Are ‘in word and deed’ just ‘words’… or do they mean something to you. Is this how you try and live your life? Is it a standard by which you judge your words and actions? Do you remember that those words come from scripture? Colossians 3:17
“Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” [emphasis, mine]
Do any of us do/are doing our words/actions based on the ‘everything’ and ‘whatever’ in verse 17 says? Do we do ‘everything’ in the name of the Lord? Do we give thanks? And do we do both in Jesus’ name? These is not an idle questions. Then again, nothing in scripture is idle – it is a standard, how we should go about doing our doing. It’s also incredibly specific. Word. Deed. Everything. In the name of the Lord. Giving thanks.
Perhaps this may be part of the reason there is scripture that tells us that we will give an accounting of every idle word we speak [Matthew 12:36]. I don’t know about you, but that makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I know I say, too often, unthinkingly. However, the scripture does guide and keep me. It also tells me I have no excuse when I speak unthinkingly. I think that if I focus on my speaking … in the name of the Lord, it does cause me to pause. That’s not censorship. James 1:19 can be our guide.
“Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving];…”
1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us to do all to the glory of God. This too should be a mindset. Remember, we are never asked (in/by scripture) to do something we can’t do. Nor are we told to do it in/from our own strength. The Lord was well aware that it was crucial that we abide in Him (John 15) and that He would help us to be fruitful.
Knowing the Word is our foundation from which we speak and act and I believe ‘the end’ is seen in our actions – as stated in James 1:22
“But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].”
Remember the parable of the sower. We never want to be those who hear and then we allow the devil to steal the Word, nor do we want to be those who allow the cares of the world to snatch the Word from us, nor be those who allow anything or anyone to destroy our foundation.
This is what in Word and Deed means… doing. Are we doers of the word? Are we actively and continually obeying God’s precepts? Probably not. the Word tells us that we are not able to do this and if we miss even 1 part, we are guilty pf breaking all the law. However, and this a huge however, Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament and give us a New one in the process. How will we respond?
