“Therefore everyone who hears these words of
mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the
rock. The rain came down, the streams
rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall.” Matthew 7:24-25
Have you ever heard of the “knowing-doing gap”? It’s a common phenomenon in which people talk about an issue, learn a lot about it, but don’t actually do anything about it. Many meetings close with participants somehow thinking that, by talking about a problem, they’ve done something about it, even though their conversation never even approached a resolution!
Jesus’ words in today’s text come at the conclusion of “The Sermon on the Mount.” He had covered much ground: the blessings of the Beatitudes ... being salt and light in the world ... his fulfillment of the Law and the prophets ... guarding not only one’s actions, but also the heart ... loving others ... prayer and fasting ... building treasures in heaven ... choosing the narrow path that leads to life ... and being wise to false teachings and those who utter them. And he adjourned the outdoor meeting with this “knowing-doing” warning: “But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
In correctly observing that we are saved by grace and not by works, we sometimes err by downplaying the “doing” of the Word. But believing and doing are joined at the hip, and doing is no less important than believing. In Romans 1:5, we find this relationship between the two: "obedience ... comes from faith." In Hebrews 11 – “the Hall of Faith” – we read, “By faith Abraham ... obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” James tells us that “faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.” And Jesus asks, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Throughout the Bible, God speaks to us both words of promise and words of command; we say “yes” to his promises by believing them, and we say “yes” to his commands by doing them. We are saved in trusting in his grace; and our works arise out of obeying the voice of him who lives in us through faith.
Believing and doing are indeed joined at the Biblical hip. In Christ, there is no “knowing-doing gap.” In him, there is no such thing as “yes” to his promises and “no” to his commands. In him, there is only “yes” and “yes.”
Make that “Yes!” and “Yes!”
Have you ever heard of the “knowing-doing gap”? It’s a common phenomenon in which people talk about an issue, learn a lot about it, but don’t actually do anything about it. Many meetings close with participants somehow thinking that, by talking about a problem, they’ve done something about it, even though their conversation never even approached a resolution!
Jesus’ words in today’s text come at the conclusion of “The Sermon on the Mount.” He had covered much ground: the blessings of the Beatitudes ... being salt and light in the world ... his fulfillment of the Law and the prophets ... guarding not only one’s actions, but also the heart ... loving others ... prayer and fasting ... building treasures in heaven ... choosing the narrow path that leads to life ... and being wise to false teachings and those who utter them. And he adjourned the outdoor meeting with this “knowing-doing” warning: “But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
In correctly observing that we are saved by grace and not by works, we sometimes err by downplaying the “doing” of the Word. But believing and doing are joined at the hip, and doing is no less important than believing. In Romans 1:5, we find this relationship between the two: "obedience ... comes from faith." In Hebrews 11 – “the Hall of Faith” – we read, “By faith Abraham ... obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” James tells us that “faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.” And Jesus asks, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Throughout the Bible, God speaks to us both words of promise and words of command; we say “yes” to his promises by believing them, and we say “yes” to his commands by doing them. We are saved in trusting in his grace; and our works arise out of obeying the voice of him who lives in us through faith.
Believing and doing are indeed joined at the Biblical hip. In Christ, there is no “knowing-doing gap.” In him, there is no such thing as “yes” to his promises and “no” to his commands. In him, there is only “yes” and “yes.”
Make that “Yes!” and “Yes!”
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