(S)he Who Does

 

He who does these things shall never be moved. Psalm 15:5b

 

“A man’s reputation is not built on what he plans to do.” (A Facebook post.)

It seems that ever since reading that post, I have recognized how often the Bible requires action from God’s people.  (To be clear:  Not for salvation, but afterwards.)

James probably makes it the clearest when he says, “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 who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But, the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.  (James 1:22-25)

In effect, isn’t James saying, “A Christian’s fruit is not judged by what he plans to do, but by what he actually does?”

In the margin of my Bible next to Psalm 15, I have written the word, “integrity”.  Integrity requires action. How will anyone know if we have integrity if we do nothing to prove it?

This Psalm not only describes the person of integrity but also promises that they will sojourn in God’s tent and dwell on His holy hill.  This Psalm is there for every Christian to follow.  Please pay particular attention to that last verse, “He who does these things shall never be moved.” (above)

So, if we know the Word of God and do not live by it – what do we gain? Not fruit. Not blessing.  Jesus said that you will know a Christian by the fruit they bear in this life (Matthew 7:16)  – not by the plans they make to bear the fruit – but by the fruit.  “The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” is a common understanding of the result of planning, but not doing, good works.

For the Christian, there is so much work for the Lord in this world that we cannot rest with our plans in our hands.  God says that He has prepared good works for each one of His children (Ephesians 2:10) to do. Often, others make the plan and all we have to do is jump on board where God calls us.

God blesses obedience.

The Bible encourages us to spur one another on to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). What work has God called you (and me) to do? Are we doing them?