Wise and Foolish Builders

[Theophilus]

I would have to say "The parable of the two builders" being a retired finish carpenter.


24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
MATT. 7:24–27

Jesus Illustrates the difference between the two:

Those who hear and act upon what they learn from Jesus, and
Those who hear, but don't act upon what they have learned.

The scripture that comes to mind is James 1:22

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

For me it means that I should not only listen to the word of God but also act upon it, if I only listen to it and I don't do what it says I'm deceiving myself.

 

[mailmandan]

In regard to Matthew 7:24-27, we find two different foundations with two different results. Each house has a different material upon which its foundation is laid, and each house has a different final outcome. One house is built by a wise man upon a rock, and it stands. The other is built by a foolish man upon the sand, and it collapses.

Those deceived by their own self-righteousness in Matthew 7:22-23 were "outwardly" doing all the things that the righteous would do yet they did not truly know Christ (had no personal relationship with Christ) which stemmed from not truly believing in Him. The rock the wise man builds upon is true righteousness found in Jesus Christ alone. The sand the foolish man builds upon is self-righteousness.

*Only those who truly believe in Him are wise and hear the words of Jesus and properly act on them. *The foolish man twists the words of Jesus and acts on their own self-righteous works system and calls that acting on the words of Jesus.