They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.
Summary: “Actions speak louder than words,” is an old saying that is very true. We might think we can hide our motives in our hearts and minds, but God knows our hearts and our actions speak volumes.
When it comes to Bible passages, this one is “The Big Ouch.” How many of us fall into this category? We claim to know God, but…
It is the “but” that bites us in the you-know-what.
Jesus says that if we want to be his disciple, we need to deny ourselves. Then we have to take up our cross and follow him. (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23)
I want to be clear about something, though. Paul did not write, “They claim to know God, but by their actions, they draw criticism from worldly people who don’t like what they say and do.”
He is not warning us about the judgments of the world. He is warning us about not being faithful to Jesus.
Why are you doing what you are doing?
Is it because you know God? Are you trying to “fit in?” Are you feeding a desire?
Little kids don’t realize that moms can read them like a book. When my kids were little, it was always amusing when my wife would have to tell one of the boys to go to the bathroom. Little kids are sometimes so engrossed in what they are doing that bodily needs take a back seat. They may think no one else knows that they are “holding it in,” but Mom does, every time.
Sometimes little kids grow up thinking that other people are always fooled by what they say and do. Since their thoughts are private, they feel safe in their duplicity. What they do not realize is that what we do speaks loudly. Sometimes our actions are so loud that others seem to be able to read our thoughts.
It is true that only God knows our hearts. But it is also true that actions speak louder than words. What we do matters. The one thing we don’t want is our actions to say anything bad about God.
Application: Imagine that everyone else knows what you are thinking, then live as though your thoughts and actions are one.
Food for Thought: What actions would show that someone is denying God?
Wow, the list of what actions would show someone you are denying God is a long and wide one. I honestly don’t know where I would stop. As I type that sentence, the first thought that came to mind was Matthew 7:3-5, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
I think it is often easier to see what other Christians’ are doing that might be unpleasing to God rather than look at our own actions. It is easier to see how another self-proclaimed person of God is behaving in a way that is not pleasing to God than it is to look inward at ourselves. However, if we are in His word and in daily communication with Him, it becomes easier to notice what we are doing that is unpleasing to Him, more difficult to ignore the subtle correction He is leading us to do and to be able to move forward in a way that is more pleading to Him because it’s difficult to deny the conviction we are feeling.
It’s like a saying I’ve heard, we begin to change when the pain to stay the same become greater than the pain to remain the same.
Darla,
Thank you for sharing this morning! There is a lot of wisdom in what you write. I especially appreciate your last comment about pain. I think the Bible refers to that situation as the “goads.” (Acts 26:14)
Great points Darla. I love that you focused on what we can do to deny Him as opposed to the actions of others. The list of what people can do to deny the Kingship of God in their lives is probably limitless. But I know that I can deny Him by my actions.
I think the only difference is that when a child of God does this, they will eventually repent and get out of the mud and go home to their Father. The unbeliever feels comfortable in the mud because the mud is their home.
Rich,
Excellent point about the mud. And you did it without throwing any! 🙂
What actions would show that someone is denying God?
Believers have been left in this world to be an example of Gods power, goodness, and love for all mankind, to let Christ in us be seen in all we do. Before He ascended into heaven, Jesus prayed to His Father to protect each of us from the power of this world we are left in. God is the power protecting each of us as we live in this world but not of this world. John 17:14-19
To profess faith without changing our behavior would indicate there is a problem. Faith that doesn’t change a persons life is dead faith. The Bible says if you say you are a Christian, but you are living in rebellion, you are a liar. You have never been converted. You have never repented of your sins.
Being like the world. Always trying to fit in with the ever changing standards of mankind is to deny God, to live in darkness, rather than in the Light. If Christ is not seen in our life, if none of our friends know that we are a Christian, something is wrong.
Many people all over the world believe there is a God, but deny Jesus as their Savior and they deny who He is, while others will pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality
Some deny God by denying God’s Word and will add to or take away portions which do not support their personal opinions. If we do not accept 100% of God’s Word, we deny His authority over our lives.
1 John 2:22-23, 1 John 1:6, Jude 1:4, James 4:4 , John 12:48-49
Ron,
I appreciate the way you phrase things; “To profess faith without changing our behavior would indicate there is a problem.”
The changing process is ongoing, of course. So there is that. None of us ever reach perfection in this life, so we all are changing. But there must be some change. Some indication of a heart that has been touched by Jesus.
Yes indeed, it is a lifelong process. I was reading recently how God delivers each from our sinfulness as He changes our appetite and transforms our behavior by His Holy Spirit.
We develop an increasing appetite for good and a great distaste for evil. What a wonderful God we have.
Good night Brother!