No, we are not begging for a donation or contribution. The above title is a figurative way of saying, don’t just say you will do it, go ahead and do it. We have striven for a long time to encourage all to, (1) Learn what the scriptures actually say, (2) Examine every aspect of our faith and practice and (3) cast aside all that is not authorized by the Holy Scriptures and embrace all that is authorized. Now, is application time.
James wrote, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 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” (James 1:21-25) . From this passage we begin with the authority that is revealed. He designates that it is the word of God that we are to receive and that it is able to save our souls. The word is here called, “the perfect law of liberty”. Two things are noteworthy about this. First, that God’s word is law in this age as it was in the days of law of Moses. Secondly, from the next chapter we learn that we will be judged by this law of liberty (Ja. 2:12). This we have already confirmed, this is where our mouth is. But, here is where an application, a putting of our money, comes in. We are to be doers of the word and not hearers only. The hearing is mandatory, but without the doing, it will benefit us nothing. This is that awful word, “obedience”. Contrary to the teaching and belief of many, we do have to do something. We often have tendency to procrastinate and put off any action to correct our shortcomings and soon forget that changes were required. This fact, James puts in the illustration of a person looking in a mirror, and seeing imperfections that need to be addressed, but goes on without alleviating them, only to forget they even exist. When error is found in our self-examination, action is required. When Paul told the Thessalonians to “prove all things”, he followed up with “hold fast that which is good”. Here, James tell us that we are to “lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness”. When error found, it is time to act. Jesus once said, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).
A second text, one that most little children that attend Bible School are familiar with, is Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus said, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it”. This passage speaks to those who have heard truth taught, recognized it to be truth by a study of the scriptures (Acts 17:11) and understand that what they have previously believed and practiced is not in harmony with what the truth is. It is then incumbent upon them to make a change. An older gentleman once told me, “there are only two things an honest man can do when he learns the truth, he can obey it or he can become dishonest”. Jesus has here exposed the final result of failing to correct the blemishes seen in the mirror, the failure to actually make application of the truth, once ascertained. When judgment day arrives, the beliefs and the actions of our life in these physical bodies will be laid alongside the perfect law of liberty, and we will be judged by whether the two are in harmony with one another. The apostle Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, where it be good or bad” (II Cor. 5:10). Solomon wrote, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecc. 12:14). Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, “This people drawth night unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:8-9). Don’t be like the Pharisees. Don’t be like the mirror man and don’t be like the foolish man. Be like all those who have heard the truth and immediately conformed to it.