International Gospel Hour

Guest (Male): But be doers of the word and not hearers only. Yes, friends, words of old, inspired words that are valid today. So let's become a doer today, right here from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.

Jay Webb: Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s word through our broadcast. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archey of International Gospel Hour. Let's begin.

Jeff Archey: Thank you to our Jay Webb. We always appreciate Jay and his good work. You'll hear from Jay in our broadcast. Matter of fact, he has a couple of free giveaways today, and we'll hear more about those momentarily. I want to say greetings and hello everyone. I am honored of so many people that listen to us through a number of broadcast opportunities. Thank you for choosing the International Gospel Hour.

We've been on the air since 1934, and we are blessed to continue this very day preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ, the gospel message. In John 8, verses 31 and 32, Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Friends, why don't we decide today to hear Jesus, believe Jesus, and to abide and know the truth?

As we think about that, and we're going to be looking at this a little bit more in-depth about being a doer and not a hearer only, I want to pause right now. I want to shift back to our Jay Webb. Here is our free publication offer today on our broadcast.

Jay Webb: Our free publication today is Reason and Revelation, a monthly journal courtesy of our friends at apologeticspress.org. Get your free copy today by calling toll-free at 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say, "Reason." That is it.

You can also send your request through our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave us your name and address and put "Reason" in the message box. We will send you a copy. Again, we have a limited supply, so get yours now.

Jeff Archey: Now friends, before you call us or write for that free publication Reason and Revelation, I want you to hold on because I've got something else coming later and we can send you both of those at one time. Hold that thought. We'll come back in a minute.

The inspired James warns us that we must do more than hear. That's James 1:22: "Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves." If we are just hearers, then we deceive ourselves. We must be both hearers and doers, and a proper reception of the word involves more than the act of hearing.

James is not the first writer or teacher to make this point so very clear. Let's see the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21 through 27: "Those who enter the kingdom are not those who say, 'Lord, Lord,' but rather those who enter are those who do the will of my Father in heaven." To emphasize this point, Jesus taught the parable of the builders, which shows conclusively that a doer will stand the trials of time while the hearer only will not stand.

The Apostle Paul taught the same thing: "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Romans 2:13. Again, hear the words of Jesus when someone would give praise to his mother. Jesus said, "Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it."

In the book of James, the persons addressed are Christians, members of the church. Thus, to be a doer of the word would involve such things as worship, evangelism, giving, benevolence, prayer, moral living, etc. However, the principle here is a general one and involves both the Christian as well as the non-Christian. Let's note the next three verses to illustrate this vital point.

Returning to James 1:23 through 25: "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 looked 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."

For a person to look into the mirror and then not do what is evidently needed is to deceive himself. One who takes a good look and then goes away is the man who hears but does not do. He does not obey. But the man who takes a good look in the mirror and continues to do what the mirror, the word of God, says, this person will be blessed in his deed.

It is surely the word of God which is meant by the mirror, for in verse 25, the phrase "perfect law of liberty" is used. When we look into God's book and do according to what God wants, we will be blessed in our deed. In these verses, we have two types of people discussed. One is the man who hears and forgets. He does not do.

The other is the man who hears and does not forget. He does. The last man will be blessed. The first man will be lost. "If you abide in my word, then you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31 and 32.

We note also the verse of victory in 1 Corinthians 15:58 and to be faithful in Revelation 2:10. Let us all resolve to be doers of the word and not hearers only. Friends, we want to be a doer of the word. We want to know what the word says, and we want to make certain that we follow what God's word says.

Now here is our second free offer, and again, we can combine this one and the publication Reason and Revelation together. Here once again is our Jay Webb.

Jay Webb: An additional Bible study by mail is now available from International Gospel Hour. It's titled God and Man: How to be Saved from Sin. This study booklet addresses a number of questions about the salvation from God to man. And friends, like all materials, it's free.

Call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, "God and Man." Or you can go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type "God and Man" in the message box. Another Bible study that is free from IGH and our friends at god-and-man.com. That's G-O-D-dash-A-N-D-dash-M-A-N.com. We'd love to hear from you.

Jeff Archey: Don't forget, friends, say also, if you will, also say "Reason" when you ask for "God and Man" and we'll send both to you right away. Have you ever thought that it never occurs to many people that it costs to be a Christian? The notion often prevails that Christianity is altogether what God does for us without any real obligation on our part.

It is true that we can do nothing to earn our salvation or to merit it, just as there is nothing we have to offer that God needs. However, being a disciple of Christ does cost us in the sense that there are sacrifices to be made and duties to be performed. Jesus Christ never spoke of an easy religion.

He said in Luke 14:33, "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple." Again, in Matthew 16:24, he said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." He told the rich young ruler to sell all that he had and give to the poor, and in principle, he requires the same of all disciples.

Until we are ready to sincerely declare, "I surrender all," we cannot be his disciple. By worldly standards, therefore, it is very hard to be a Christian. We lack the time in this broadcast to discuss all that it might cost us to be followers of Jesus. It has cost many the alienation of relatives and friends, and we may expect ridicule or persecution from some quarters.

Those who follow Jesus must forfeit worldly pleasures. True followers of Christ give themselves completely to him. On the other hand, we should be aware of what it costs not to be a Christian. One who hesitates to be a Christian because of the cost should consider the consequences of living in sin, and it will cost him all spiritual blessings that are in Christ.

He cannot use the avenue of prayer. He cannot know the peace of God that passes understanding. It costs him the satisfaction of knowing he is doing what is right. One who rejects Christ must live always with the knowledge that he has refused to obey God, and it costs him the blessing of dying in the Lord and the hope of eternal life.

It costs much more not to be a Christian. The Lord used an earthly illustration to show the need for carefully considering all aspects of our spiritual choices there in Luke 14, verses 28 through 30, of the one that would build a tower would sit down and count the cost. If you're thinking about obeying the gospel, certainly you should weigh the cross that you are about to take up.

Those who choose not to surrender all to Jesus should carefully contemplate the outcome of such a decision. Those who choose to be Christians will recognize that the things it cost are nothing to the blessings received. In 2 Corinthians 4:17 and 18, Paul wrote, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Let's be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. It does cost something indeed, but it's well worth it. I want to pause and give a nod to a couple of wonderfully written articles. The first one by Pat Gibbons in the old Eastern Kentucky Beacon, winter of 1999, "Doers, Not Hearers Only," on page five.

The second is the lesson "It Costs Something," the five-minute sermons of the late David Pharr. He would present those in Charlotte, North Carolina, also over in Rock Hill, South Carolina, every day. We're honored to share them here. We hope these articles shared to you in radio form are a help to you to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only.

It costs something. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. We'll continue our studies together at another time. I'm Jeff Archey and friends, keep listening.

Jay Webb: Thank you for listening to our broadcast today, and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. God be with you till we meet again.