Word@Work James12 - James 1:22
Published: Wed, 02/25/09
Word@Work from BeaconLight
ACTION BRIEFING
James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (NIV)
Information is cheap today. The internet is loaded with so much that we cannot even start to digest. There is no shortage of experts or advisors; and plenty of authorities claim to know and teach the truth. So we are trained to be sceptical. We do not believe everything that we hear or read. We certainly do not do everything we are told. It all goes through a selective filter that basically allows us to know more about what we like, while rejecting what we don't like ... and only taking action if it will benefit us or those we want to please. But we think that we are more clever if we know many things, even though we may do none of them.
James says that if we do that with God's Word, the Bible, we are deceiving ourselves. It is one thing to be fooled by a skilled trickster or mesmerised by an conjurer; but to fool yourself is really stupid (cf Eph 5:15-17). This is how it happens: when we hear the Bible read (or we read it for ourselves) we make a decision whether or not we are going to accept it as a message from God to us. If we decide that it is, then we really ought to do what He says. But some people treat God's Word like other information, and think they are entitled to choose what they will agree to do. James says that is just fooling yourself. The Bible does not offer suggestions but commands; they must be accepted and done.
Work colleagues may accuse us of being hypocrites. A hypocrite is another word for 'actor', and alas some Christians do put on an act at church or with Christian friends. But true character comes through when under pressure. If our faith is an act, the troubles will cause us to fall apart; but if we are reading and doing what God says, the pressure will show the reality of our faith. That will be the true witness that will glorify Christ and make the gospel attractive to others. So choose to be humble so that you can accept that God is right, and that He will help you to do what He has said. The alternative is self-deception that will disappoint everybody.
Prayer: Dear Lord. Please forgive me when I have acted the part of being a believer, without believing that it is my responsibility to do what You say. Help me to change my attitude to Your word and to start to do what You command. For Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and Spanish
Information is cheap today. The internet is loaded with so much that we cannot even start to digest. There is no shortage of experts or advisors; and plenty of authorities claim to know and teach the truth. So we are trained to be sceptical. We do not believe everything that we hear or read. We certainly do not do everything we are told. It all goes through a selective filter that basically allows us to know more about what we like, while rejecting what we don't like ... and only taking action if it will benefit us or those we want to please. But we think that we are more clever if we know many things, even though we may do none of them.
James says that if we do that with God's Word, the Bible, we are deceiving ourselves. It is one thing to be fooled by a skilled trickster or mesmerised by an conjurer; but to fool yourself is really stupid (cf Eph 5:15-17). This is how it happens: when we hear the Bible read (or we read it for ourselves) we make a decision whether or not we are going to accept it as a message from God to us. If we decide that it is, then we really ought to do what He says. But some people treat God's Word like other information, and think they are entitled to choose what they will agree to do. James says that is just fooling yourself. The Bible does not offer suggestions but commands; they must be accepted and done.
Work colleagues may accuse us of being hypocrites. A hypocrite is another word for 'actor', and alas some Christians do put on an act at church or with Christian friends. But true character comes through when under pressure. If our faith is an act, the troubles will cause us to fall apart; but if we are reading and doing what God says, the pressure will show the reality of our faith. That will be the true witness that will glorify Christ and make the gospel attractive to others. So choose to be humble so that you can accept that God is right, and that He will help you to do what He has said. The alternative is self-deception that will disappoint everybody.
Prayer: Dear Lord. Please forgive me when I have acted the part of being a believer, without believing that it is my responsibility to do what You say. Help me to change my attitude to Your word and to start to do what You command. For Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Why not share Word@Work with your friends - they can subscribe at http://www.beaconlight.co.uk/email
If you value your free Word@Work a donation will help us to maintain and develop the ministry - thank you!
Your next Word@Work will be sent on
All the 'back copies' for the series in Mark and Ephesians can be found on www.beaconlight.co.uk/email
W@WJames12 | Word@Work © Dr Paul Adams 2009 | Provided by BeaconLight
Contact us at wordatwork@beaconlight.co.uk
Contact us at wordatwork@beaconlight.co.uk