Bible Readers vs. Bible Doers: Living a Life Transformed by the Word of God

James 1:21-25 NKJV

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

That right there marks the difference between informed Christians and transformed Christians.

Reading the Bible gives us knowledge, which is necessary because God said that His people perish for lack of knowledge. However, I’ve learned that we can have knowledge and still perish when we fail to marry our knowledge with wisdom, enabling us to live by the knowledge we've gained.

What you do with the revelations God gives you through His word can determine whether you simply become a knowledgeable follower of Christ or a living example of Christ who chooses to live out the word of God.

Example: A parent who loves a child, in their heart and mind they know they love that child - but their actions say the opposite. They do things like leaving the child at home alone without caring for his/her needs; yelling at the child instead of talking to the child; telling the child to figure it out yourself when he/she asks for help; taking advantage of the child’s time and talents but never appreciating him/her. One day this child gets up and says, Mom/Dad I’m leaving, I can’t do this anymore, I don’t feel loved in this house. As a parent, you begin to say, “You KNOW I love you, how could I not love you, I am your mother/father, I changed your diapers and cared for you all your life.

But what that parent fails to realize is that he/she got to a point where they stopped expressing that love to the child through not just words but actions of love. It got to a point where that love was no longer giving, it was simply taking. So even though love may exist in the parent and child’s mind, because it is not experienced through actions (the doings), it becomes void of impact and, therefore, is as good as non-existent.

In the same manner, if we simply read the word of God and we don’t strive to DO it, live it and be transformed by it, we will hinder our growth as we journey with Christ. The word will be in our minds and we will be able to quote the scriptures and know which scripture to bring up when we hear people talk about certain topics, but if we are not applying that word to our own lives to become true disciples of Christ, the word may have well be non-existent in us.

God calls that absolute foolishness because it’s like you stare right into the true design of yourself when you read the word and you find it extremely beautiful - but the moment you turn around, instead of asking God for the tools to be perfected into that image, you grow comfortable with the version the world has given you which cannot even come close to being compared with God’s design for you.

The word of God is the truth of God, and when we fail to be doers and live the truth, even satan won't be fooled by our church attendance and self-proclamations of "I am a child of God". When we don't live the word, the truth is not in us, and the enemy has access to us, but when we are doers of the word, we don't simply draw close to Jesus, but the truth creates a shield around us that the enemy cannot penetrate.

So Apple of God's Eye, do not settle for simply reading the Bible and filling your mind with knowledge, but go the extra mile and become a DOER OF THE WORD - That is what being a wise virgin looks like, that is what carrying extra oil looks like so you will never miss God. (See Matthew 25:1-13 for reference).

From today, if you've only been a reader, it's not too late to change that around and also become a doer of the word. God is calling you deeper in your walk with Him, so I encourage you to lean on the Holy Spirit for help to live by the word and watch your life flourish.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I desire to not only be a Bible reader but also a doer of the word. I ask for grace to produce fruit in my life according to the word of God. Holy Spirit empower me to live a life transformed by God's word every time I open the Bible to study so that I may reflect my Saviour Jesus Christ. In Jesus', holy Name I pray, Amen!

With love,

Vision Radicale