DON'T LET YOUR WALK DROWN OUT YOUR TALK

DON'T LET YOUR WALK DROWN OUT YOUR TALK
(I hope you read this, even though it may take up five minutes of your day.)
* see final comment

We hear it said that people are saved by the death of Christ on the cross and His physical resurrection. That is part of the truth. While it is true that those who are saved, must be saved by the death and resurrection of Christ, His death and resurrection does not save any sinner who does not believe, (receive), Christ and His salvation. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation ONLY for those who believe (receive, accept, live in, yield to).
Romans 1:16
(16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Hebrews 4:2
(2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

There were people who witnessed the death of Christ, but did not get saved.
There were people who heard about the resurrection of Jesus, but did not get saved.

Through the years there have been...
People who have retold the gospel, yet they were not saved.
People who have professed the gospel, yet they were not saved.
People who have testified to the gospel, yet they were not saved.
People who have preached the gospel, yet they were not saved.
People who have sung the gospel, yet they were not saved.
People who have written about the gospel, yet they were not saved.
People who have taught the gospel, yet they were not saved.

They were not saved, because they did not believe Christ and His gospel.

How Can We Tell
So, if we cannot recognize a saved person by the things he says, how can we know that a person is saved?
Love is the walk that proves the talk.
John 13:34-35
(34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
(35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Jesus described this love. (It really should be read meditatively).
Matthew 5:43-48
(43) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
(44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
(45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
(46) For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
(47) And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
(48) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Paul said this about love. (It really should be read meditatively).
I put a break between each verse, to encourage meditation. Actually, a break between each thought would be a good idea.
1 Corinthians 13:1-8
(1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not godly love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

(2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not godly love, I am nothing.

(3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not godly love, it profits me nothing.

(4) Godly love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love does not brag on itself, is not arrogant up,

(5) Doth not behave itself unseemly (indecently, unlike Christ), seeks not her own (not self centered or self satisfying), is not easily provoked (not touchy or suspicious), thinks no evil (does not visualize, imagine or embellish evil in other people);

(6) Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

(7) Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(8) Godly love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

dlg... godly love, loves everyone; godly love, loves all the time, godly love, loves in deed as well as in word.
1 John 3:23-24
(23) And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
(24) And he that keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

* (I hope you walk in this, even though it may take up the rest of your life.)