"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:22
The Word of God is the "seed of truth" which requires clean soil if it is to thrive and be productive. The Holy Spirit must be allowed to purify our lives, to clean out the debris of malice and lust - to weed out besetting sins, then, in the soil of humble modesty and true dedication to Christ, the Word will take firm root and bring forth the delightful clusters of the "fruit of the Spirit." God wants us to walk in obedience to the faith that has been worked into our hearts, and to reflect to those about us the truths of His Word. Many are ready to hear, discuss, argue, and place into mental pigeonholes the great doctrines of the Bible, but this is mere "religion." It is all in vain, unless the truth is spiritually digested and translated into vital action that is discernible and effective in our everyday walk and conduct. Mere theological knowledge is not enough. We can only be sure that the truth has been received when it brings forth fruit.
A Brahmin is said to have written to a missionary: "We are finding you out. You are not as good as your Book! If your people were only as good as your Bible you would conquer India for Christ in five years."
Indeed, the grace of God in our hearts should cause us to live "soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world" (Titus 2:12). How true it is that often:
We are the only Bible the careless world will read,
We are the sinner's Gospel, we are the scoffer's creed,
We are the Lord's last message, given in deed or word;
What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?
If we who are Christians were only as good as our Book, what startling things would happen! No doubt it would be said of us as it was of the disciples of old, "These....have turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6).
"Bread For Each Day"
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