Bethel Baptist Church, Pleasant Grove
There is a huge gap between knowing and doing. One of my favorite stories along this line has to do with a university out in California that had a major termite infestation in one of its science buildings.
When they finally found the source, a huge pile of papers in the basement, they found the termites were feeding on the papers. It was a study done years before on “The Control and Extermination of Termites.”
Like I said, there is a huge gap between knowing and doing.
This gap often expresses itself in people’s lives spiritually as well.
Many people, including church people, know about God and about the Bible and about Jesus. But there seems to be a missing connection.
I cannot tell you how often I talk with people who are struggling with the assurance of salvation.
They know all the right words and often they can tell you the plan of salvation.
However, they have no real relationship or fellowship with Christ. Can it be the reason for the lack of connection, the sense that something is missing, is created by this gap between knowing and doing? Jesus spoke to this often in teaching His disciples.
One of His familiar stories is about a wise and a foolish man and how they built their houses. Jesus begins that story with these words: “Whoever hears these words of mine and does them.” Jesus reminds us there is a difference between knowing and doing.
John in his first epistle reminds us of this same thing. He affirms the simplicity of salvation writing, “He who has the Son has the life.” (1 John 5:12). One simply has to admit they are a sinner, turn to Christ in repentance and accept by faith His gift of forgiveness and eternal life. But John goes on to point out, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
The gap between knowing and doing is bridged by those who have eternal life in Jesus.
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