ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES? Part 24

 

Part 24: Talkative

“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.” Matthew 7:21

As Christian and Faithful continue their journey towards the Celestial City, they meet a man called Talkative. At first, there seems to be nothing particularly wrong with him. He is willing to discuss spiritual matters and appears to know a great deal about religion. In fact, Christian tells Faithful that Talkative is the son of Say-well and hails from a place called Prating Row. Even his name tells us something about him. He enjoys talking, and when the subject turns to religion, he has plenty to say.

But Bunyan is about to show us something important. There is a difference between knowing how to speak about the things of God and knowing God. We can become so familiar with religious language that we mistake our ability to talk about the truth for evidence that it has taken root in our hearts.

Faithful is initially impressed enough to want to speak with Talkative himself. Christian, however, knows him better and warns Faithful that there is more to this man than meets the eye. Talkative can speak eloquently about spiritual matters, but his life does not reflect his words. His religion is on his tongue, but it has not changed his conduct.

I think this is where we need to pause and examine ourselves. It is easy to recognise this problem in others, but how readily do we examine our own hearts? We can quote Scripture, discuss doctrine, speak about salvation, and explain what a Christian ought to believe. None of those things is wrong. In fact, we should know the Word of God and be ready to speak about it. But the question is whether the Word we speak about is also doing its work in us.

Jesus Christ, my Lord, did not leave us guessing about this. In Matthew 7:21, He makes it clear that merely saying the right things is not the same as doing His Father's will. This is not a suggestion that we earn salvation through good works. It is a warning against believing that religious words, without a heart changed by the truth, are sufficient.

Faithful decides to test what Christian has told him by engaging Talkative in conversation. The two begin discussing the benefits of religion, and Talkative is delighted. He can speak at length about the importance of religious knowledge and what makes Christianity worthwhile. At this point, anyone listening might conclude that he takes his faith seriously.

But Faithful gradually takes the conversation deeper. He wants to know whether religion has a real effect on the heart and life. It is one thing to discuss the doctrines of Christianity, but another to understand what they mean for the person who claims to believe them. Talkative is happy to discuss religious subjects while the conversation remains general. However, when Faithful begins to examine what genuine religion should produce in a person, the atmosphere changes.

Bunyan shows us that Talkative is not interested in examining his own heart. He enjoys talking about religion, but he does not welcome the possibility that the conversation might expose something wrong in his own life. Eventually, he becomes offended by Faithful's questions and withdraws from the discussion.

There is something revealing here. Talkative is willing to speak about the truth as long as it does not come too close to him. He wants to discuss religion, but not when it challenges him. He is comfortable talking about what other people should believe and how they should live, but when the conversation turns to the evidence of genuine faith, he takes offence.

This brings us back to the question we have been asking throughout this series. Are we looking for Jesus in the wrong places? Could we be mistaking religious activity, knowledge and conversation for evidence of spiritual life, when the more important question is whether we are truly listening to Jesus Christ and allowing His Word to direct us?

The Word of God must be our instructor, not merely the subject of our conversation. It is possible to know the words of Scripture without submitting to what it teaches. We can use the language of Christianity while resisting the correction that comes with it. That is why we must never make our own knowledge, experience or ability to speak about spiritual matters the measure of our relationship with the Lord.

James 1:22 tells us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Notice that James warns us against deceiving ourselves. We might convince ourselves that everything is well because we hear the Word, know the Word and speak about the Word. Yet hearing without obedience can leave us believing something about ourselves that is not true.

I do not think Bunyan is telling us to judge every believer who speaks confidently about Scripture. Nor should we assume that someone who struggles to express themselves has less faith than someone who speaks well. The point is not how impressive our words are, but whether we are willing to submit to the truth we claim to believe. We must examine ourselves first, allowing Scripture to expose our motives and correct our thinking.

There is also a difference between being corrected and being condemned. A believer who genuinely wants to follow Jesus Christ may need correction many times along the way. We all have things to learn, and none of us should imagine that we have arrived at a point where we no longer need instruction. The question is whether we are willing to hear the truth when it challenges us, or whether we become offended simply because someone has asked us to consider whether our lives align with our words.

Talkative's problem is not that he speaks about religion. His problem is that he wants conversation without the personal examination genuine religion demands. He wants the appearance of knowledge without the evidence of a changed life. Bunyan asks us to look beyond the words and consider what they reveal about the heart.

This is an important distinction because our confidence must rest in Jesus Christ, not in our ability to appear religious. We are saved by God's grace through faith, not by the number of Scriptures we can quote or the depth of our theological discussions. Yet the faith by which we receive Christ is not something we should use to excuse our refusal to listen to Him. His Word teaches us, corrects us and directs us, and we must be willing to follow where He leads.

As Christian and Faithful continue their journey, Talkative issues a warning to every pilgrim. We can spend our time talking about the road without actually walking it in obedience to the Lord. We can describe the destination while refusing the correction needed along the way. We can speak of Jesus Christ while resisting His authority over our lives.

Perhaps the question we should ask ourselves is not simply, “What do I know about the things of God?” but rather, “Am I willing to let the Word of God examine me and show me where I need to change?”

The difference matters. Talkative is happy to speak, but Faithful wants to know whether what he believes is real in his life. That leaves us with something worth considering as we continue our own journey. It is not enough to talk about the truth. We must be willing to hear it, receive it and walk in it.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: Matthew 7:21, James 1:22