“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22
From the beginning of the church at Pentecost, the body of Christ has been on a steep learning curve. It is a curve that is steep because of the blessing of Pentecost, the provision of the Spirit in His fulness, and the promises related to the indwelling Christ in the heart. From the Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s letters, and the other authors of that time, most if not all of the needs of the church are addressed, both to be learned and grasped by the individual who lives by faith, and the entire body, working together, living by faith, appropriating Christ, and believing in His working in and through every member. One of the most “concrete,” clear and direct books that responds to a definite need of the church is the epistle of James. James, by the Holy Spirit, seems to put feet on the gospel message, and movement in the step of every believer, for he takes the knowledge of the truth in Christ, revealed in the Scriptures, and calls the believer to DO it, obey it, practice it. As the Lord Jesus put it: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.'” (Matt. 4:4) The call of the disciple is to be not only a learner, but a follower, engaged with and by the Spirit of Christ, to DO the will of God, not just intellectually understand the message. It was said that Charles Studd, missionary to Africa many years ago, made the remark that he longed to see the Lord Jesus walking about in African bodies. This is Christianity, not only revealed in African bodies, but in those of all nations throughout this world. The great testimony of Christ in the present world, though He be seated this moment at the right hand of the Father, is in His church. In praying His great high priestly prayer written in John’s gospel, He prayed for all who would, “believe in His word, that they may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.” (Jn. 17:20,21) The Lord Jesus had just finished saying to the disciples that the Holy Spirit, at His coming at Pentecost, would “testify,” or witness of Him. And then He said, “And ye shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.” (15:27) The great witness of Christ in this generation is through every believer in the body of Christ, and this by the Spirit. There is the witness of the living word, made real by the working of the Spirit, and there is also the witness of Christ’s life in the heart of every believer by the Spirit. So, what does it mean to BE a doer of the word of God, one who appropriates Christ’s life for every need, accomplishing the will and purpose of God, bearing much fruit?
“Doing” the will of God begins with a surrender. True faith is demonstrated first by a transaction between God and man. The prelude to that transaction, whereby a non-believer becomes a believer, is preceded by two things. The first is receiving the knowledge of the truth of God, of Christ, His saving work, and the helpless, lostness of man in his sin. Conviction on that basis then leads to repentance given by God, a change of attitude and heart, with regard to God as Sovereign, and Christ, as the only name by which one can be saved. When one’s lostness and helplessness is acute enough to evoke a cry of the heart to be saved, the Lord comes, with “healing in His wings,” bringing faith, forgivenss, cleansing, and strength to look upward to be saved once for all. From that point, the journey begins of following Christ, submitting to Him, walking daily on the two feet of surrender and faith.
Dear Father, Live through us wonderfully, powerfully today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.