Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 (NIV)
God does not simply desire for us to hear or read His Word or check it off our list like we are doing Him a big favor. His Word is for us – to change us. He desires for us to take it to heart, to obey it, to be transformed by it, blessed through it and to bless others by it by doing what it says. His Word is to go from the head to the heart to the hand - transforming us from the inside out and making us more like Jesus. Paul writes the following to his beloved Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV): “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” All Scripture. God desires for His saints to be thoroughly equipped for all good works which He has prepared in advance for us to walk in.
Believers are all called to put into practice, through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, what the Bible says. It is true Truth. We are to be “doers of the Word” not simply hearers only. And He uses the Scriptures to transform our lives. This includes our thoughts, our actions and even the leanings of our hearts - making them more and more like the Masters. This, of course, occurs incrementally and it is a continuous process until we are home with the Lord. We never get there – so to speak – this side of heaven. The children’s song “He’s Still Working On Me” is true for all believers in Christ.
God desires for us to walk as Jesus walked so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. Indeed, Scripture tells us in 1 John 2:5B-6 (NIV): “This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” In doing thus – following hard after His commands through His power and for His glory - we become more and more like Him and less and less like us. As the Baptist stated in John 3:27-30 (NIV): “To this John replied, ‘A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.’”
Obedience to God’s Word is not slavish rather freeing. We can feel and experience His divine affection and power upon us when we seek to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel. We will not be perfect this side of heaven yet we are to be progressing.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.** 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)**