Good Morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Certain people have gone off to college for many years to obtain a degree, eventually receiving a diploma for their efforts. But a diploma only shows that you have received the proper instruction required to perform certain duties. You passed all of your courses by maintaining good grades, and proving to your teachers that the knowledge is in your mind somewhere. But if you never put into action the things that you have learned, then the efforts to become what you wanted to be, will be fruitless. The diploma that was achieved, along with all of the knowledge that goes with it, only sits idle, like information stored away in a locked file cabinet.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
People can hear the Word of God preached and taught, but knowledge by itself doesn’t ensure that you will obtain eternal life. God wants us to be transformed from sinners into saints, and the only way that is going to happen is if you put into action the things that you have learned, and become a doer of his word.
James 1. ²¹ Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. ²² But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ²³ For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴ For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. ²⁵ But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Just as a rock is heavier than a feather, actions are weightier than knowledge.
It is our actions that define who and what we are. It is our actions that define our beliefs. It is our actions that prove our faith in the unseen things of God. It is our actions that prove God is working inside of our hearts. It is our deeds that speak louder than words.
Matthew 21 ²⁸ But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. ²⁹ He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
³⁰ And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
³¹ Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
³² For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
To know God’s will without application, is to possess knowledge without dedication. When somebody truly believes in Jesus, actions of obedience will follow. The train wreck of sin that they committed in their past will come to a screeching halt, as they turn from darkness to walk in the light. Just as you clean unwanted viruses from your cell phone, when you become a doer of God’s Word, you will purify yourself from sin. These works are provoked by true faith in Christ.
James 2 ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
¹⁸ Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
¹⁹ Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴ Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. ²⁵ Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? ²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
True faith will result in works of obedience towards God. Abraham obeyed God and offered his son upon the altar. Noah obeyed God and built an ark to rescue his family and the animals. Moses obeyed God, by turning away from all of the treasures in Egypt. Christianity is more than knowledge alone, it is to act on what you believe in. It’s more than simply confessing the name of Jesus, it is submitting to the will of Jesus. We are justified with God through our faithful and obedient hearts towards Him.
Romans 2 ¹³ (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
To do God’s will, is to submit to God’s will. Obedience is the outward evidence that we are a part of God’s family.
Matthew 7 ²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 12 ⁴⁷ Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. ⁴⁸ But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? ⁴⁹ And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! ⁵⁰ For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
There’s more to being a Christian than just possessing Spiritual knowledge. You might possess a gallon of paint and a new paintbrush that have been sitting out in the garage. They have been there for almost a year, but you haven’t done anything with them yet. The only way your living room is going to get painted, is when you finally apply the paint to the walls. Actions will produce results, and the application of God’s Word will result in becoming a brand new creature. It’s more than claiming to know God, it’s obeying God by your actions
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16
Each night, you might write down a list of things that you want to get done the next day, but they will only come to pass when you put yourself into gear. Every day you might hear the Word of God preached, but in order to obtain eternal life, it requires doing what it says.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46
Jesus taught that repentance is required to obtain heaven. If you are going to repent and commit yourself to change, then you will need to become a doer of God’s Word. You must humbly submit to His will, otherwise it’s only….
….Head Knowledge
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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