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WALK YOUR TALK
THURSDAY, APRIL 17
Luke 3:1-18

James 2:14-26

 

“…the crooked

shall be made straight…”

 

WALK YOUR TALK
 
Crowds of Jews came to hear John, but with a certain group he was not well-pleased. Among those who came to see and hear John were the Pharisees and Sadducees. Who were these people? The Pharisees were teachers of the Torah (Law). They were the religious “policemen” of Israel. They were keepers and enforcers of the Torah. At the time of the New Testament, there were about 6,000 of them. The Sadducees, on the other hand, were fewer, and more entrenched in the temple system. The high priests, for example, were all Sadducees. The Pharisees and Sadducees did not like each other. They were opposites in terms of doctrine. One was traditional, the other liberal. The Pharisees believed in life after death, the Sadducees did not. Both, however, had one thing in common. They hated Jesus. In their conspiracy to kill Jesus, they cooperated very well. Suddenly, enemies became buddies!
 
When these Pharisees and Sadducees came to John for baptism, he denounced them, calling them a “generation of vipers.” They were coming to him for baptism without truly repenting of their sins. It is not enough for a person to say he has faith. It is vital that he evinces true faith by producing good works. That was why John warned them, “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (cf. James 2:21-24).
 
These self-righteous Pharisees and Sadducees were hypocrites. Their walk did not match their talk. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20, 26). John was the first to expose their faithless faith, and Jesus in His ministry did not fail to condemn their hypocrisy either with equal severity.
 
THOUGHT: Is my faith dead or alive?

PRAYER: “Father, I want to be a Christian in my heart.”

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