The Blessings Of The Doer

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” James 1: 22-25 What a terrible delusion to be content with, to delight in hearing the word, and yet not to do it. And how terribly common, sight of multitudes of Christians listening to the word of God most regularly and earnestly, and yet not doing it. If their own servant were to do so, hearing but not doing, how would the judgment be? And yet, so complete is the delusion, they never know that they are not living good Christian lives. What can it be that deludes us? There is more than one thing. One is that people mistake the pleasure they have in hearing, for religion and worship. The mind delights in having the truth put clearly before it: the imagination is gratified by its illusion; the feelings are stirred by its application.

To an active mind, knowledge gives pleasure. A man may study some branch of science —say electricity—for the enjoyment the knowledge it gives him, without the least intention of applying it practically. And so people go to church and enjoy the preaching, and yet do not do what God asks. The unconverted and the converted man alike remain content to go on in doing and confessing, and still doing the things which they ought not to do. Another cause of this delusion is the terrible perversion of the doctrine of our impotence to good. The grace of Christ to enable us to obey, to keep us from sinning, and really make us holy, is so little believed, that men practically think that there is a necessity of sinning on them. God cannot expect an exact obedience of them, for He knows they cannot render it. This error cuts away the very root of a determined purpose to do all God has said. It closes the heart to any earnest desire to believe and experience all God’s grace can do in us, and keeps men self-contented in the midst of sin. Hearing and not doing —what terrible self-delusion.

There is a third reason for it, having special reference to private Bible reading-the hearing or reference to private Bible reading.The hearing or reading is regarded as a duty, and the performance of reading is regarded as a duty, the performance of which is considered to be a religious service. We have spent our five or ten minutes in the morning reading; we have read thoughtfully and attentively; we have tried to take in what was read: a duty faithfully performed eases the conscience, and gives a sense of satisfaction.

And there is hardly any conception of the worthlessness, and more than that, of the hardening influence of duty, performed or of knowledge acquired unless we go out with our whole heart set upon literally doing and being what God’s word says He would have us and can make us. Terrible delusion! “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22.

It is in the closet, in the morning watch, that this delusion must be fought and conquered. We may find that it will disturb our regular Bible reading, and make us fall behind in our portions. It doesn’t need to do this. But far better it should, than that this point remain doubtful and unsettled. Everything depends on this. Our Lord Jesus said: “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God” It is only the heart that delights in God’s law and has set its will determinedly on doing it, that can receive the divine illumination, which spiritually knows the teaching of Christ in its Divine origin and power. Without this will to do, our knowledge will not profit: it is mere head knowledge.

In life, in science and art, and in business, the only way of truly knowing, is doing. What a man cannot do he does not thoroughly know. The only way to know God, to taste His blessedness, is through the doing of His will. That proves whether it is a God of my own sentiment and imagination that I confess or the true and living God who rules and works all. It is only in doing His will that I prove I love it and accept it, and make myself one with it. In addition to that, there is no possible way under heaven of being united to God but by being united to His will in the doing of it.

It is in the quietness of the inner chamber, in the spirit in which I do my private Bible reading, in the determination with which I do my private Bible reading, in the determination with which I seek to have this point absolutely and finally settled, I am going to do whatever God says, that the awful self-delusion of hearing and not doing must be conquered. It may help us if we take some portion of God’s word and see how we are to deal with it.

Suppose it to be the Sermon on the Mount. I begin with the first Beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” I ask- What does this mean? Am I obeying this injunction? Am I at least thoroughly in earnest in seeking day by day to maintain this disposition?

As I feel how far my proud, self-confident nature is from it, am I willing to wait, plead with Christ, and believe that He can work it in me? Am I going to do this- to be poor in spirit? Or shall I again be a hearer and not a doer? And so I may go through the Beatitudes, and through the whole sermon, with its teaching on meekness and mercy, on love and righteousness, on doing everything as unto the Father, and in everything trusting Him, on doing His will and Christ’s words, and ask- Do I know what this means? Am I living it out? Am I doing it? Am I what He speaks?

And as ever again, the answer comes- I fear not, no, I see no possibility of living thus and doing what He says, I shall be led to feel the need of an entire revision of both my creed and conduct.

And I shall ask whether the vow, whatever He says I am going to do, has ever taken the place, either in my Bible reading or my life which He demands that it should have. I know, such questionings may begin to work in me and lead me to an entirely new insight into my need of a Christ who will breathe in me His own life, and work in me all He speaks. I will get courage in faith to say: I can do all things in Him who strengthens me: whatsoever He says in His Word, I will do.