Compiled By: Lisa K Gonzales
Source: The Life Application Study Bible
22 “And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you do not obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23 For if you just listen and do not obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you keep looking steadily into GOD’s perfect law – the law that sets you free – and if you do what it says and do not forget what you heard, then GOD will bless you for doing it.” ~ James 1:22-25
It is important to listen to what GOD’s Word says, but it is much more important to obey it and to do what it says. We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes. Are we putting into action what we have studied?
It seems paradoxical that a law could give us freedom, but GOD’s law points out sin in us and gives us the opportunity to ask GOD’s forgiveness. – 7 “Well then, am I suggesting that the law of GOD is evil? Of course not! The law is not sinful, but it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “Do not covet”. 8 But sin took advantage of this law and aroused all kinds of forbidden desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.” – Romans 7:7-8 – As Christians, we are saved by GOD’s grace, and salvation frees us from sin’s control. As believers, we are free to live as GOD created us to live. Of course, this does not mean that we are free to do as we please. – “You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as GOD’s slaves.” – 1 Peter 2:16 – We are free from keeping the law as a way to earn salvation. However, we are still to obey, out of gratitude for our free salvation, the teachings of the Ten Commandments, for they are an expression of GOD’s will for us. We are now free to obey GOD.
Father, we do not always understand YOUR law and the freedom it gives us. Help us as we try to put into effect what we have studied in YOUR Word. We want to put into action what we have studied. We know that as Christians we are saved by grace and that obeying YOUR law alone does not save us. It is salvation that frees us from sin’s control. As true believers we are free to live as YOU have created us to live.
Photo: Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
Photo By: Lisa K Gonzales
Click on the photo to enlarge
