But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. James 1:22
At its core, listening is a two-part process. First, listening requires actually hearing what someone has said. However, listening will only take us so far. If we only hear people without responding to what has been said, one would argue that we were not truly listening. This is because listening has a second component: responding. Sometimes responding looks like saying, "thank you," or doing something that has been requested, or helping someone in need. Whatever the action, this response shows that the person was truly listening. Not only is this true in our relationships with family members, coworkers, and friends, it is also true with reading Scripture. Scripture is a guide for us. It directs us when we are not sure what step to take. The question is, will we open our Bible and respond to its instructions?
James, the half-brother of Jesus and the writer of the book of James, urged followers of Christ to follow the instructions found in the Bible. "Don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says," he wrote (verse 22). In other words, James was reminding believers that one of the purposes of reading Scripture is to call believers to action. He continued by saying, "for if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like" (verses 23-24). In painting the illustration of the futility of looking in the mirror and forgetting what we look like, James was showing readers that reading the Bible and responding with action is vital if we want to honor God with our lives truly.
What we read in the Bible calls us to action. As we read it, we are not merely called to read; we are called to "do what it says." In light of this understanding, the question on our mind as we engage in studying the Bible should be, "how can I apply this to my own life?" Throughout the rest of this week, we will learn specific steps to help us learn how to apply what we read in the Bible.
Application is vital for effective Bible study. We must read with this understanding in mind: God calls us to act on what He is teaching us in Scripture. As a reminder of this call to action, take a notecard and write down James 1:22 on it. Keep this notecard in your Bible so that you will remember this call to apply each time you open your Bible.
Read James 1:19-24(NLT)
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger[g] does not produce the righteousness[h] God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
