966. "Be Doers of the Word" (But What Is the "Word" in This Instance?)

Growing in Grace

James made a statement in his letter to the twelve Jewish tribes ... believed by most historians to be the earliest writing in the pages known as The New Testament. "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). This passage, along with what follows has a consistent but curious theme of externals, doing and works - and all under the topic of righteousness, salvation and justification. In Program 2 of this brief series, we continue to take a closer look at the entire context of what James said shortly before this (and after). Have you ever stopped and asked yourself what he meant by "the word?" Modern day believers may skim over it and think that James is telling us to be a doer of the Bible (whatever that means). But in order for these Jewish believers to be able to meet this goal of identifying as a "doer," it would have to be something specific that they were already familiar with ... and something they could see, hear and do - dare we say - something being read and heard in synagogues every week on the Sabbath.