Not Merely Hearers- But Doers of the Word

I have been thinking on the following comment made by a well-known preacher in a recent sermon. He made the statement that “God preserves those who persevere.” I found that statement very helpful. It brings out the importance of understanding not only God’s sovereignty in our salvation, but our responsibility as well. While it is true that we have no part to play in attaining our salvation, it is also true that once we have experienced salvation (that comes from trusting in Christ’s righteousness alone), we are 100 % responsible for our actions. James 1:22-25 admonishes us with the following words, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be *blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25). *meaning spiritually

Many people who believe themselves to be Christians are hearers of God’s word, but fail to be doers of it. Scripture clearly teaches that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness,’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

How can we know that we are truly doers of the Word, and not merely hearers? I believe the following statement best describes how we can know if we are truly saved by grace, "The Holy Spirit testifies to us as we see increasingly His work of transforming us into the image of Christ." Our Lord’s words as found in John 14:16-17 read as follows, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you, (John 14:16-17). If the Holy Spirit truly dwells within us, we will know it. Romans 8:16-17 reads, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Children of God are also marked by suffering, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” (2 Timothy 3:12). This kind of suffering (or persecution) is a means God uses to transform us into the image of Christ. In 1 Peter 2:20-21 we read, “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” Even though we may not suffer physically for the cause of Christ, we will no doubt suffer emotional and perhaps even spiritual abuse as we strive to live in obedience to God’s commands.

Even though we can expect suffering if we are in the faith, it will still be our desire and delight to live in obedience to our Lord’s commands, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Jesus’ words in John 15:19 read as follows, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love” (John 15:9-10).

Obedience in our walk of faith is essential. James says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead....For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:14-17, 26). So, let us truly be doers of the word and not hearers only, “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified” (Romans 2:13).