Doers of the Word

 

This post was written by Matt Meyer, CCM board member and director emeritus.

“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law plead against them” (Proverbs 28:4).

After a number of weeks of coming for counseling, a youngChinese woman recently* called on God to forgive her sins. For several weeksbefore that, she was sure that God was real and good and that she was a sinner,but she was having a hard time connecting her sin with the death of Christ onthe cross. When she was asked to describe what she meant by “being a sinner,”it was clear that her focus was horizontal instead of vertical. She thought shewas sinning against her husband, her family, and herself. When she finallyunderstood that our sin (or lawlessness as John describes it) is first againstGod, the lights came on. “I’ve broken God’s laws,” she repeated numerous timesas the realization finally hit home.

Do we have the same sense that we are breaking God’s lawswhen we avoid Bible passages that hit too close to home or perhaps are just alittle too inconvenient?

This woman had a number of good questions that followed herprayer of confession. What church should I attend? Do I need to support thechurch now? How do I pray? How often should I pray? I’m such a little baby, andI need to learn so much.

As we worked through the Lord’s teaching on prayer, we alsoturned to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everythinggive thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Instead of worrying about everything in the Bible, wesuggested that she start by just practicing these three verses diligently.

“But this is impossible,” she responded. 

We assured her that this was the point. If you really try togive thanks for everything, you will find yourself praying continually—eitherconfessing your sin of thanklessness, or asking God to help you be thankful, orpraising Him with thanks. Then, when you are thankful, rejoicing will surelyfollow.

Like this new believer, we need to be diligent that our joyis not burdened by active disobedience or unconfessed sin.

“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those whokeep the law plead against them” (Proverbs 28:4).

In the Living translation, the second half of this versereads: “those who obey the law fight against evil.” Like much of the Bible,this verse is much more understandable and applicable than we would at firstthink.

Isn’t it enough to have just read or even memorized thepassage? No. James commands us to “become doers of the Word, and nothearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

Matt Meyer

*Written January 2007.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships