"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." These words from James 1 are a reminder to me that it's not about how much you know about God or the Bible. It's about how you live it out.
Think about it. Some of the people Jesus rebuked and condemned the most were those who knew the most about God and the Word, but they didn't follow His commands. Of the people who study God's Word, how many of them are truly following it too? Have you heard those stories of pastors who steal from the offering plate? That's a big deal! It's not enough to simply listen to the Bible, or read or study it. It's about living it out too! James 1 continues, "the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does". God doesn't want us to simply read or listen to His Word and then forget what it says. He wants us to hold onto its truths.
After all, Psalm 19 teaches that "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure, and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward."
God's Word is powerful! It's a wonderful gift! It revives us, teaches us, brings joy and light, and is more valuable than we know! No wonder the psalmist writes in chapter 119 "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." We ought to write the words of Scripture on our hearts, imprint them in our minds, and live them out in our actions. When we simply listen to what Scripture says but we don't follow it, we're deceiving ourselves into thinking we're something that we're not. Those who listen to the Word but don't follow it, who just attend church but don't give their hearts to God, who know and believe what the Bible says but don't act according to its commands, such people are living in sin even if they believe they are living in righteousness. The teachers of the Law in Jesus's day were like this. They knew what God's Word said. They had a lot of it memorized and would proclaim it in the streets, but they didn't live it out. They focused more on getting money than on helping people. Their prayers were for show, not sincere. I'm wondering how many preachers and Bible teachers out there are living along these same lines.
I think this is why the Bible is so adamant about what kind of teaching we should listen to. Jesus warned his disciples against the yeast of the Pharisees, and not to listen to them because of their hypocrisy and sinfulness. For them, it was more about their status and wealth than it was about God. Don't follow such people. Don't listen to such people. When we're listening to the teachings of other believers, we should make sure their teaching and their lifestyles both match up with Scripture, not just one or the other. And in our own lives, we should do the same.
James continues in chapter 2 to explain that if a person has faith but no deeds, then their faith is useless, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?... As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." If you claim to have faith in God, but there's no evidence of your faith in your actions, then you're not really following Him and you won't be saved. If you truly accept Jesus as your Savior, you should stop living in sin and start living according to God's Word. The Holy Spirit should shine in you as you live out the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5). Jesus used an analogy in John 15 that He is the vine and we, His followers, are the branches. If you stick with Him, then we are branches that produce fruit and keep growing. This fruit should be evident in our lives, so that people can clearly look at us and see the work that we are doing for God. But if we turn away from Him, if we don't remain in Him, then we become branches that are thrown away, withering until they get used as firewood. When people look at your life, do they see the fruit? Or do they see a withering branch?
In Matthew 5, Jesus also instructs, "let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." If you have faith, shine the light of Jesus that you found in faith. If you are truly one of His, then you will follow His commands to the best of your abilities. Jesus wants us to remain in Him, He wants to call us His friends, and says in John 15, "You are my friends if you do what I command." He's calling us to follow, and that means more than just believing. It's about diving all-in to the faith you profess. If you simply have faith, but don't do anything with it. What's the point of your faith anyway?
Now for some points for you to ponder:
1. What does my faith look like? Do I live it out?
2. What are some areas of my life I'm not producing fruit for God? What are some practical steps I can take to grow in these areas and start producing that fruit?
3. Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do what I command." Are you a friend of God? Or are you disobeying His commands?
I hope these "ponder points" will help you reflect and study these things for yourself. These are just some of my latest thoughts, but the point of sharing my thoughts is to provoke you to think about these things as well. If you have any you want to share or want to discuss these ponderings further, reach out.
Comments
Post a Comment