Sunday after Sunday people sit in churches listening to
messages from God. At least some churches deliver divine words; I am not
concerned with all those churches that gave up preaching the truth years ago. In
churches all across America the true message of the Bible is presented on a
weekly basis, or perhaps I should say a weakly basis. The warning from James
chapter one should haunt those people (like me) who listen to the Word every
Sunday and then live like pagans the rest of the week. “Do not merely listen to
the word and so deceive yourselves,” James says, “Do what it says.” (James
1:22)
I fear that many people sincerely believe they have done
enough to call themselves Christians once they leave church Sunday morning.
However, James cautions that listening to the Word but not living it is a
useless practice, a wasted effort. Only those who, “continue in [the Word]…
will be blessed in what they do.” (1:25) Some of the blame for this rampant
self-deception can be placed on those who preach: how many men who get paid to
stand in the pulpit every Sunday dare to accuse their flock of failure.
Failing to make the grade by James’ standard is not
entirely, or even mostly the preachers’ fault. Every believer has the
responsibility to know the Word and to do what he or she knows. No one gets to
heaven on the preacher’s say-so. We are supposed to work the Word into every
fiber of our being. Someone has quipped that most believers get just enough
Bible in them to be inoculated against it. Instead of being vaccinated, we
should be infected so that God’s Word seeps out of every pore of our lives like
a Spirit-fed fever.
Paul told the Ephesians
to avoid getting drunk with wine, but instead to be filled with the Spirit. It’s
not stretching the metaphor to suggest that in much the same way that alcohol
“takes over” a person, so the Spirit is supposed to be in control of a
believer. While it is entirely possible and expected that the Holy Spirit can
work in mysterious ways to accomplish God’s purpose through believers, He most
frequently uses the Word for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) The result of the teaching, etcetera is to
lead believers into right action (righteousness).
None of what has been said should be misconstrued to mean
salvation is by works. The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that belief
in Jesus Christ is what saves. However, if you read a bit further in the book
of James you will hear him testify that the only faith that saves is a
faith that works. This sounds very much like an application of Jesus’
words to his disciples, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Someone
once asked if you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough
evidence for a conviction? I fear I may be acquitted; that’s not good.
I belong to a too large club of believers: Sunday strong and
weekday weak. As I write this, I am unsure of exactly what I should do
differently. I’m not a bad person, generally, but I have a nagging feeling I’m
not in line for the, “Well done, good and faithful servant” commendation
either. So this is a challenge, as much for myself as anyone who might read
this. What more can I do to strengthen my weak-day faith? Not tomorrow or next
semester, but now, as soon as I post this and shut down the computer. And you?
