Not Saved by Saying Alone
by Gary Henry
via WordsPoint.com
"The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do" (Matthew 23:2-3).
Saying and doing are closely related, but they are two different things. It is possible, as we all know, to say one thing and then turn around and do things completely inconsistent with what we’ve said. Regarding the Pharisees, Jesus warned His disciples against those who violated the very precepts they preached to others: “Do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.”
The Pharisees were hypocrites. They knew very well that they were not what they pretended to be (Matthew 23:27-28), and they flagrantly disregarded their own diatribes about remaining pure and unpolluted by the “worldliness” of Hellenistic culture. Probably not many reading these words are guilty of such blatant hypocrisy. We are guilty of something more subtle: we simply neglect to practice what we preach because we’ve so emphasized “standing for the truth” that we unwittingly slip into thinking we're saved by what we stand for — and by saying what is right about what we stand for.
Do not misunderstand me. It is essential to stand for what is right and make compelling arguments for our stances. But we are not saved by “saying” alone. For instance, we may be deeply disturbed by socialism and ready to debate socialists at every opportunity. But if the public knew everything God knows about us, would we be hypocrites for worrying about something like socialism? But whether it’s socialism, legalism, or any other “ism,” if God is concerned about the position, He’s even more concerned about the private conduct of the person taking the position. May we never define our standing before God solely by the list of things we’re against in other people’s lives!
During Jesus’ ministry, people marveled at His gracious words, but without unity between His words and His life, He would have been just the latest crowd-pleasing speaker. As it was, His deeds empowered His words, making them more than entertaining homilies. Our words and deeds are not sinless as His were, but the laws of influence operate today the same as they did back then. Enduring influence isn’t produced by dynamic presentations — it must be backed up by integrity and diligence in the teacher’s personal obedience.
"Well done is better than well said" (Benjamin Franklin).
