After teaching the parable of the Good Samaritan, (Lk. 10:25-36), Jesus asked, “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” The lawyer said: “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, Go and do likewise.” (v. 37). Jesus’ call to action is a reminder of an important Bible principle i. e., after learning the truth, we must put it into practice. As someone once said: “Jesus’ teaching was not merely to ‘inform’ people, but to ‘transform’ people!” James 1:22-25 also teaches that principle. “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.” This clearly teaches us to “be doers of the word and not hearers only.”

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Jesus also said: “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man…” (Matt. 7:24). To the Romans Paul said: “For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.” (Rom. 2:13).

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One who hears sustains a tremendous responsibility to translate into life the lessons which he learns. Actually, the Word has not been properly imbibed until it has become a part of one’s behavior. Therefore, it is essential that Bible believers realize, that merely knowing what Jesus taught isn’t enough. Neither is it enough to merely acknowledge the rightness of His teaching. We must actually apply His teaching to our daily lives by putting it into practice. Please remember: Not only must we hear and believe what Jesus teaches-we must also GO AND DO!” Think on these things.

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Dennis Abernathy