by Mrs Rita D'Souza
James 1:22 “But be doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves.”
To be a doer of the Word, we first need to be a hearer. Unless we first hear the Word and know what the Word of God says, we will not be able to obey it.
Romans 10:17 says “Faith comes from what is heard and what is heard comes from through the Word of Christ.”
We hear the Word of Christ at Mass, at prayer meetings, through the reading of spiritual literature and most importantly through our daily reading of the scriptures.
Jesus said in John 6:63 “The Words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and Life". The Bible unlike any other book ever written has life, is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and therefore it is possible to have fellowship with the Lord as we read it. The first step in getting to know the Word is simply to read it daily asking the Holy Spirit to teach us as we read.
Moreover, as we are faithful in reading the Word the Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance the Word we have read in specific situations that we face. (John 14:26).
Besides hearing the Word in terms of the written word, we also need to be hearers of the Word in terms of the specific word, direction, commands that the Lord is speaking to us individually in our personal lives. For example: One may be very busy doing many things, even spiritual activities and the Lord may be asking you to slow down and spend more time in His presence. Unless you hear him, you will not be able to obey him.
After having heard, then obey.
James 2:20 says “Faith without works is barren". We are not saved by works but by grace through faith. However, if my faith does not result in a changed life or show through actions then it is a barren or dead faith.
So also James in 1:22 exhorts us to be doers of the word and not deceive ourselves. Only hearing the word can give the false appearance of spiritual maturity and growth. We may say that we have been for many retreats, Bible courses, conferences, etc and so feel we are mature. However, in reality we have only grown spiritually to the extent that we have obeyed what we have learned.
In our everyday life, we face daily opportunities to choose either to obey the Word or to give in to the desires of the flesh and take the easy way out. It is at these times – that it is not how much I know of the Word that counts but how much have I done – that is a decision to obey the Lord irrespective of my feelings and circumstances, etc.
The desires of the flesh are opposed to those of the Spirit. (Gal 4: 16-17). One author aptly describes the desires of the flesh in terms of a child throwing tantrums. Eg: when I am hurt by someone, my flesh throws a tantrum demanding the right to hit back in some way, to feel self pity, to speak evil about that person to others, etc. Yet the Word of God says to pray for, bless our enemies and do good to them (Romans 12: 14,17,21). We need to choose to obey God’s Word and deny our flesh.
Luke 6:46-49 and Matthew 7:24-27 speak about the wise man and foolish man. In Luke 6:46 Jesus says “why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do what I tell you?” By merely confessing Jesus as Lord does not in any way mean that I have actually made him Lord of my life. Obedience is the real test of whether Jesus is Lord of my life.
In the above passages, both the wise and foolish men heard the Word of God. But only the wise man was a doer and obeyed/ acted upon the Word thus building his house on the sure foundation of Jesus and his Word. The storms of life hit both men, but the one who is a doer and not merely a hearer is able to stand.
In our lives, we are not exempt from the storms. It is in those times when our faith is severely tested that the Word which we have been faithfully reading, meditating and acting upon will be our rock and sustain, strengthen us and bring us through. Don’t wait for the storm, start being a doer of the Word right now.
We cannot be a doer of the Word apart from the Holy Spirit:
It is the Holy Spirit who inspired the written word, the Holy Spirit who teaches us and helps us understand the Word and it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to be a doer and obey the Word.
To be a doer of the Word does not mean going back under the law where ones acceptance is abased on performance; where one needs to do something in order to please God.
We are no longer under the law but under grace (Rom 6:14). We are already loved and accepted in Christ and it is out of this love for Him that we obey Him. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
Hence, we do not struggle on our own to resist temptation, to deny the flesh and to choose to obey. We depend and lean totally on the Holy Spirit. It is He that will give me the grace to obey. Each time we fail, we repent and turn back to Him and not to any greater self effort or condemnation.
Initially, as the Lord begins to deal with an area in our lives, it may appear to worsen in the sense of our failing more in that area. However, this is only to cause us to realize that we can do nothing apart from Him. As we continue to cooperate and yield to and depend on the Holy Spirit, it is He who will change us and cause us to see victory in that area.
Let us then not grow weary in being doers of the Word and not hearers only.