Are You a Hearer or a Doer of the Word?

Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food and clothing and you say, "Well goodbye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well,' but then you don't give that person any food or clothing, what good does that do?

You see, it isn't enough just to have faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds - it is dead and useless - James 2:14 (NLT)

Now I know everyone wants to think of themselves as doers of the Word. Everyone likes to think they are living a righteous life. But if we are truly honest with ourselves, are we often just hearers only or actually doers of the Word?

This was inspired while watching a known televangelist on TBN. It really pricked my heart when I took an honest look. How many of us know the Word, read the Word, even meditate on the Word and preach the Word to others, but when trials and tribulations hit us, how many of us actually do what the Word says? I can't answer that for you but if I am truly honest with myself and totally transparent with all of you, I can't answer that I am always a doer of the Word!

Now I know this appears to contradict what Paul wrote in Romans 3:28: "We are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law." But if we look deeper and not take the text out of context, we find both are true. It's true that good deeds by themselves will never earn us salvation. Paul speaks against those who try to be saved by deeds instead of true faith.

James speaks against those who confuse mere intellectual assent with true faith. The enemy and all his demons know who Jesus is, but they don't obey Him (James 2:19).

So I come to you as a flawed individual (or as Paul put it, "a forgiven sinner") who can honestly say I can't claim to always be a doer of the Word (although I strive to be), but sometimes I am a hearer only.

We must be honest with ourselves and then come to God in prayer and ask Him to help us to do better. It's time to stop playing church! It's time to stop looking at the church as the building, but a filling station to fill us with what we need to be doers of the Word through out the week!

While we do need to be hearers of the Word, readers of the Word, meditators of the Word, we must also be doers of the Word.

Today I ask all who are reading this:
Are you hearers of the Word only or can you say that you are always a doer of the Word?
Only you can answer that question!

I pray this inspires someone out there to strive to be more of a Doer than just a Hearer only!

Be Blessed and Stay Spiritually Minded!