Memorize the entire Bible inside and out. Be able to name any book, person, or even recite any passage. Know the foundations of doctrine and just why we believe what we do. But never live out God’s word in your life. Never put the scripture into practice and you are no better off than the person who has never even opened the Bible. Because knowing means nothing if that knowledge does not manifest itself in your life.
Jesus once told of two people who both heard and knew His teaching. Jesus tells us one man was wise while the other was foolish. The wise man did not simply hear the word of the Lord and continue to do things his own way. But he dug deep and cleared out all the dirt and unstable ground in order to build his house(life) upon the firm foundation of the word of Christ. The foolish man knowing the right way chose to go his own way. Building his house on the sand. When the storms blew in the wise man was saved because his house was built upon the firm foundation. But the others fell as the water rose around him.
Matthew 7:24–27 (ESV)
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Many today are well aware of the scripture, knowing what the will of God is. But they make excuses believing they can live outside His will and teaching. Stating that they know God and because of that they are saved. And they simply just don’t do certain things that are taught in the Bible. But Jesus was clear that knowing who He does not save someone if they do not live according to His will.
Matthew 7:21–23 (ESV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
To know the scripture and to know who God is are both great. But that knowledge must not be mistaken for salvation. Satan and his legions of demons know who God is. In fact, they know Him very well. The devil even proves his knowledge of scripture when trying to tempt Jesus in the wilderness.
Matthew 4:5–6 (ESV)
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“ ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
But we can still say without a shadow of a doubt that they will not receive salvation. Not due to a lack of knowledge but because that knowledge does not cause them to live according to His will. They choose to live like the foolish man and go their own way which caused them to be cast out of Heaven.
Even if we dedicate our lives to understand the scripture it does not show our dedication or love of God. in reality it just shows a desire to learn. Christians must not seek knowledge of God alone and never put that knowledge into action. The Bible makes no small point of telling us that those who truly love God do not simply know His commandments. But adhere to them and live them out daily.
John 14:21 (ESV)
21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
1 John 2:5 (ESV)
5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
1 John 5:3 (ESV)
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Don’t deceive yourself and fall into the trap of believing that it is enough to know what is right. Instead, realize you need to put into action the truth that you have stored up. No longer allowing yourself to simply hear the word, but living out the word you have been taught in your daily life. Just as the scripture itself teaches Christians should do.
James 1:22–25 (ESV)
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
There are not any verses exempt from this. If you claim to know Christ then you are expected to adhere to His word. This means doing all it says to do and not doing the things it speaks against.
The Bible tells us to love, give, pray, worship, proclaim the truth, and so much more. Thus we should be doing these very things as a part of our daily lives. On the flip side because the Bible says Christians do not make a practice of sinning. We should not keep on sinning as we did before coming to know Christ Jesus.
Of course, we will fall at times and not live up to the call of scripture. Be we cannot allow the occasional slip up to keep us from being full-time doers of the word. The hard truth is that knowing all the right things will not be enough to save the person who always continues to do all the wrong things.
If someone knows what it takes to be saved but lives as though they are lost they will receive the same punishment as the lost person. To receive salvation and eternal life in Heaven your life must mirror the scripture. That starts by not just knowing the biblical plan of salvation but putting it into action. Doing all that the Bible says one must do to be saved.
Acts 2:37–38 (ESV)
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Go forward not simply knowing what Christians are supposed to do. Really do those things put God’s inspired word into action. Live it out in every aspect of your life.
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