STEADFAST FAITH: Hearing and Doing

Dear Friends in the Lord, 

I don’t know how you feel about us taking such a slow pace as we inch our way through the book of James. But I’m loving it! I love having the opportunity to uncover every ounce of Truth I can when I study Scripture! Therefore…today we will continue our journey through James 1. And to be honest, we’ll probably continue to study James 1 for a few more weeks. For now, I would like us to begin by reviewing James 1:2-3:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 

for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

As we’ve already discovered, James is challenging followers of the Lord Jesus to persevere during trials in life, including tests. And remember, he’s very practical - so James gives us plenty of instructions on how to develop and a Steadfast Faith as we navigate these hardships. One such set of instructions is found in James 1:22-25:

“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 is clearly instructing us to be hearers and a doers of God’s Word.

BE HEARERS OF GOD’S WORD

I love how James reminds believers of the nature of God’s Word! Did you notice that too? He refers to Scripture as “the perfect law” and “the law of liberty.” It is perfect and it brings liberty! But it can only take effect in our lives if we choose to be hearers of that perfect law of liberty. This echoes what Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” The Father has spoken through both Jesus and his younger half brother that we desperately need God’s Word if we are to walk in God’s ways. That means that if we are to pass the tests in our spiritual lives, we will need to “abide” in God’s Word. Look into it “intently,” and the remember it. Keep it. Let it be implanted in our hearts.

Let’s allow God’s Word speak further on this today. Let’s take time to recall other passages of Scripture that drive home the necessity of God’s Word in our lives if we are to transformed enough to pass the tests of life:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:8

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

John 17:17 

Oh friends! These “are not just idle words for you, they are your life…” Moses used these words in addressing the Hebrew people before crossing the Jordan (Deuteronomy 32:47). He knew they’d be facing trials…tests of many kinds! And he reminded them that God’s Word was the very key to living the new life He offered them. The same is true for you and me! God’s word is unique! It is alive and powerful! It actively pierces and impacts our very souls and spirits! It also provides discernment! Oh how we need discernment in the midst of testing! And God’s Word is a necessary part of our training in righteousness…our sanctification. Without this progressive righteousness and sanctification, we stand no chance of passing our tests. What a gift we have at our disposal!

Therein lies the problem James had detected however. The believers James wrote to - just like you and I - they had access to God’s Word. You and I are pretty spoiled, you have to admit. We can access it in print, online, or on apps on our phones. We can access it in umpteen translations in English. Not to mention translations in other languages. As I said, this gift is at our disposal.  

But will we be hearers of the Word? 

And just as importantly? 

Will be also be doers of the Word?  

BE DOERS OF GOD'S WORD

James gives many examples throughout his “bossy” book of ways to put God’s Word into action. In fact, it is a major theme of this letter. If we are to persevere in our faith, we must hear, believe, and know truth. But we must also obey that truth! Yes, I used the word, “obey.” I know, it’s not super popular to use words like obey nowadays. But truth is truth. We must obey, heed, surrender, submit, and yield to God the Father and to His Word. Even our ability to do so is a gift of God! It’s part of the inheritance of a child of God. He has given us power over sin and His spirit empowers us to obey and walk in righteousness. THAT is how we pass the tests of life! We obey Truth.  

We must know and abide in Truth

…AND…

we must then trust God enough to obey that Truth.   

When we obey, whether in a season of testing or not, we will see God work somehow!

AND

Whether we pass the test or not…whether we obey or not. Whether we surrender and submit or not. Whether we are faithful, or not.

GOD WILL ALWAYS BE FAITHFUL

I’m about to say something that continues to absolutely blow my mind! And it’s straight from God’s Word! A verse that still blows my mind is Malachi 3:10. Here, in the context of obedience in tithing, God said, 

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 

And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, 

if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and 

pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”   

Now our conversation has gone from 

God testing us - 

to God inviting us to test Him!

Can you believe that? He is so faithful that when it comes to hearing and doing, He invites us to TRY IT.  

What I love even more is that when He tests us, we can fail! But if we take Him at His Word - as hearers and doers of the Word, and test Him, 

He will never fail!  

2 Timothy 2:13 puts it like this, 

“if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.”

He tests our faith…AND…He invites us to test His faithfulness by obeying Him. 

So next time you face a test, test Him!  

Be a hearer and a doer of His Word! 

And friends, may we do it again and again. And again! Let’s run the race! One obedient, faithful step at a time. Then we can count it “all joy” when we face trials, because each trial is another opportunity to be a hearer and doer, whose faith continues to endure. And over time, we can look back and see that we have persevered by honoring His faithfulness. Because of His faithfulness, we can have a Steadfast Faith.

Looking to Him,

Tina

P.S. Are you already a faithful hearer and doer? Or is one more difficult for you than the other? For instance, is it hard for you to take adequate time to be a faithful “hearer” of God’s Word? Or do you already engage God’s Word daily but struggle to put it into action in your daily life? Pray for the Lord to help you be faithful in both hearing and doing! He will be faithful. I promise.