"But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? "Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: "He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. "But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."
It will be a great fall when men realize that talking Christianity wasn't enough. We must follow Christ in deeds. Any gospel that is deed-less is dead. Any Christ who doesn't demand and give obedience to His will is a false christ and not the Son of God.
The gospel gives power. Not only are we commanded, but we are able to obey. We can deny this fact, that it's not talk only, but it will not change reality: this is the standard of judgment. People who are saved, rise, take up their beds, and go home, living for Christ in the family. Luke 5 says, “Immediately he rose up before them, and took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God” (vs25). You show me a Christian who only follows Christ in public or at church, and doesn't love the wife, doesn't obey the parents, and doesn't submit to the husband, and I'll show you someone who's house will fall in the end. They've built on sand.
The gospel is not, “You're saved, so it doesn't really matter what you do. Live as you please. If you want to love your wife, then you may. If not, it is her fault anyway”. The gospel is, “No matter the situation, God WILL give you grace to obey”. He will not DEMAND obedience, and then not give it. He hasn't said, “OK, I've saved you, now get these deeds on your own”, but He is saying, “This obedience is the gift that I give you. The power is My own, and the promise is sure. I will help you”. Obedience, like everything else in salvation, is God's gift to us, from Him who cannot fail.
If we need deeds, and we do, then look to God and you will do them. He told the man whose daughter was dead, when the situation looked hopeless, “Do not be afraid, only believe, and she will be made well” (Luke 8:50). He will not let you down. Believe His power, love, and faithfulness is freely justified by Christ, and you build on the rock, have peace with God, and you will stand in the end.
All who deny deeds are building on sand. This elaborate structure - conceived in the flesh and boasted of in the lip - shall be destroyed. God will say, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you that practice lawlessness” (Matt 7:23)”. Even as He shall reward those who work righteousness.
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