Doers of the Word

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-26 NAS

Did you notice how frequently the word “doer” and its equivalents occur in the above passage? In some religious circles the concept of “doing” anything in service to God is unthinkable. But consider what James says concerning those who are non-doers.

Non-doers delude themselves. Many people love reading the Bible and “coming to church”. But what they hear in their Bible reading, sermons and Bible classes is never put into practice, believing that hearing is all that God requires. James says we delude ourselves (reason falsely) if such is our thinking.

Non-doers are like those who look into mirrors and forget what they see. No one would look into a mirror and then, seeing that hair needed combing or clothes needed straightening, walk away and do nothing about what they saw. The whole purpose of looking into a mirror is to see what might be wrong in order that adjustments might be made. So it is with hearing God’s word. What good does it do to look into the mirror of God’s revelation and find what we lack in our character and duty to God if we make no corrections?

Non-doers receive no blessing. The blessed individual is not the one who only reads their Bible or comes to the assemblies of the saints---important as these activities are. The truly blessed ones are those who, upon reading/hearing what they should or should not be doing, immediately set forth to make the proper modifications in their character and lives.

In James 2:14-26, James has somewhat to say about faith and works and how faith without works is dead. This is essentially the same thing he has said in 1:22-26. Hearing without doing is equivalent to faith without works. Both hearing and faith are essential but when not accompanied by doing and works of obedience they are meaningless.

Let us be people who demonstrate their faith by their works and who strive to be doers of what they hear.

David Smitherman