Not Just a Hearer Part 1 of 2

James 1:22-25 talks about not just hearing God’s word but doing it also. Far too often, we read our Bibles or hear a teaching but fail to apply it to our lives. Pride sometimes seem to block us from getting the message. We even go as far as to think “This is good for so and so”. We don’t stop and think about the fact that if God wanted “so and so” to hear or read it, He would have had them there and since He has us there taking in that information, it must be for us in some way.

James 1:22 says “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Only hearing the word is half of it. When we fail to actually do it, we are deceived because we think that hearing it was good enough. There are so many people out there that say “I go to church” when asked about their religion. They are deceived because they think that just going to church and hearing the word of God is all that is necessary. Before truly giving my life to the Lord, I was one of those people. I went to church, sang, whooped and hollered and that was it. I was hearing the word but I wasn’t actually doing it. As the scripture says, I was deceived.

When it is time for judgment, having heard the word won’t be good enough. In fact, if we know the truth but choose to do otherwise, we are walking in sin (see James 4:17). Punishment is worse for those that know righteousness but refuse to walk in it. Jesus talks about this in Matthew 7:21-23. Verse 21 says “Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven”. Hearing God’s word isn’t good enough. We have to do it in order to please Him.

behavior Living For God Obedience Posted under Bible by admin