Often, the word "doeth" is linked with believing in Jesus by faith. In the old covenant side, the word doeth is associated directly with the Law and the Ten Commandments, and the doeth as part of those instructions. When the Lord God came forth as a mighty man to become our Saviour on the cross, we see some cross over from the old when Jesus spoke to the Jews.
But after the cross, whereby the Lord God Himself became the perfect sacrifice for our sins, the doeth that was commanded in the old, should now come forth as a desire to do His will from our heart. In other words, there is an interesting transition taking place -- again, revealing that on the new testament side (the dispensation of grace in which we live today), the Lord has declared peace and good will to all, and from our hearts we should be singing and rejoicing continually, "Glory to God in the highest!" (Luke 2:14) But I digress, somewhat.
In the gospels, Jesus repeatedly preaches the Kingdom of God, and how we must believe on Him who was sent. We must "hear ye Him" -- Jesus -- for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23) But as we note from the gospels as well, many did not see or accept Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. The promised Christ that was spoken of by the prophets and psalmist from afore. In fact, those in high places desired to kill Jesus.
As we know, this did not stop Jesus from preaching the good news gospel to anyone who would listen, and those who (like Jesus' disciples) desired in their hearts to "follow Me!" We see this when Jesus is teaching specifically to His disciples on the mountain. He begins with the simple commands of life -- the beatitudes -- and how He -- Jesus has come to fulfill the Law. To make a new covenant with His beloved creation and thus making the first old. (Hebrews 8:13)
"And for this cause, He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance ... for where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator." (Hebrews 9:15-28)
So, here we find Jesus saying to His disciples on the mountain -- "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17)
Then Jesus continues by comparing the old teachings with the new and elaborating on how the new testament will differ from the old. In so doing, Jesus is revealing to His twelve disciples what new testament believers in Him by faith should look like, and how His disciples would become that "city on a hill" for Him. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Often, Jesus begins by elaborating on what not to do -- "For I say unto you -- that except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20) "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God -- for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes!" (Romans 10:3-4)
Then comes the doeth -- the instruction of how believers in Jesus by faith in this new testament side differ from those in the world. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time -- "Thou shalt not kill" and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you -- that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, "Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Matthew 5:20-25)
Herein, Jesus is changing the law in the first, from the laws written in stone to a new law that He has written in our hearts. From commandments in the old testament -- to faith in our hearts that our salvation might be "by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (Romans 4:16)
His abundance of love now extending far beyond the Israelites/Jews to the Gentiles, who God has concluded them "all" in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all. (Romans 11:30-36) "For this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." (Romans 11:27; Isaiah 27:9) The Lord Jesus Himself -- God becoming our Savior -- the Word made flesh -- in order to transition from the old into the new. This is why there is more than a blank page between the old and the new.
For "death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression -- who is the figure of Him that was to come ... for if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one -- Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:14-21)
Thus, herein, Jesus (in the gospels) is teaching about the "not" in the old before explaining the "doeth" that comes from desiring more of Him -- Jesus -- within our hearts.
For example, the not -- "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise, ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven" "Therefore, when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men." But rather, as Jesus so aptly points out -- "Verily, I say unto you -- they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thine left hand know what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly ..." (Matthew 6:1-4)
Continuing this instruction further, Jesus said, "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock ... And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand." (Matthew 7:24-26) For not everyone that saith unto Me, "Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
"Whosoever cometh to Me, and hears My sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like ... but he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." (Luke 6:47-49)
Why is the doeth so important? As Jesus said, "For every one that doeth evil hates the Light, neither comes to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth comes to the Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." (John 3:20-21)
Jesus confirmed that He is the Light of the world.
"There was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness to bear witness of that Light, that all [men] through Him might believe ... he was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that comes into the world. He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not, but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on His Name." (John 1:1-18)
What else is important? To come full circle, Jesus says, "For [there is] no man [that] doeth any thing in secret, [while] He Himself seeks to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world." (John 7:4)
In John 9, Jesus states, "As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." (John 9:5) There is a perfect example of this when the Jews did not believe concerning the man that Jesus healed, and received his sight. In that example, Jesus made clay and opened the man's eyes. The Jews even went so far as to question the man's parents, who referred them back to their son for his own testimony, "for the Jews had agreed already that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
But how does this healed man later respond to further questioning by the Jews, that included "Give God the praise: we know this man is a sinner." (John 9:24)
The man says, "Whether he be a sinner [or no], I know not:one thing I know that whereas I was blind, now I see." Then said they to him again, "What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already, and ye did not hear. Wherefore would ye hear it again? Will you also be His disciples?" Then they reviled him and said, "Thou are His disciple but we are Moses' disciple. We know that God spake unto Moses; as for this [fellow], we know not from whence He is."
The man answered and said unto them, "Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence He is, and yet He hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners, but if any man be a worshipper of God and does His will, him He hears. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God He could do nothing." (John 9:1-31)
When Jesus heard that they had cast this man out, "Does thou believe on the Son of God?" He answered and said, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on Him?" And Jesus said unto the man, "Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talks with thee." And he said. "Lord, I believe." And he worshipped Him. And Jesus said, "For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind." (John 9:35-39)
Other scriptures that confirm "doeth" with believing in Jesus by faith? That if any man be a worshipper of God and doeth His will that him He heareth?
Therefore, as Jesus said, "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwells in Me, He doeth the works." (John 14:10)
"And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them." (Galatians 3:12)
"Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free." (Ephesians 6:8) [Note: Jew or Gentile]
"And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abides for ever." (I John 2:17)
"If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." (I John 2:29)
"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous." (I John 3:7)
And finally, "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." (I John 3:10)
"Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God." (3 John 1:11)
Yes, in believing there is also a doeth but the doeth is not of works lest any man should boast, but rather the doeth is of thankfulness for the work that the Lord wroughts in us ... and this thankfulness comes from the heart. Stand in the offering plate.
