Be Doers of the Word
Be Doers of the Word and Not Hearers Only
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Be Doers of the Word and Not Hearers Only
It’s a promise
Obedience to God’s Word brings blessing
Disobedience to God’s Word brings destruction
- Joshua tells us what happens if we obey God’s Word
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
- David tells us what happens if we don’t obey Gods word
Psalm 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
- With God’s promise also comes a great problem.
We can be ‘hearers’ of the Word, but not ‘doers’ of the word
Matt. 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Deceive ourselves
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Ways to deceive yourself:
– our prayer life
– thinking that partial obedience is the same as complete obedience
– claiming to have faith but lacking any real evidence
– expressing concern for those in need without offering any real help
– praising God while slandering fellow believers
– asking for God’s guidance while living in sin
– pretending to love God while still loving the world
– planning out our lives without praying and asking for God’s guidance
III. The purpose is not to condemn us. His purpose is to change us.
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
II Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Conclusion: It’s not enough to just recognize God’s guidance; we have to receive His guidance.
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.