What comes to mind when you think about being a doer?
In our day-to-day lives there are many tasks that we do. Most of us get up for work, cook food, spend time with family, drive places, attend class, run errands, make phone calls, put gas in the car, take out the trash, pay bills, meet with friends, play a sport, etc. In each of our lives, there is a lot of doing in order to carry out the functions for that day. Imagine if we decided to stop and no longer did what was necessary to live life! This wouldn’t get us very far and could not live life in this way much longer.
In the same way we need to do these certain tasks in our natural lives, there are things we need to do in our spiritual lives. In our relationship with God, we must be doers in the spiritual aspect of our lives, in order to remain in Him and mature in a deeper understanding with God. Scripture says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” – James 1:22
As evangelists, what does it mean to be a doer of the word, not just hearers? To be a doer means we fulfill God’s purpose for our lives and others lives. When we become doers, it is in that experience that we truly know God. Hearing only from God won’t allow us to experience Him and give that experience to others. Doer, comes from the Greek word poietes, which means, “one who obeys or fulfils the law.” [1] Here we see that God tells us to fulfill the law, the same way Jesus fulfilled the law. (Matt. 5:17) Fulfill means to fully preach and do the law according to its full intended meaning and purpose. [2]
When we are doers, the law enables us to reach others. God showed David this when he said, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” – Psalm 19:7
“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” – Psalm 19:7
When we have changed and converted, we bring that change wherever we go. When we have God’s law and are doers, He enables us to reach others and convert souls. This is not the “law of death” but David is referring to God’s character and nature, the “law of the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:2) This means that when we are converted and changed by God’s Spirit, bearing the fruit of His nature gives us the ability to change and transform others. James goes on to call this the royal law:
“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,’ you do well, but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” – James 2:8-11
James is calling it the royal law when the law is truly fulfilled, not in partiality.
James is calling it the royal law when the law is truly fulfilled, not in partiality. This isn’t just the 10 commandments, but the whole law, the 613 commandments. The literal and historical understanding of the law is not the fulfillment, but it is the deeper understanding of the law that brings change and fulfillment. As doers of God’s Word, not hearers only, we walk in the freedom of His Spirit, we become the evangelist and an example for others.
“He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” – Romans 8:3-4
Blessings,
The Harvesters
References:
1. G4163, Thayer Definition
2. G4137, Strong’s Definition3. All Scripture is from the NKJV of the Bible
