BECOMING A DOER OF THE WORD

"Be ye doers of the word, and not bearers only, deceiving your own selves... he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" -James 1:22,25.

It is a terrible delusion to delight in hearing the Word and yet not do it. Multitudes of Christians listen to the Word of God regularly and yet do not do it. If their own children were to hear but not do what they said, they would be greatly disturbed.

However, the delusion is so complete that some never know they are not living good Christian lives. What is it that deludes us in this way?

Hearing But Not Doing

One cause for this delusion is that people often mistake hearing the Word for religion or worship.

The mind delights in having truth explained, and their imagination is pleased with clever illustrations. To an active mind knowledge gives pleasure. A man may study some branch of science—say electricity- for the enjoyment the knowledge gives him without the least intention of applying it practically. Some people go to church, enjoy the preaching, and yet do not do what God asks. The unconverted and the converted man alike are content to continue listening and saying, yet still doing the things they should not do.

Another cause for this delusion is the false teaching that we are unable to do good. The grace of Christ to enable us to obey, to keep us from sinning, and to make us holy is so little believed that people think sinning is a part of the Christian life. They think God could not possibly expect perfect obedience from them because He knows they will fail. This error erodes away any determined purpose to do all God has said. It closes the heart to any earnest desire to believe and experience all God's grace can do in us. It keeps men self-contented in the midst of sin.

Duty But Not Delight

Another reason for this delusion centers around our private Bible reading. The hearing or reading of the Bible is often regarded as a duty. We spend our five or ten minutes in the morning reading thoughtfully and attentively, trying to understand what we have read. It is a duty faithfully performed, which eases the conscience and gives us a sense of satisfaction. We do not realize how this attitude of duty can cause us to become hardened toward God's Word. To avoid this delusion, we must approach our daily Bible reading with the desire to do and be all that God would have us to be. "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only. deluding your own selves."

This delusion must be fought and conquered during our morning quiet time. This new approach may disturb our regular Bible reading and cause us to get behind in our scheduled selections. However, the important thing is that we decide to do what we read. Our Lord Jesus said:

"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God" (John 7:17). If we delight in God's law and set our will on doing it, then we can receive divine illumination on the teachings of Christ. Without this will to do, our knowledge has little value.

In all of life, whether science, art, or business, the only way of truly knowing is doing. What a man cannot do, he does not thoroughly know. The only way to know God is to do His will. By doing His will, I prove whether it is a God of my own sentiment and imagination that I confess or the true and living God who rules and works over all.

It is only by doing His will that I prove I love His will and accept it as my own. The only way to be united to God is to do His will.

The self-delusion of hearing and not doing is conquered in the quiet of my inner chamber. During my private Bible reading, I must decide that I am going to do whatever God says.

Doing God's Word

It may help us if we take a portion of God's Word and see how we can accomplish this new resolution.

Let us take the Sermon on the Mount. The first beatitude says: "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3). I ask myself, what does this mean?

Am I obeying this injunction? Am I earnestly seeking day by day to maintain this attitude? As I realize how proud and self-confident my nature is, am I willing to wait, pray, and believe that He can work it in me? Am I going to do this, be poor in spirit? Or shall I be a hearer and not a doer?

In this manner, I can go through the beatitudes and the whole sermon with its teachings on meekness and mercy, on love and righteousness. As I read about trusting Him and doing His will, I must, verse by verse, ask myself: Do I know what this means? Am I living it? Am I doing what He says? By asking these questions, I will realize the need for a change in my attitudes and my behavior. I must ask myself if the vow, whatever He says, I am going to do, has taken the place in my Bible reading and my life which He demands that it should

Before I know it, such questions will give me an entirely new insight into my need for Christ, who will breathe in me His own life and work in me all He speaks. I will have the courage to say by faith: 1 can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Whatever He says in His Word, I will do.