Feet and God's Word
Feet
And
God’s Word
Fultondale First Baptist church Fultondale AL
Wednesday P.M.
January 2, 2008
James 1:22
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves
New American standard Bible
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
The NIV
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says
The Message
22 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!
New living translation
22 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself
A commentary used a combination that puts it bluntly.
Do not listen to the word
And so deceive yourselves
Be doers of the word.
James seems to be a progressive book. He starts off slow and picks up speed
1. Slow to speak
2. Slow to anger
3. quick to listen
Now he says to put feet to God’s word
Bruce Barton said “Passive Christianity is morally wrong”
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
The word here is the gospel taught by Jesus Himself.
James is saying that reading God’s word and studying it is not good for anything
We learn God’s word not just to know it but to practice it
A beautiful spring can flow into a lake supplying fresh water. If there are no outlets the water becomes stale and stagnate
Sunday morning Christians
It is deception if we puff ourselves up about knowledge of scripture and not live by them.
We should not engage in passive listening but doing what God’s word tells us.
We are filled with the Holy Spirit by Hi word but there also must be an outlet.
Listen to James 4:17
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin
Today church has become like a spectator sport
Call it spectator worship
Saying that you went to church on Sunday is not enough.
The question is; “Are you applying God’s word to your daily life?”
Read James’ Commentary on this verse 23-27
God’s word is not a smorgas board or buffet.
We are to live by its entirety
Knowledge of the word is only a prelude to being a doer.
Being a doer of the Word is more than hearing and listening, it is to obey it.
God’s word brings us to action in many occasions.
Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8
It also tells us things not to do as well.
Exodus 20 Thou Shall nots
It even tells us at times to sit still and wait.
This Verse is an action verse if there ever was any.
As we study do we put into action what the Word tells us.
Do you want to be blessed?
Jesus said in Luke 11:28
28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
If our actions of service are only self-serving and are only concerned for those close to us we are not obedient to Jesus.
Matthew 25:40
40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
What we do is of most importance.
If all of this be the case.
Remember the two greats
The great commandment
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength
Take special note of the action in this verse
The Great Commission.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Look at the action in this verse.
The great thing we are not sent to action without God going into action first.
Look at what Jesus said at the end of these verses He is with us not part time but all the time.
Think of how active we would be in Christ if we were doers and not just hearers.
This church as well as others would never need to lock the doors because someone would be here all the time.
Doing the word is all about obedience.
