For today’s
daily devotional, I would like to look at James 1:22, “But prove yourselves
doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”
“…prove yourselves doers of the
word…” James starts to mention works here. In later chapters, he will develop
this idea more fully. James tells us to “prove ourselves” because anyone can
say they are anything they would like. Just because someone says something
about themselves does not mean it is true. The true manner of a person is
proven through our actions. Our actions prove what is in our heart. Jesus told
us, “"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”
Matt. 7:21
If we are focusing on God and making
him the center of our life then our actions will reflect that. James is telling
us it is not enough to simply say, “God I accept you into my life”. There has
to be a change of the heart. This change of our hearts has to be enough to lead
us to change our behavior.
Over the centuries, many bible
scholars want to make works a salvation issue. At one point, Martin Luther even
called the Book of James an “epistle of straw”. The bible looks at works as a
doctor looks at a marathon runner. Being able to run a marathon is the outcome
of a lot of hard work. The runner has trained very hard to be able to run a
marathon. Works is the outcome of much study and time spent to focus one’s life
on God. Works is the outcome of a person who has worked hard to build a
biblical faith.
God expects us to produce. We see
this example in Jesus’s encounter with the fig tree. Mat 21:18-19, “Now in the
morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came
to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He *said to it, "No
longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." And at once the fig
tree withered.”
This fig tree had done nothing. It
had only existed. Yet, this fig tree had one purpose to produce figs. I ask
you, as Christians, “What is our purpose?” Is it to simply show up every
Sunday? Jesus’s example shows us that it is much more. If our hearts become
Christian then so will our actions. As our actions follow God’s will then
people will notice. When people notice then we will bear fruit.
“…and not merely hearers…” Word of
God is available to all men. Everyone has the chance to hear the word of God.
Jesus reminded us in the parable of the sowers that a man’s heart determines
how he reacts to the word of God. If our hearts are fertile soil then the word
of God takes root and grows. Out of this growth comes action on our part.
Salvation is gained through this action. For example, as the word of God grows
then we ask the question necessary to bring us to baptism.
Christian life is much more then
simply praying for Jesus to come into your heart. It is something that should
cause a change in us. Christians share in Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection.
As such, we should put away the person we were before. We should arise in
newness of life. We should strive to live our life according to God’s ways. We
should focus daily on him. If we do these things then we will become doers of
the word. Not because we have to but because it now flows through every part of
our body.
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