Talk Is Cheap

1 Corinthians 4:20

For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

There is a saying that says, “Talk is cheap.” What does that mean anyway? I think that it means that anyone can talk about a great elk hunt, or about the big fish even about a good game; but actually putting actions to that talk is something differently. I can remember back in my younger days when I was pole vaulting my way through school. We would go to meets and I would hear other vaulters talking about the great heights they had made in practice or in the meet the week before. I would say to myself, “boy, sure is going to be hard to beat them.” Amazingly so often, the ones doing the most talking would go out first. I learned then that it is not in what you talk that counts, it is in what you can back up.

It is the same way in the Christian life. There are lots of people talking the talk. They say all the right things, quote all the right scriptures, but their walk doesn’t match their talk.

I think that is what Paul is talking about here in this verse. The kingdom of God is not just talk, not just a bunch of hot air, it is in power. It is backing up what you say. Living the scriptures daily with power. Anyone can talk about the victorious life but few really live it. It is easy to say that my God meets all my needs but when fear, doubt, worry or unbelief creep in many drop all and run.

You see the kingdom of God is not in talk (word) but in power. It is actually having the victory over sin, sickness, depression and so on. It is really praying for the sick, rebuking the fever and casting out demons. It is seeing Jesus’ ministry carried on daily in our lives