“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22
It’s a remarkable reality that in recent years “obedience based discipleship” has emerged as a new approach in the global church. I first read about it in Nathan Shank’s 2007 report based on his exposure to a disciplemaking movement in India. Since then Ying and Grace Kai have published two versions of T4T / Training for Trainers and others like Damian Gerke (In the Way) and Geiger and Ford (The Starfish and the Spirit) have joined the conversation.
My point in sharing this is simply to recognize that a lot of global leaders in disciplemaking are sounding the alarm that our American version of church is not based on obedience to the teachings of Jesus. If this observation is accurate (and I’m among those who believe it is), what is the prevailing approach to church and discipleship? I would summarize it as “come to church,” and “believe in Jesus.”
On their own these are good, positive messages. We want to warmly and intentionally invite people to church and we want them to eventually put their faith in Jesus. The problem comes in when the message of the church stops with that, or only leads to “join a group” and “give some of your income to support the church.”
Picture in your mind a good churchgoing believer. They come to the worship service most Sundays. They read their Bible and spend a few minutes in prayer every morning (the earlier the better). They are part of a small group for Bible study and social support. They give, ideally a full 10% of their income. And they even serve once a month with the children’s ministry. Phew! What a hero!
In that little mental picture, where does obedience come in? Where do you see the Lordship of Jesus? Yes, all of those activities can be understood as good things Jesus wants us to do (potentially). But is that really the optimal description of a faithful disciple of Jesus?
Does that kind of believer have to regularly listen for the voice of Jesus (meaning the inner leading of the Holy Spirit)? Do they read their Bible with an active commitment to obey what they are reading? I’ve come to say these last couple of years, “Let’s not read our Bible like fools who hear the words of Jesus but don’t put them into practice.”
The Great Commission is not about making disciples who understand the teachings of Jesus but who obey His teachings and follow His way of life. During this series in James we will be confronted with passages like this one at the end of chapter one:
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves… 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
And this one in chapter two:
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? …Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead… For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”
James 2:14,17,26
To help us listen to God’s word with a view to obedience, we are going to practice using a tool called an S.O.S.
This is a simplified version of S.O.A.P.S (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer, Share). What tools like this assume is that 1) God wants to speak to us through His Word; 2) As we engage with God through His Word it should change us and; 3) part of our obedience to God’s Word is to share what we are learning with others – to make disciples (and teach them to obey).
We are very American; very democratic. We are used to having our own voice and exercising a lot of independence. But in the Kingdom of Jesus it is not a democracy, but a Theocracy. “Jesus is Lord” means we don’t just honor Him, we live to serve Him – because He is our King.
Read James 1:9-27 now. Then set a 3 minute timer and do an S.O.S.
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 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. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 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.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
James 1:19-27