(for not the hearers of the law are just with God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
Truth to Learn
God wants us to be doers, not just hearers.
Behind the Words
The word translated “hearers” is akroatēs. There is another Greek word, akouō, which means “to hear with attention,” that is, “to listen.” But the word that we have in the current verse, akroatēs, means “to listen to something for pleasure, such as a piece recited or sung.”
“Just” is from the Greek word dikaios, an adjective that means “righteous, just, or one who conforms to all the rules.”
Meaning Explained
In the past seven verses Paul has described the judgment that will be meted out to the just and the unjust, the righteous and the unrighteous, independent of who their ancestors were and independent of what they look like because God is not a respecter of outward appearance. He also told us that those who have sinned without the law will perish without the law and those who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law.
Now he makes his next great statement: it’s not the hearers that will be saved (justified before God) but the doers of the Law. These Roman Christians apparently took delight in hearing the Scriptures being read to them. But, it doesn’t matter if you hear the law being read every weekend as these Roman Jews have for years. And it’s not the ones who have been reading their Bibles every day for years who will be justified before God. We are not commanded to read our Bibles or even to listen to good sound doctrinal teaching. We are told to put the teaching into practice.
If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
We are admonished in a number of passages in the Bible regarding the importance of doing rather than simply hearing. Here are some of them:
But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22)
Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. (Matthew 7:21)
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. (Matthew 7:24)
Whoever comes to Me and hears My Words, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like. (Luke 6:47)
And you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Jehovah. (Leviticus 18:5)
Application
It’s amazing how many times we are admonished to put action to our faith. Clearly, it is important for us to be reading and studying our Bibles every day in order to learn the truths that God has for us. But reading and studying alone are not good enough.
We’re not commanded to read the words and talk the talk.
We’re commanded to read the words and walk the walk!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved