Walking Bibles Living God's Word

An American pastor was given the great privilege to speak to an underground church in China. The Chinese believers came at night on bicycles, which they hid behind trees and bushes so not to be observed, and they met in a barn at ten o'clock. The visitor preached with freedom for several hours, as his Chinese hearers took copious notes and hung on every word of God.

When he was through, they softly sang a song. It went something like this, We don't listen to sermons. We don't listen to sermons.

The pastor thought to himself, What do they mean, they don't listen to sermons? I've been preaching over two hours. Then the Chinese believers began to sing the rest of the stanza. We don't listen to sermons.

We live the sermons. We live the sermons. Chinese Christians have memorized so much of God's word that they are walking Bibles, and the persecuted church in China, friends, actually knows what it is like to live the sermons, because they're doers of the word, unlike we here in the West today, in the church, who merely give God lip service while we live to please our sinful flesh and hoard our money for our own.

In the book James, he speaks of a vain religion that isn't backed up by actions. This can be seen in James chapter 1 and verses 22 through 26, which reads, But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man, beholding his natural face in a glass, for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Let me pause here, friends, to say this man's religion is one that is vocal, but it leaves no lasting impression on others, because it is an empty religion. We live in a day, friends, in this country, of the religious decisionist, who will tell everyone how much he loves his Jesus, but lives his daily life in direct opposition to the word of God, in an empty religion that is all talk and no action. James goes on to describe this person by saying their religion is vain, because his behavior is contrary to the Bible.

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is in vain. I am reminded of the pious-looking church elder I once knew, who prayed like an angel in church, but when you were with him in his place of business during the week, he spoke like a devil from hell. He had the filthiest mouth that was contrary to the Christianity he professed.

Many church folks in America today live double lives. They are one way at church on Sunday, and quite another way at home during the week. That's why the teenagers today have left the church in America in droves, because they see a double standard in the home from their parents.

The parents say, do as I say, but not do as I do, and they behave one way at church and completely opposite at home during the week. The kids see right through this hypocrisy, and they don't want to have anything to do with church or church people, because of the missing reality of God there. But we like to say we are Christians, even if we don't behave like ones, and we like to pray for others so long as it doesn't cost us anything.

But James says that kind of religion is a dead religion, because faith without works is dead. We see this in James 2, verses 14 through 17. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead of being alone.

That's where many of us are today in the church, friends, fat and satisfied and living for self, while people perish into a burning hell. The gospel's not flourishing in this country, because most folks are just hoarders. The prosperous church in the West could learn few things from the persecuted church in the East.

Then when we start doing as they do, and begin to live the sermons, then we too can be walking Bibles, living God's word for His glory. Let us pray.