice the godly acts of a fair, just, and equitable judgment, and the love of God. It is written,  ” If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ”  James 1:26-27

Religion without Jesus is bondage to rules, laws, and traditions. Those who trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior, are free from sin, death, and hell; we are free to worship God as much as we choose, we have the freedom to live a righteous life to glorify the name of our great God and Savior. We have freedom to live for Him, and to share Him with others who need Him.

He died on the cross for our sins, becoming sin for us, smitten by the Father in His wrath, dying and buried, and rising from the grave the third day, conquering sin, death, and the grave. You can call on His name and be saved unto eternal life.