James 1:22 (NASB)

Bible Commentary

James 1:22 is a Bible verse from the New Testament that addresses our hesitation to act upon God’s Word and leading in our lives.

In the days of Jesus, those who heard and followed a teacher’s word and tried to live what they taught were known as disciples. James 1:22 is saying don’t just hear the words of Jesus, but change your life and follow His teachings.

As Christians, if all we do is take in the word of God, but never spread it, we are not being “doers of the word, merely hearers.”

A wise man at our church said, “If we want more we have to give more—give whatever it is we have.” If we want more of Jesus in our life, we need to share Jesus with others!

Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus is telling us to do what He taught and what He did. He wants us to teach the gospel and lead the lost to Him.

You may be thinking, but I don’t know how or I don’t know the Bible well enough. Whatever the excuse is, it’s just that–an excuse.

If we are truly to be followers of Christ we have to be willing to let Him use and equip us. Read James 1:22 again, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

Unlocking the Truth – The First Step

The first step is to ask God to equip us to do His calling.

Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

The next step is to listen. Hear what God has to say to you. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

We have to be careful that we are not missing the answers God is giving us. Sometimes we get caught up in expecting God to appear to us in a loud and thunderous moment, and then we miss Him all together.

1 Kings 9:11-12 says, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.”

God was not in the great wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire, but in the sound of a gentle blowing.

God most often speaks to us through whispers. He wants our full attention. He wants us not just hearing Him, but listening to Him. He wants all of our distractions removed, so that He has us one-on-one.

Then, we are to trust Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Take that step.

We recently posted a short story entitled The Voice. This is exactly what that story is about, trusting God. God will make our paths straight, but we have to be willing to take the steps. No journey starts without the first step.

The last step is to give it all you’ve got, and do it for God’s glory–not yours.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

We have to keep our focus on Him–period. If we take our eyes off Christ, we end up like Peter walking on the water, we lose sight of God and then we begin to sink.

God doesn’t expect perfection, just the willingness to step out and honor and glorify Him through spreading His Word to His lost children.

Study the Bible verse of James 1:22, step out in faith and take action to be doers of God’s Word.