Verse from 1 John

“孩子们，我们爱人，不要只在言语和舌头上，总要在行动和真诚上表现出来。”

‭‭约翰壹书‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭

“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭

Jesus told about a young man who did not back his words up with action. The boy’s dad asked him to do some work in the vineyard. The son said, “I will, sir” (Matt. 21:30). But he was all talk and no action.

In commenting on this parable, Matthew Henry concluded: “Buds and blossoms are not fruit.” The buds and blossoms of our words, which breed anticipation of what we might do, are empty without the fruit of our follow-through. Jesus’ main application was to religious leaders who spoke of obedience yet refused to follow through with repentance. But the words apply to us as well. It is in following God “with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18)—not in making empty promises—that we honor our Lord and Savior.

Our actions in obeying God show Him more love, honor, and praise than any empty words we might say to try to appear good.