Knowing or Doing?

 

 

Humans of all cultures and nations have this inner battle of knowing or doing, especially in Christian circles.  Knowing, as it is Scripturally defined, is intimacy with God and/or your spouse.  Doing, means an action.  Some cultures error on the side of relationships, knowing, while others error on the side of doing.  Many Christians are confused.

 

The Bible tells us that we are to be "doers of the Word."  However it also warns that we need to be "knowers" before we can be doers.

 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:21-23).

 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall" (Matthew 7:24-27).

Notice in the first story above that Jesus did not respect the work of the "doers" who did not first "know" Him.  He said they would be destroyed.

In the second story, we warned the "knowers" that if they did not follow up their knowing with doing that they would be destroyed.

 

Mary and Martha.

"And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.'  And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her'" (Luke 10:39-42).

Here in the Mary and Martha story I believe Jesus was not rejecting the perfectionist and worker personality of Martha, but He was making a point that before you can do any works that are valuable, you must first know Me.

 

 

Why?

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13, KJV).

When you have spent time knowing Jesus in quiet meditation on Him, His Word, fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit, getting yourself into a position to hear Him, then He takes over your "doing."  It is Him in you that does the works of faith.

 

Perfectionists and people who are driven to works based relationships and lives have a difficult time converting their priorities. 

My advice to you is, change!  Its worth every pain.  A friend of mine said, "When the pain that you are in exceeds the pain of change, then you will change."

 

For some guidance into the disciplines of knowing Him,  you may download or read our Flowing River lesson online at

 

http://www.isob-bible.org/flowingriver.htm

 

 Larry Chkoreff

February 22, 2008