James 1
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Acts 4
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
In James 1:21, 22 it speaks about being doers of God’s Word and again in Acts 4:13 the Pharisees noted that these men had been with Jesus. One man said that he had been visiting a mission and the thing that impresses him the most was not so much the preaching but that the people lived what they preached and that their lives spoke more than the preaching.
Another person said how disappointed he was. He had come to South Africa and the people that he stayed with didn’t take him anywhere and he wished he had stayed in Europe. After a while, however, the family he stayed with began to impress him. The way the husband and wife treated one another and the grandfather his grandchild was different and he realised that he himself had not once lost his temper which was usually his daily bread. This affected him greatly and he came wanting to find this life that he had observed amongst this family. He came to the Lord Jesus and felt that he had to cleanse his life. Thus it is not enough to know the truth and salvation; each person has to live what they confess.
Being doers of God’s Word is clearly seen in Peter and John’s lives. The Pharisees marvelled at these untrained men and then took note of the fact that they had been with Jesus. The Pharisees, however, formed a complete contrast to Peter and John. Jesus said of them that they were white-washed tombs, clean on the outside but full of iniquity on the inside. If we live a lie, we will go against the truth and find fault with those who preach the truth. If we accuse other people, we must know that we are ten times worse.
Once there was an elder of a church. He was well liked and did all his duties. One day he went to the minister and told him how someone had stolen his golden umbrella. The minister then advised him to arrange a big feast and invite his family. In the middle of the feast he should then take the Bible and read the ten commandments and watch the people closely. In that way he might discover the thief. The elder did as the minister had advised him. While he was reading the Commandments, he came to the commandment that said that thou shalt not commit adultery. Suddenly he bowed his head as he remembered that he had left his golden umbrella at a prostitute’s house. He had accused everyone else and the guilty one had been himself.
The lives we live must bear witness to what we preach and people must see in us that we have been with Jesus and express the beauty of His holiness.