“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24
Can there be faith where there is no obedience? The children of Israel were led in a very specific way so that God could test them and see what was in their heart. It’s true, isn’t it, that testing reveals the issues of our hearts. Hebrews tells us Israel was unable to enter into the promise land with Moses because of their evil heart of unbelief.
Testing proves whether we are living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God or by our own thoughts, feelings, opinions and judgments.
Jesus learned obedience by the things he suffered. Described as faithful, Hebrews 2:17; 3:2; Rev. 1:5; Jesus, shows he was not only full of faith, but faithful to do all the Father commanded of him. Proverbs reminds us we all proclaim our own faithfulness however as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. We don’t really know what is in our hearts until the test comes. If we love Him we will keep his commandments. John 14:15
Our faith always acts on the thing we have believed. Our words confirm our belief system but our actions prove it. Words and actions that aren’t in agreement simply don’t square. Jesus reminds us a house divided is not able to stand. Could this be the entrance of many of the troubles we face, this dis-agreement with what God has said? Disagreement can be seen in our disobedience. Again, our actions prove what we believe. Remember what the apostle James wrote: a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
The instability that comes with our doubting can only be resolved with a faith that comes from continually feeding on what God has said and then simply doing what He has directed. This is the building upon the rock that God says is wisdom.