What Does Being Learners of God’s Word Look Like?
Paul posed this question to the hypocritical Jew in Romans 2:21,
“You, therefore, who teach another; do you not teach yourself?”
I, for one, have to stop right here and ask myself, do you teach yourself? Lisa, are you listening?
It is easy to get caught up in teaching, guiding, and ministering and forget that we are apart of the learning and doing process. I am, at times, guilty of listening but not hearing and following through on the doing. James reminds us to be doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:22.
What about you? Are you learners of God’s word?
Believing Something That is Not True
The hypocritical Jew, in the context of Romans 2, is blind to the things of God. He believes something that is not true. The “I Got This” self-righteous mentality has taken him off the ancient path. Jeremiah 6:16.
Before Israel entered the Land of Promise, the Land given to them by God, a warning was issued to listen and perform all the statutes or laws assigned to them from God. If they did not listen and obey, judgment would follow—Deuteronomy chapter 4.
Agreeing But Not Heeding
I can read God’s word, listen to God’s word, and agree with it, but quickly move on. Israel did this very thing when Moses instructed them in the Land of Horeb before they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land. He spoke to them the blessings from the Lord for following and obeying His Word and the curses for not heeding the word of the Lord.
It is important to note that all the people said Amen! Deuteronomy chapters 27-28.
When we step into the role of a corrector, counselor, or instructor, we must be on our knees in confession and repentance, because none of us are guiltless. There are none righteous, no not one. Romans 3:10.
We all need to clean out our ears at times. Metaphorically, James tells us to clean out the crude in our ears and receive the word implanted. James 1:21. He is urging us to be learners of God’s word.
It is Able to Save Your Souls
The word of God is living and active. It teaches, trains, guides, and equips. It is able to save our souls. We prove our love and devotion to God not by merely doing His word but from a heart that loves Him and desires His glory, honor, and praise!
