God said these two things to Ezekiel,
that Israel “will not be willing to
listen to you”,[1] and that they would “hear what you say”.[2] Often the two come together in the same
meeting, where the people who will not listen to the preacher are sitting there
in the congregation hearing what he has to say. However, both are expressed in
God’s indictment of, “they hear what you
say but they will not do it.”[3]
Centuries later Jesus spoke of two
people who were standing side-by-side in the crowds that gathered to hear him.
One was like the wise man that built his house on solid rock, because he heard Jesus’
words and put them into practice. The other was like the foolish man who built
his house on the sand, because he heard Jesus’ words, but would not put them
into practice.[4]
In the end, no matter what things look
like during this last hour, the person who lives by the words of God is the one
that lives forever. At the same time, the person who hears God’s word, but does
not put those breathed-out words into practice, is doomed no matter how peacefully
their last hour ticks by.
Conclusion: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves. 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. For he looks at
himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 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.”[5]
© 2014 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[1]
Ezekiel 3:7
[2]
Ezekiel 33:31
[3]
Ezekiel 33:31
[4]
Matthew 7:24-27
[5]
James 1:22-25
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