A few weeks ago, I was deceived by an intricate web of fraudsters who presented themselves as my internet provider. Unfortunately, I fell into their trap hook, line, and sinker, gullibly wiring some money to them. I felt a punch in my gut when I realized that I had been deceived.
I was enraged and a tad disappointed in myself. Now, it's one thing to have someone deceive you, but isn't it tragic to be deceiving yourself? James warns believers that it is indeed possible to deceive themselves.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like (James 1:22-24).
We deceive ourselves when we only hear God’s Word but fail to put it into practice. James likens us to a man observing his face in the mirror and walking away without lifting a finger. Perhaps this man, while looking in the mirror, spots some breadcrumbs on his beard.
Nonetheless, he wouldn't be bothered to attend to that. He walks away as if he has seen nothing. Likewise, a person who hears the Word and does not take action is shooting himself in the foot, sabotaging his progress.
Our faith without deeds is useless. James further taught that when Abraham offered Isaac on the altar, his faith was working together with his actions because a man is justified by works and not by faith only (James 2:20-24).
Abraham's faith was made complete by what he did. It is not the hearer who is justified and blessed but the doer. But how do you move from being a hearer to a doer? Here are five things to consider.
1. Look into God’s Word Intently
The believer who puts the word of God into practice is the one who looks intently into the perfect law and continues in it (James 1:25).
This believer does not receive the Word of God casually. He or she goes the extra mile to scrutinize and internalize every word and instruction received. Take Joshua, for example.
With the high mandate of leading the Israelites into the promised land, God commanded him to meditate upon the Book of the Law day and night. Only then would Joshua be in a position to do what was written in it (Joshua 1:8).
We also see Paul admonishing Timothy to give heed to reading, exhortation, and doctrine. In this, Paul charges him to meditate on the scriptures and instructions and give himself entirely to them so that his progress may be evident to all (1 Timothy 4:13-15).
For Timothy’s actions to align with the teachings he had received, he had to make them the object of his focus. He had to allow the teachings to simmer in his heart and mind.
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus taught that He who received seed on the good ground and went ahead to bear fruit was the one who heard the word and understood it (Matthew 13:23).
Believers are not to receive the Word of God with a flippant attitude. We need to look intently into the scriptures, meditate on them, and saturate our hearts and minds with them. Only then can we understand the Word and bear fruit.
2. Treasure God’s Word
“I have not departed from the commandment of His lips, I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).
In Job Chapter 1, we see God testifying about Job’s character. He was blameless and upright, feared God, and shunned evil. Job was not merely a hearer of God’s Word but a doer.
In the Scripture above, Job confesses to having treasured God’s Word more than His necessary food. This helped him cling to God’s word and do what it stipulated.
We also find David declaring that the decrees of the Lord were more precious to him than much pure gold (Psalm 19:9-10). He, too, dearly treasured the word of God.
When we view God’s Word as a great treasure, we will not receive it casually. We will receive it with great joy and seek to do what it says.
Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid. Overjoyed about the treasure, He then went and sold all that he had and bought that field (Mathew 13:44). May we receive God’s Word as a treasure and do what it says.
3. Be a Wise Builder
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Mathew 7:24-25).
There are two extremes where responding to the Word of God is concerned. We can either respond as wise or foolish men. The foolish man receives the word of God but does not do what it says.
As a result, his house, which is built on sand, stands no chance. Every day we are building our lives, careers, marriages, etc., by how we respond to God's Word. We can either be wise or foolish builders.
Paul referred to himself as a wise master builder and warned the Corinthian church to take heed to how they built on the foundation he had laid (1 Corinthians 3:10). He desired that they would carry on building wisely.
4. Do the Will of the Father
“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” (Mathew 7:21-23).
The height of believers deceiving themselves will be displayed on the day of judgment. Jesus warned that many who prophesied and cast out demons in His name would be denied entry into His kingdom.
This is because they did not do the will of His Father. They would get the shock of their lives on judgment day, having deceived themselves while on earth. The ticket to heaven is not the wondrous works we performed but whether we did the will of God.
Little wonder that Jesus taught that whoever does the will of His Father in heaven is His brother, sister, and mother” (Mathew 12:50). It is those who do the will of God that shall reign with him in eternity.
5. Receive God’s Word with Meekness
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21).
The Miriam Webster dictionary describes meekness as the quality of being humble, mild, moderate, and submissive.
Our attitude as we receive God’s Word plays a huge role in how we respond. James implores the church to receive God’s Word with meekness in order to tap into its ability to save our souls.
God’s Word is potent and full of life. It has the ability to overhaul our lives and bring life, healing, and restoration.
The scriptures remind us that although God is the creator of the universe, He seeks those of a poor and contrite spirit, those who tremble at His word (Isaiah 66:2). God knows that it is those that tremble at His word that do His bidding.
Our knowledge of God’s Word is not enough. We need to take the next step and actually do what it says. Only then shall we be blessed (John 13:17). We need to move from being hearers to doers.
For further reading:
What Does it Mean to Be Doers of the Word?
Why Is Faith Without Works Dead?
What Does it Mean That Good Works Are the Result of Salvation?
What Does James 2:26 Mean by 'Faith without Works Is Dead'?
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