“With their lips do honor me”: Lip service, without the heart, is hypocritical and insulting to the Lord (Isaiah 1:11–13). He wants righteous works as well as words.
President John Taylor warned: “We are told that ‘Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works?’ Yet to all such he will say; ‘Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ You say that means the outsiders? No, it does not… . This means you, Latter-day Saints, who heal the sick, cast out devils and do many wonderful things in the name of Jesus. And yet how many we see among this people … that become careless, and treat lightly the ordinances of God’s house and the Priesthood of the Son of God; yet they think they are going by and by, to slide into the kingdom of God; but I tell you unless they are righteous and keep their covenants they will never go there. Hear it, ye Latter-day Saints!” 81
Our scripture study, fasting, praying, partaking of the sacrament, home and visiting teaching, tithe-paying, and other spiritual duties all need to be done with full purpose of heart and not as “vain oblations”—the heart is what God wants. Inner motives are more important than outer motions. Hands that help are holier than lips that only pray.