In the parable of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24-27, Luke 6:46-49), Jesus compared two kinds of believers; the hearers and the doers of the Word. The hearers and the doers both heard the same words, they had the same knowledge, and both the hearers and the doers build a house and experienced the same weather conditions. However, the outcome of the hearers and the doers was totally different. Let’s look at the hearers vs the doers. What is the difference between the hearers and the doers?
The parable of the wise and foolish builders
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it (Matthew 7:24-27)
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great (Luke 6:46-49)
Before Jesus told the parable of the wise and foolish builders, Jesus said, that not everyone, who says they believe in Jesus and call Him Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Not even those, who have prophesied, cast out demons and healed the sick and have done many other signs and wonders in the name of Jesus.
On the Day of Judgment, there will be many, who call Jesus their Lord and mention all the works they have done. But despite all the works, they have done, Jesus shall say to them, that He doesn’t know them.
Why doesn’t Jesus know them? Because Jesus doesn’t know them personally. Although they called Jesus their Lord and have done many works, they didn’t keep His sayings. His words didn’t abide in them and therefore they didn’t live after the will of the Father.
Instead of being workers of righteousness, they were workers of iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23).
The foolish man built his house on the sand
Jesus compared the people, who came to Him and heard His words, but didn’t do His words as a foolish man, who built his house on the sand (without a foundation).
Although the foolish man heard the same words as the wise man and therefore possessed the same knowledge as the wise man, who built his house on the Rock, the foolish man was only a hearer, because he didn’t act upon the words he heard and the knowledge he possessed.
This foolish man was rebellious and therefore he rejected this knowledge. He thought he knew it better and therefore he leaned on his own understanding and went his own way.
Because the rebellious man rejected the knowledge and was only a hearer, who relied on his own insight and considered his insights as the truth, he acted upon his truth and built his house without a foundation.
At first, it was not visible that the house was not built upon a foundation. Because when the man had finished building his house, everything seemed fine.
Until the weather changed and the rain descended and the floods came and the wind blew and beat upon the house. At that moment, it became visible that the house was not built so well as the foolish man had initially thought.
His house, which seemed to be built so well and sturdy, could not withstand the storms. Eventually, the house fell and became one big ruin.
The wise man built his house on the rock
The wise man, who heard the same words and had the same knowledge, didn’t reject the words and knowledge, like the foolish man. The wise man kept the words he heard and put the knowledge, that he obtained by the words he heard, into practice. And so, the wise man dug deep and built his house on a solid foundation; the rock.
When his house was finished and the weather changed and the rain descended and the floods arose and the winds blew and beat upon the house, the house could not be shaken. Nothing could shake the house, because the house was build upon a solid foundation. And so, the wise man lived safely in his house, despite the raging storms outside of his house.
The hearers versus the doers of the Word
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me (John 14:23,24)
The same thing happens among believers. There are believers, who are hearers of the Word and there are believers, who are doers of the Word. Both hear the same words and have the same knowledge. However, the outcome of the situations in their lives and their final destination after their lives on earth, depend upon, what they did and didn’t do with the words of Jesus.
The hearers of the Word
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke:46)
The hearers only hear the words of God. The hearers say they believe, and listen to the words of God, but they don’t do what the Word says. They don’t keep the sayings of Jesus. Therefore, they are disobedient to the Word and don’t build their lives upon the right Foundation; Jesus Christ the Rock.
Although they possess head-knowledge of the Bible, they don’t follow up and apply this knowledge into their lives. Instead, they reject the knowledge of God. Just like the foolish man, who heard the words, but rejected the knowledge and relied on his own insights and understanding and build his house without a foundation on the sand
The hearers rely on their own understanding and rather listen to the words of man and the world than the words of God and believe their words above the words of God.
Because of the fact, that they believe the words of man and the world above the words of God, they speak, act, and live according to the wisdom and knowledge of the world.
They may know what is written in the Bible, but they consider the words in the Bible as outdated, as words that don’t fit into the lives of people and don’t fit into the time, we live in.
They consider the words of the Bible as part of their religion and part of history, instead of the Word of God, the highest Authority, and the Compass in their lives.
This is mainly because many are not born again. Therefore they are unspiritual and don’t understand the wisdom and knowledge of God. Because of that, they reject the knowledge of God and replace it with the knowledge they do understand.
And so the hearers build their lives upon the words and the wisdom and knowledge of the world and think they build upon the right foundation. As long as they prosper and everything goes well, nothing is wrong. But when the circumstances change, they’ll find out, that they have relied on the wrong words and kept the wrong sayings and therefore have built their lives upon the wrong foundation.
The doers of the Word
He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him (John 14:21)
But there are also believers, who hear the words of God and don’t reject them, but they keep and obey His words and apply His words to their lives. They are not only hearers of the Word, but they are doers of the Word. They love Jesus and prove that they love Him, by keeping the commandments of Jesus. They apply the words of God in their lives and live according to His will.
They not only stand as long as everything goes well and as long as they prosper. But they will also stand when they experience persecution, setbacks and when things don’t go as expected or planned.
But because they are doers of the Word and therefore have built their lives upon the Word; Jesus Chris (the Rock), they shall keep standing no matter what and be victorious in Christ and shall overcome every battle.
Because they’ve listened to Jesus; the Word and kept Jesus’ sayings and have yielded themselves to Him, by obeying and applying the Word and therefore have done the will of the Father, Jesus shall know them personally and they shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
