Tuesday, 12 January 2021

To do good

 

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. – James 4.17

 

Many years ago I was in a chapel service at Bible College. It was in a building called Philips Chapel and the speaker (I decided not to name him) was ‘preaching' from this passage. He focused on that little phrase ‘to him that knows to do good and dodgy it not, to him it is sin.’

 

He went on to go through a whole list of pet issues of the day and used the passage to support any number of man made rules imposed on believers. That was a bit over the top, but there is a case for us to pay attention to sins of omission as much as sins of commission. It’s easy to think about sins we do, it’s a bit harder to remember the sins of not doing what we should.

 

Am I praying like I should? Am I caring for others like I should? Do I love like I should? Am I the kind of servant that I should and could be? Am I spending time in God’s word?

 

It is not a matter of all kinds of rules and regulations. It is a matter of obeying God not only in sins to avoid, but in doing the things I should do.

 

When I know the right thing to do and I don’t do it, it is sin. Full stop.

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