Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy

Orthodoxy (correct teaching) must not be separated from Orthopraxy (correct practice). Our theology must be right but our path must also be straight. Confession without conviction is chicanery (trickery). Doctrine without duty is deception. Belief without behavior is baloney. Faith without works is dead.

Spurgeon wrote this, "If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord's will but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumption, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel , insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness."

There is a saying that is engraved at the cathedral at Lubeck, Germany. The inscription reads,

• "Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us,
  You call Me master and obey Me not,
  you call Me light and see Me not,
  you call Me the way and walk in Me not,
  you call Me life and live Me not,
  you call Me wise and follow Me not,
  you call Me fair and love Me not,
  you call Me rich and ask Me not,
  you call Me eternal and seek Me not,
  if I condemn thee, blame Me not."
  

This reminds me of the words of Christ, "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." (Matt 7:21) Praise without practice is vanity and we must not take God's name in vain. Orthodoxy must not be separated from Orthopraxy.