Doers of the Word

Imagine you're on the edge of 2013, and you're looking back at 2012. What changes do you hope to see? What accomplishments do you hope to have? A lot of people don't like making New Year resolutions. Most of us are rarely successful at keeping them, so why make them.

I'm not so interested in getting people to make resolutions, rather I'm interested in why that make decisions to change. How do you make the decision? How does God's will affect your planning? Where do you turn for guidance?

At Monticello, the Word of God is our guidebook. The Holy Scriptures are our "authority in matters of faith and practice," and they "were given by the inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience."

We believe the Scriptures teach us all that we need to know about God, His will, and how we can be apart of it. The Bible teaches what to believe and how to act. Faith and practice go hand-in-hand.

James, a leader in the early church and brother to Jesus Christ, reminds us of this truth throughout his letter. In James 1:22-25, he urges us to be doers of the Word. Discipleship is more than mere profession. A true disciple is one who does what he has been taught to do.

If we are to be doers, we must search the Word diligently. We search the Word by reading (and rereading), studying, memorizing, and by seeking understanding. It has to be a continual, ongoing process. We must persevere in it. As we learn, we must put that knowledge into practice.

Genuine faith produces fruit. We call that fruit "good works." Our works do not save us, but they do demonstrate our salvation. Are you a doer of the Word?