Don't Waste Your Faith. Put it Into Practice.

"Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves." — James 1:22

We talk ourselves out of what we know to be the truth about our situation, because it’s easier to just convince ourselves that we’re ok because we understand* certain things about God’s Word. We can explain the doctrine of salvation, we can draw charts about the end times, we can reference theological terms and formulas… We might even know God’s requirements and what He expects of us. But we’re deceiving ourselves if the Word of God isn’t actually transforming the way we think, the way we speak, the way we live, the way we respond to life’s trials and perplexities.

This call continues into chapter 2, as James beseeches believers not to waste their faith in silence and stagnation, but to bring it to life through obedient action.

The question to ask yourself (and maybe another mature believer) is: am I actually obeying the truth I’ve received thus far? Many believers who think they’re safe because they can recite biblical principles and truths need to wake up.

Ask yourself: given the biblical understanding that I have, how has it affected my life? How are you purposefully applying biblical truth to specific situations in your life? Be concrete. Search out the ways in which you have learned (or failed to learn) to put truth into practice… Then confess any sins there, and pray for the Holy Spirit to motivate and enable you to put those biblical truths that speak to your circumstances into action.

There is many a Christian who is fascinated by the exposition and study of God’s Word, but who has assimilated very little of it into his everyday life. And the deceiving of oneself is often seen in rationalizing one’s inaction by simply collapsing the Christian life into a set of principles and doctrines as opposed to a way of life. That’s what the early Christians referred to the faith as, you know — Christianity was referred to as The Way. In becoming a Christian, we have been recruited — initiated — into a new way of life. And what does it mean to be a follower of the Way? We often think of the word "disciple" as basically a synonym for student. But a disciple is not simply a student who learns information from a teacher; a disciple is someone who is learning *a new way of living* from the master.

Back to my point: We often justify our lack of transformation and maturity by appealing to our knowledge of the Word. I reiterate: knowing the Bible is frightfully important. But if you think that studying up on theology will automatically result in wisdom and maturity, you are sorely mistaken. Those who are hearers only are guilty of rationalizing their pious inaction away.

Mere hearers deceive themselves.

We see in the rest of the passage that growing in wisdom is the result of looking to God and trusting what He says to be true, and then acting in line with that knowledge. When we read/hear the Scriptures, they reveal something that calls for action. So then, a call to action:

1. Commit yourself not just to learning Scripture, but to living it out. Ask yourself: "Where in my life am I hearing God's Word clearly but resisting putting it into practice?" (Are there areas where I am content to know the truth but slow to obey it?)
2. Examine your life honestly. Don’t assume that understanding doctrine equals spiritual health. Regularly ask: "How is the Word of God actively transforming my thoughts, my speech, my relationships, my habits?" Be humble enough to let God's Word (and other mature believers) reveal blind spots you might prefer to ignore.

James is urging us: don’t walk away and do nothing. Allow the Word of God to transform your attitudes, words, and actions, by purposefully and prayerfully putting into practice the truths you find in the Word.

Don't waste your faith. Live it.