Walking the Walk
Introduction
An old DC Talk song starts out by suggesting that the number one cause of atheism in our country today is Christians, who confess Jesus with their lips but deny him by their lifestyles. I would suggest to you that there is some truth to that statement. Let’s face it; we have a world full of “Christians” who are hypocrites. They will talk the talk when they are at church and around their church buddies, but they don’t walk the walk when they’re around their other buddies or at work or wherever else in the world. It is so critical that we live lifestyles which are an example, witness, and testimony to Christ, rather than one that gives just another reason for someone to ridicule or deny Christ. Someone once asked the question this way, “If you were arrested today for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Today we are going to look at three steps we must take if we are going to not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. We find these three steps in James 1:19-27.
I. Accept the Word
A. James 1:19-21
B. We cannot walk the walk without accepting the Word of God
1. We cannot be Christians if we do not first accept the Word
2. The Word has already be planted in us
3. Everyone who has ever heard the Word of God preached has had it planted in their hearts
4. In fact, Romans 1:18-20 tells us,
a. 18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
b. So even those who have never heard the Word of God still has access to it through God’s eternal power and divine nature
c. It has been clearly seen
d. Everyone has the Word planted in them and in order to walk the walk of a Christian lifestyle, you must first accept that Word
C. James gives us 5 keys to accepting the Word
1. Be quick to listen – we must allow the Word of God to penetrate us and hear what it has to say
a. James forces us to listen when he grabs our attention by saying, “Take note of this”
2. Be slow to speak – how can you listen if you are talking?
3. Be slow to become angry – when we allow ourselves to become angry about something we will shut ourselves off to it. Anger will hinder our ability to walk the walk
a. Notice how the first three work hand in hand
b. If you are quick to listen, then you will be slow to speak
c. If you are slow to speak, then you will be slow to become angry
4. Be repentant – we must rid ourselves of all the filth in our lives if we are going to accept Jesus
5. Be humble – we must come to the point that we recognize that we do not have all of the answers and cannot save ourselves; it is then that God can save us
II. Study the Word
A. James 1:23-25
B. We cannot walk the walk without studying the Word
1. We cannot simply hear and accept the Word, but we must also take time to study it
2. If we do not diligently study the Word of God then we will not know God
3. We can know God through the studying of His Word
C. Psalm 1
1. This Scripture tells us that we should be meditating on His Word day and night
2. If we do then we will be like a tree planted by a stream
3. If we do then we will be blessed
D. Illustration of Mirror
1. If you want to be a doer of the Word then you will be like a man who looks intently in the mirror and goes away remembering what he looks like
2. If you are not going to walk the walk then you will be like a man who looks intently at the mirror and walks away forgetting what he looks like
3. Let’s quickly take a closer look at this illustration
a. Both men in the illustration were hearers of the Word
b. I would suggest to you that both men in the illustration were also studiers of the Word
a. Both looked intently at their faces in the mirror
b. Both studied their faces
c. The difference between them was the fact that one remembered what he looked like and one forgot what he looked like
d. The difference was that one was a doer of the Word and one was not
e. This brings us to our next point
III. Live the Word
A. James 1:22-27
B. We cannot walk the walk without living the Word
1. It is simply not enough only to hear the Word and then study the Word, but you must be one that lives out the Word
2. It is crucial that we actually do what it says
3. We need to take our head knowledge of the Word of God and transform it into action
C. James gives us a couple of examples here
1. He shows us an example of someone who “has religion” on the outside, but has no control of his tongue
a. It says that he deceives his heart
b. His religion is worthless
2. Then James shows us an example of someone who has true religion
a. They act not out of deception, but out of love
b. He gives a specific example of love in how he visits the orphans and the widows
c. It also notes that he keeps himself unstained from the world, living a lifestyle of holiness
3. James is saying here that true religion is not exterior but interior; it is not works but faith
4. Religion is a life-changing experience and is not about what you do in the public’s eye, but what is done in your heart
5. We must be doers of the Word out of love
Conclusion
To walk the walk, you must:
1. Accept the Word
2. Study the Word
3. Live the Word
