The importance of obedience

James 1:22-25 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 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: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 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.”

We should want to be a doer of the word. The Bible is not for display, analysis, or contemplation. It exists to be obeyed! So important is it to be obeyed that James later says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). The “whole law” in vs. 10 is the “royal law” in vs. 8. This is the law of Christ.

We can’t pick and choose what we want to do. As we learn our responsibilities to God, we have to put what we learn into practice. James 4:17 says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” If you would like a good role model, use the Bereans who would “search the scriptures daily” to see how to measure up to God’s standard (Acts 17:11). If you are failing, then repent and obey they way you should -- the way God wants you to!

Kyle Campbell