Have you ever wondered, “How does God want me to love Him? How do I show Him that I love Him?” I show members of my family that I love them by doing acts of service for them, by giving them things that they like, by telling them things I like about them. I love it when they actually tell me something that they want or need because then I’m assured of giving or doing exactly what they desire. Well, God has told us in His Word exactly what He desires. He has told us how to show our love for Him.
I John 5:3:
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
We show our love for God by keeping His commandments, by doing His Word. James 1:22-25 shows us the value of being a doer of the Word, of hearing the Word to the end of taking action on it. God’s desire is that we not only hear the Word but become doers of it.
James 1:22:
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
The phrase “be ye” in the Greek means to become, or to come into being. A “doer” is a performer. God wants us to become performers of the Word. We are to apply His Word in our lives. We learn from James 1 that when we hear the Word but do not apply it, we deceive ourselves. We wouldn’t want anyone else to deceive us, so let’s not deceive ourselves!
Next we see how God describes being a hearer only of His Word.
James 1:23,24:
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass [mirror]:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
The emphasis here is that someone who only hears the Word without doing it is like a person who looks at himself in a mirror and then quickly goes his way and forgets what he saw. People who are concerned about their appearance will take time to improve anything out of order when they look in a mirror so they can look their best. If they were to take that same care in doing the Word, they could make great improvements in their lives so they could be their best for God. We want to take the time to do the Word that we are hearing or reading!
God also tells us that there are blessings and benefits to us when we do His Word.
James 1:25:
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed [his doing].
The Greek word for “looketh” in this verse indicates an earnest desire to see or investigate. And to continue in something means that we don’t just do it once or twice, we do it over and over. God does not say the doer might be blessed in his doing, but this man shall be blessed in his doing.
How else will we be blessed by doing the Word? As we continue to do God’s Word, we will know by experience that which is truth and gain the freedom it brings.
John 8:31,32:
Then said Jesus to those Jews [Judeans] which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The word “know” in verse 32 is to know by experience or effort. Knowing the truth of God’s Word shall absolutely make us free—free from fears, worries, anxieties, frustrations, heartaches, headaches, or any other negatives that come along.
God also blesses doers of the Word with prosperity and good success.
Joshua 1:8:
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
We show our love for God by keeping His commandments—by doing His Word, not only hearing it. And as we become faithful doers of His Word, God blesses us in our doing. We will experientially know the truth, gaining greater freedom, and we will have prosperity and good success. Let’s show our love for our bountiful God by continuing as doers of His Word!