True understanding leads to obedience. For Solomon, that meant obedience to the Law of Moses. For us, it means obedience to Christ. As you study the Bible, develop the habit of rapid response: “I hasten and do not delay to keep Your commandments” (Psalm 119:60). For example, you hear Jesus say, “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret” (Matthew 6:6). The meaning is easy enough to grasp. Jesus is not against praying with others (John 11:41-42; Acts 4:24; 12:5; 21:5). But Matthew 6 makes private prayer the disciple’s emphasis. If that is not your practice, then begin immediately to develop the habit that imitates Jesus’ prayer life (Luke 5:16; 22:39, 41). Picture Christian living as actively walking (and kneeling) with Jesus.
Whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked. (1 John 2:5-6 cf. Ephesians 5:1-2 )
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. (1 Peter 2:21)
Anything less than obedience is self-deception, of which Satan takes full advantage (Luke 8:12; Ephesians 2:2).
Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves…. The one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:21, 25)
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:15-17).
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. (James 3:13)
In our day, there is a lie that separates faith from obedience. It relates to the old Greek philosophy that spirit counts but bodily actions do not. That is a fatal error, for God made and wants all our being, including heart and body! Falling for the lie leads to disaster. Imagine building your life on a faith-relationship with Christ. Then you meet Him face to face. He reveals that your imagined relationship had never started. He “never knew you” for you had never obeyed basics for entering God’s kingdom (Matthew 5:20; 18:3; John 3:5).
Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23)
The firm foundation on which to build is more than hearing and understanding. The wise person takes the next step by applying Jesus’ words in practice. “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).