3 Keys to Being a Doer of the Word

I hate to admit it, but sometimes I have left church on Sunday morning after hearing a great, inspiring message… and didn’t do what I learned.

If you have been there also, it’s worth remembering that being a doer of the Word is hard but it also leads to living your best life. This is so, as you experience joy and peace even in the midst of great suffering and heartache. 

You will always end up doing the right thing because God’s Word never fails to instruct us on how to live. You feel fulfilled, not lost, and live with intention. 

You get the connection you so deeply desire through Jesus, because it allows you to have a deep, intimate relationship with him. 

Your actions, words, and thoughts will be transformed for the better. You’ll be the best version of yourself because you are becoming more like Jesus. 

You will see circumstances differently because you get a renewed perspective in your mind that allows you to endure even the worst of times. 

Applying God’s word is living your best life. 

There is no better way to live. God gives you specific instructions in the book of James on how to obey the Word of God and some practical ways you can do it, too.

What Does It Mean to Be Doers of the Word?

In James 1:22, we read about what it looks like to live God’s Word out. 

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, ESV) 

James talks of “doers of the Word,” meaning believers who don’t just read the Bible, and listen to it on Sunday morning, but actually do what it tells us as well. 

God wants us to respond to the Bible by putting it into action without hesitation, not just listening to it. It is his will for us. Being wise in the Lord is obeying his Word. 

James talks about “deceiving yourselves,” which are those believers who only listen and don’t do it. They are deceiving themselves because true believers will obey God’s Word because they really know God and love him. 

Just going to church all the time and reading the scriptures doesn’t make a person a real believer. It doesn’t mean they are right with Jesus. 

Obedience to Christ’s Word shows we are true believers and have a relationship with him. 

How to Read and Understand the Bible?

We should make it a point to understand the Bible on two levels: both intellectually and spiritually, so it becomes personal and changes our hearts to do it. 

The Bible should dwell deep within us to take root in our hearts and bring us to action. We should ingest it to live it out. 

This can be done by meditating on it. It will provoke a response in us, as it’s alive and active. 

Authentic faith in Christ makes a believer take action. It is always important to evaluate our relationship with Jesus to see where we are—being honest with ourselves, and asking ourselves why we are not doing what he wants us to do. 

We don’t want to think we have a deep relationship with Jesus when we don’t. This is hard, but we don’t need to feel ashamed or bad. We can all get off track or can have sin or anger affect our relationship with Christ. 

He loves you so much and always has. It is important that you know now to do something to get back on track with Christ. 

If you do have a relationship with Jesus ask yourself:

• How can I live out Jesus’s instruction in the Bible today or from the sermon I heard? 

Maybe he wants you to forgive someone, practically love someone who has hurt you, or share the gospel with your co-worker. Ask him and live out his words. 

Consider also looking at examples of doers of the Word to help you, such as Paul or Jesus, who always lived out God’s Word.

You will not regret obeying God’s Word.

Hearers and Doers of the Word

James goes on to give us a comparison to help us understand more about doers of the Word. 

“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 1:23-25, ESV) 

If you look in the mirror and see your hair is messed up you would fix it and not just forget it because you want to look good. 

To be doers of the Word, you don’t just want to look at the Bible, read it in your quiet time or hear it on a Sunday morning and then forget it, putting it out of your mind. 

You need to do it… because it’s foolish not to. 

James tells us that those who do what it says in the Bible, the gospel, all Jesus’ commands of morality, will be blessed. Doing the Word offers freedom. 

You need to think about the Word, and stay firm in it, to be doing it. The blessing comes from feeling fulfilled as you did the right thing. 

Everyone wants to be a good person and do the right thing in life; this is how you live that way—following what Jesus says in the Bible. 

How to Be a Doer of the Word?

Maybe, like me, you would hate to admit it… but you have not always been doing the Word and want to find ways today you can start doing it. 

Below, you will find 3 practical ways you can obey the Word. Doing these shows your heart for Christ and that you are a real believer. Both hearing and doing the Word are necessary and can be done with the help of the Holy Spirit.

1. Managing Your Speech

James tells us that to be a doer of the Word, you need to control what comes out of your mouth. 

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” (James 1:26, ESV) 

Those who truly follow Jesus will watch what they say, as the tongue can be “like a wild animal.” If you don’t, you deceive yourself because you are not doing what the Word of God says.

He wants us to control what we say so our faith walk is not worthless, meaningless, or pointless.  

Our words should encourage others—uplifting them and helping them, not hurting them. Being a doer of the Word is watching your speech to obey God and to bless others, showing yourself as a true follower of Jesus. 

2. Care for the Helpless

Another way to do the Word of God is to help those in need. 

“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 1:27, ESV) 

Obeying the Bible is visiting orphans and widows in their time of need and taking care of them. 

It is helping those who are homeless, and people in need in general. You can do this by volunteering at your local shelter to serve food to the homeless or give out clothes to them. 

Or you can work with children who are in foster care, donate items to organizations that help them, or support families who are fostering children. 

It could even be bringing a meal to a friend who lost their job. Check to see if your church participates in service activities like these and join in.

Care for those who are helpless in this world. This is obeying God’s Word as Jesus did and shows you are a believer in him. Love your neighbor, and anyone in need.

3. Living Morally Upright According to the Bible

A third way to obey the Word is to live differently than the world tells you to by living morally upright.

“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 1:27, ESV) 

It is being a person of integrity. Having a pure heart and mind to do what the Lord wants you to do—taking care of the helpless, etc. One flows out of the other. 

It has to do with your thoughts and actions being different from the world. The world wants you to think and act a certain way, but you should follow how the Bible tells you to instead. 

Being a doer of the Word is not just hearing the Word but doing it. Obedience to the Word shows we know Jesus and love him.

James tells us 3 ways we can be a doer of the Word. They are managing your speech, caring for the helpless, and living morally upright according to the Bible. You can do this with the help of the Holy Spirit. You don’t have to be a spectator anymore but can live your best, most fulfilling life ever. 

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Blomberg, Craig L, and Mariam J Kamell. James: Zondevan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2008.

Moo, Douglas J. James: An Introduction and Commentary. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2009.

Swindoll, Charles R. Swindoll’s Living Insights: New Testament Commentary: James, 1 & 2 Peter. 1st ed. Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2014.