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.

                                                                                                                   James 1:22-24 

All of the church attendance in the world, all of the time spent studying scripture, all of the countless events and activities in which we participate, none of it will matter if it doesn’t lead to life change. We know that our religious activity makes no difference at all when it fails to impact our lives and the lives of those around us. Christians should keep their relationship with Christ and the use of their spiritual gifts as the most important of priorities. This is what it means for us to be “doers of the word” and “not merely hearers.” James describes those who fail to act on the word as those who delude themselves. This means that failure to act on the word is a type of self-deceiving. All of the sermons, Bible studies, conferences, and activities in our lives should lead to one thing…that we are growing in our faith, getting stronger in the inner man (2 Corinthians 4:16), and establishing greater effectiveness in our lives.

Here are just a few examples of what it means for us to be doers of the word. Each truth is followed by a question to assist us in better evaluating our mode of doing.

Hearing The Word:

…nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

                                                                                                                 Galatians 2:16

Being A Doer Of The Word:

Do we understand that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ and not by works or do we continue trying to earn or keep God’s salvation through our own effort? 

Hearing The Word:

For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

                                                                                                            Matthew 6:14-15

Being A Doer Of The Word:

Do we understand the connection between God’s forgiving our sin and our willingness to forgive others or do we continue to hold on to grudges and keep records of wrongs?

Hearing The Word:

Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                Luke 6:37-38

Being A Doer Of The Word:

Do we understand the importance of being a people that are slow to judge and quick to pardon or do we continue living with an unmerciful, condescending, and accusatory spirit?

Hearing The Word:

And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

                                                                                                                 Mark 11:22-24

Being A Doer Of The Word:

When we pray, do we ask with a sense of expectation and faith or do we merely “hope” that God will respond to our situation?

Hearing The Word:

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

                                                                                                         2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Being A Doer Of The Word:

Do we believe that anyone can be reconciled to God and are we consistently declaring this good news to others?

These are just a few examples of hearing the word and then checking to see that we truly are doers. None of us will do these things flawlessly. That is why we need a Savior and His name is Jesus. But when we walk in the power of His Spirit, we will begin to see ourselves being transformed from merely people who know about the word to those who begin to live it out!