I would like you to consider some very direct situations. Can a defeated person speak of success or faith? Or does someone who is overweight give nutrition advice? Can a psychologist not be able to solve their own marriage? Can a couple’s therapist end up divorcing again and again?

And more: can a pastor talk about God and still have nothing of God inside him?

At first glance, these situations seem absurd. However, unfortunately, they can not only happen but often do. This reveals the world of contradictions, falsehood and hypocrisy in which we live. The world even knows the truth, but prefers to make up a lie.

Jesus’ warning against religious hypocrisy

Therefore, the Lord Jesus made clear warnings about this behaviour. In Matthew 23, He speaks of the scribes and Pharisees – religious leaders who occupied the “seat of Moses”, that is, the place of spiritual authority.

Jesus was direct:

“Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.”

In other words, hypocrisy already had a name at that time. They knew the Scriptures deeply, but they didn’t practice what they taught. Religious pride blinded them to such an extent that they did not recognise the Messiah himself, whom they studied so much.

Jesus taught with actions, not just with words

In contrast, look at the example of Jesus Himself. On the night of the Lord’s Supper, while the disciples discussed who was the greatest among them, He got up, took a towel and a basin of water, and began to wash each one’s feet.

Without long speeches, He taught through action. Then, He concluded:

“For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”

Note well: it wasn’t “as I have said”, but “as I have done”. Jesus lived what He taught. And that’s why He completed:

“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

Knowing is not enough

Here is the central point: it is not enough to know. Knowledge without practice does not generate results. The loser may even know everything about success, but if they don’t live it, their words have no authority. The same goes for those who know how to take care of their body, but do not take care of their own, or for those who preach the Word, but do not obey It.

Blessing, success, and transformation come from doing what you know. That’s faith.

Faith is not religiosity

Many people confuse faith with religious rituals. Lighting a candle, leaving the Bible open at home, praying, making the sign of the cross, going to church every Sunday – all this can exist without true faith.

The Pharisees did much more than that, and yet they were only religious. Religiosity is concerned with appearance, external habits and social approval. But the interior remains far from God.

Two ways to read the Bible

Here I want to reinforce something important. There are two ways to read the Bible.

The first is to open the Scriptures to look for verses that support what you already think and want to do. You choose loose verses to justify your decisions.

The second – and correct – is to open the Bible with a humble heart and say: “My God, help me understand Your will. And if I have to change, give me the strength to obey.”

When you read like this, the Word confronts, corrects and transforms. And when you obey, it produces fruit.

True faith transforms actions

That’s faith. It’s not religiosity. Faith is listening to the Word of God, understanding it and putting it into practice. God is not a religion. Jesus is not a system. Jesus is a person.

Relating to Him requires coherence between what you believe and what you live. When you understand this, you discover true faith – and stop being just someone who speaks beautifully but whose own life denies his words.

Because, in the end, true faith always appears in attitudes.

https://www.universal.org/renato-cardoso/post/saber-abismo-fazer/