Doing vs. Hearing

"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 observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself,
goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." - James
1:22-24 (NKJV)


Gene Getz says, "Bible study by itself will not produce spirituality.
In fact, it will produce carnality if it isn't applied and practiced.
The truth is, study without service produces people with judgmental
attitudes and spiritual pride. And the more they think they know, the
prouder they become." So today, I want to encourage you to remember
what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with Him.

There are some lessons you can learn best by experience. If
Christianity was just a philosophy then, our primary activity might be
studying. But since it's about walking in relationship with Christ,
the last thing many of us need is another Bible study. We already
know far more than we're putting into practice. We need experiences
where we can apply what we know. The reason nothing lives in the Dead
Sea is because it takes in water but doesn't give any out.

If you have biblical input but no outflow of service, you will
eventually find yourself spiritually stagnate. And churches actually
do a disservice by keeping people busy going to the next Bible study
without showing them practical ways to apply what they learned at the
last one. They file away and forget the truth before it can be
internalized and put into practice, thinking they're growing because
their notebooks are getting thicker.

As you navigate between the balance of being both a hearer AND a doer
of the Word, proceed with understanding. The word "hear" in the
original Greek has a dual meaning: to comprehend AND to also put into
action. In other words, the direct result of what you're hearing will
be seen in what you're doing.

Edifying, Encouraging & Enlightening,AGospelPreacha

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