Doer of the Word

In reflecting upon James 1-2 as well as some other Scripture passages recently covered in personal and public worship, I wrote a poetic short story featuring three characters. Can you tell my favorite book other than the Bible is Pilgrim’s Progress? Lately, I’ve enjoyed writing in a similar style to Bunyan’s classic book. As an intro to the story, I would like to highlight some verses from James:

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of 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. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! James 2:17-19

A dead man rose from the ground. He thought he lived until he rose and realized he'd been dead. In the man, new life was wrought. He cried out: “Lord have mercy on me a sinner.” At the cross, he was washed and given a change of clothes. Filthy rags were traded for a very fine robe (Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 61:10.) Praises burst forth from his heart, and escaped his mouth: “”let the redeemed of the Lord say so (Psalm 107:2)”- Praise God! I’m a sinner set free!””

As the man walked on the path his feet had been set, he was polished and refined. He looked in the mirror and saw a sickly sort. Grieved, he called upon the Great Physician. In the man’s heart, death crouched, desiring to reign, desiring to pull the man back into his grave. Death’s strivings to rule his heart were to no avail.  The One that had set the man free from the grave had conquered death. It was finished. The man’s heart was soft to the One who was molding him like clay, into the image of Christ. Though the man’s love for the Lord was weak, the Lord’s love toward his son was strong. The man obeyed the command “go and sin no more. (John 8:11)” Onward the man went, he looked not back toward his grave desiring the comforts of a soft bed of earth. Rather he went on with feet swollen and sore toward the Land where his treasure, his LORD sits exalted on his throne. This is not to say the man never sinned. He sinned frequently but his sin he hated and strove to kill as he walked along the way. Because he was first loved, the man loved God and others. The man did many a good work as he walked the pilgrim way. Though not by his own accord, ‘twas the workings of grace in a Spirit led life.

Another fellow spent his life doing as he pleased. He slept unperturbed in his grave. He thought it not important to walk along the pilgrim way. He thought he’d eat, drink, and be merry as he succumbed to sin. Grace, he imagined was a ticket to sin as he pleased, rather than a gift of freedom. He looked in the mirror and saw a sickly sort but as soon as his eyes from the mirror removed, he forgot. He did not cast his sin away, hating what the Lord abhorred. Instead he loved vain pleasure, and cared not that he was sick within. His illness did not bother him. He drank from the bitter cup of sin which blinded him to his condition. He acknowledged the Physician for good measure but cried not out for healing.

A woman spent her life rigorously following rules. She banked her hope on her wonderful works. She imagined she’d kept herself along the way. She walked with pride and confidence. Her path was set about by high fences that separated her from anything that may contaminate her as she walked. Good gifts were despised as she thought their use not wise. She looked in the mirror and saw that she was the best class of human, and that by the sweat of her brow. She had no need of the Physician. She was sure she was quite well, though indeed she was dead and lay in a grave. The face in the mirror, a corpse.

True faith is not dormant. God works in us to bring forth good fruit (Mark 4:20, John 15:1-6.) Works do not save us. God died on the tree to save his people. On the third day he rose again and ascended to heaven shortly after. God gives us the gift of faith and brings us to repentance. God will never cast out a repentant sinner who calls out for mercy (John 6:37.) Redeemed sinners have eternal life in Christ and are set free from death and sin (Romans 8:2.) A repentant sinner turns more and more from his or her sin as they are sanctified. By God’s grace, they become more like Jesus and the desires of their heart and actions are driven by a love for God and neighbors. I have included a portion of the “Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter XV: Of Repentance unto Life” below. It is an excellent summary of repentance.  Please visit http://www.reformed.org to read the whole chapter and to read Scriptural proof texts. The proof texts are shown if you click on the numerical links, (listed in red,) in the chapter. 

I. Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the Gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.

II. By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.

III. Although repentance is not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God's free grace in Christ, yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.

IV. As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.

I would also like to share a poem by Joseph Hart which illustrates God’s work in the life of a believer, enabling the believer to cling to Christ in faith as the believer strives for holiness of life. The believer sees his or her weakness and many sins but trusts in God’s work on the cross for Salvation and is sanctified by God’s hand.

A Dialogue Between a Believer and His Soul

Believer:

Come, my soul and let us try
For a little season,
Ev’ry burden to lay by;
Come and let us reason.

What is this that casts you down?
Who are those that grieve you?
Speak and let the worst be known;
Speaking may relieve thee.

Soul:
O, I sink beneath the load
Of my nature’s evil!
Full of enmity to God;
Captived by the devil!

Restless as the troubled seas,
Feeble, faint and fearful;
Plagued with ev’ry sore disease,
How can I be cheerful?

Believer:
Think on what thy Saviour bore
In the gloomy garden.
Sweating blood at every pore,
To procure thy pardon!

See him stretched upon the wood,
Bleeding, grieving, crying,
Suffering all the wrath of God,
Groaning, gasping, dying!

Soul:
This by faith I sometimes view,
And those views relieve me;
But my sins return anew;
These are they that grieve me.

O, I’m leprous, stinking, foul,
Quite throughout infected;
Have not I, if any soul,
Cause to be dejected?

Believer:
Think how loud thy dying Lord
Cried out, “It is finished!”
Treasure up that sacred word,
Whole and undiminished;

Doubt not he will carry on,
To its full perfection,
That good work he has begun;
Why, then, this dejection?

Soul:
Faith when void of works is dead;
This the Scriptures witness;
And what works have I to plead,
Who am all unfitness?

All my powers are depraved,
Blind, perverse, and filthy;
If from death I’m fully saved,
Why am I not healthy?

Believer:
Pore not on thyself too long,
Lest it sink thee lower;
Look to Jesus, kind as strong
Mercy joined with power;

Every work that thou must do,
Will thy gracious Saviour
For thee work, and in thee too,
Of his special favour.

Soul:
Jesus’ precious blood, once spilt,
I depend on solely,
To release and clear my guilt;
But I would be holy.

Believer:

He that bought thee on the cross
Can control thy nature;
Fully purge away thy dross;
Make thee a new creature.

Soul:
That he can I nothing doubt,
Be it but his pleasure.

Believer:
Though it be not done throughout,
May it not in measure?

Soul:
When that measure, far from great,
Still shall seem decreasing?

Believer:
Faint not then, but pray and wait,
Never, never ceasing.

Soul:
What when prayer meets no regard?

Believer:
Still repeat it often.

Soul:
But I feel myself so hard-

Believer:
Jesus will thee soften.

Soul:
But my enemies make head-

Believer:
Let them closer drive thee.

Soul:
But I’m cold, I’m dark, I’m dead-

Believer:
Jesus will revive thee.

And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Mark 2:16-17