Category Archives: Hearer

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Attention, Bible, Hearer, Hearing, Hebrews, Listening, Scripture

PAY ATTENTION

HEBREWS 2:1

“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.”

When I was in school, my teachers were quite regularly saying to me, “Mr. Willis, please pay attention!” My mind wandered a lot. I didn’t have ADHD (that was pretty much unheard of back then), but I did get bored easily in class. When I became a Christian in 1977, my attention changed dramatically. The teachers were shocked at the difference in my attitude and my grades. The word in today’s verse for “pay much closer attention” fit me perfectly back then.

The Greek word is prosechó which means “to pay attention, to give heed, to be cautious, to devote oneself.” (Lexical Summary). It comes from two Greek words, pros (toward) and echo (to hold). Figuratively it means to hold your mind towards something. The writer of Hebrews makes the transition from discussing Jesus with “for this reason” and then tells us what to do. He basically says, “Listen closely so you won’t slip away.”

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Well, this is a no brainer! There is certainly a clear Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid and an Application to make. We are told exactly what we should do. There is another little word here that is interesting. The Greek word dei is there before prosechó. It means behoove, ought to, should. In other words, we are told it behooves us to pay very close attention to what we have heard. Don’t fake your attention. Press the mute button on all the distractions.

The Promise to Claim is if we do that, we won’t slip away. Allowing distractions in your life can only lead to backsliding or passivity. Your salvation was expensive. It cost Jesus His physical life. Don’t cheapen His grace by getting busy with temporal things. Pay attention to the eternal. That’s the Application to Make.

Finally, the Sin to avoid is clearly implied. If we don’t pay attention, we will drift away. HELPS Word-studies has a great definition of the Greek word here. “Pararrhyéō (drift away from) only occurs in Heb 2:1 where it refers to going spiritually adrift – ‘sinning by slipping away’ (from God’s anchor). Pararrhyéō (gradually drift away) means to ‘lapse’ into spiritual defeat, describing how we slowly move away from our moorings in Christ.” Don’t let that happen to you! Pay attention to what you hear?

Help me, Lord, to pay close attention to Your Word and live by it.

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Bible, Doer, Hearer, Justified, Scripture

DOERS VS HEARERS

ROMANS 2:13

“for it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law who will be justified.”

Every parent has probably heard this from their child at some point when they ask them to do a chore. Yea, mom/dad, I hear you. I’ll get to it later. That is the not the response we want, is it? But have you ever thought about the fact that we do the same with God? We know what He wants us to do. We read the Word and may even hear Him clearly tell us to do something. But we are just like our kids. I hear You, Lord. I’ll pray about that.

Paul specifically identifies the “doers” as the one who will be justified in God’s eyes. There were a lot of “hearers” back in Paul’s day. The Gentiles talked about their gods and their idolatrous worship as if that was going to gain them anything. And the Jews talked about being the bearer of the law. They heard it and protected it. But all God wanted was obedience.

APPLICATION

James says something similar in James 1:22-25. “22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (KJV) Doing or hearing, that’s the decision we all have to make.

In Matthew 7:21 our Lord says, “‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.’” Just a bit later in verse 24-27, Jesus gives the parable of the house built on sand or stone as an example of one who does what he is told to do (also in Luke 6:47ff). You know that story. Take a look again and see what I mean.

So, are you a hearer or a doer? Will you simply read God’s Word and talk about how great it sounds, or will you actually do what it says? Remember, if God tells you to do something, He will give the ability to do it. Isn’t that the coolest? So, listen intently and then act. You will please the Father.

Lord, I thank You for clear directions through Your Word. Help me follow and do all Your commands.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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