But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25
James most likely wrote this epistle to believers scattered as a result of the unrest and persecution recorded in Acts ch.12. James, with his direct and often sharply incisive statements on wise living, reminiscent of the Book of Proverbs. Gives us practical emphasis, stressing not theoretical knowledge, but godly behavior. He wrote with a passionate desire for his readers to be uncompromisingly obedient to the Word of God. By the fact that here in our text, James calls professing believers to be “doers” rather than simply to do, emphasizes that their personality should be characterized in this manner. Deceiving yourselves—Literally “reasoning beside or alongside” as in “beside oneself ” This word was used in mathematics to refer to a miscalculation. Professing Christians who are content with only hearing the Word are finding out that they have made a serious miscalculation. The Book of James is known for a reference made in Ch. 2, “Faith without works is dead”. Meaning if we confess to be a Christian, it should show in our behavior of obedience and in the pursuit of doing good, and not in deceptive works of darkness. If not, then by the world’s standard of judgment, they see us as not what we say we are, and thus will not take heed to our testimony of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that can transform them from dead in their sins and trespasses to being made alive in Christ. And even more serious than that, use our lives of inconsistency as a reason of not becoming a Christian. Observing himself— A forceful Greek word meaning to look carefully and cautiously, as opposed to taking a casual glance. First century mirrors were not made of glass, but metallic, made of bronze, silver, or for the wealthy—gold. The metals were beaten flat and polished to high gloss, and the image they reflected was adequate but not perfect (1 Corinthians 13:12). Unless professing Christians act promptly after they hear the Word, they will forget the changes and improvements that their reflection showed them they need to make. Perfect law of liberty—In both OT and NT, God’s revealed and inerrant sufficiently comprehensive Word is called “law” (Psalm 19:7). The presence of His grace does not mean there is no moral law or code of conduct for believers to obey. Believers are enabled by the Spirit to keep it by daily presenting their bodies to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2) and have genuine freedom from sin. As the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer in Christ enables the principles of Scripture to be applied to the believer’s hearts, they are freed from sin’s bondage and enabled to obey God and give Him the glory (John 8:34-36).
Beloved friend, Jesus said, “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Those whom Jesus Christ liberates from the tyranny of sin and the bondage of legalism are really free. But Christians are still struggling with their freedom not only from sin, but the perception that their freedom isn’t really freedom because we haven’t paid the cost. A lie from Satan. But a truth from God is that Jesus paid the price for us, thus we’ve no need to worry over our redemption by God through Jesus Christ for us, just simply believe!
May the Lord bless your walk!
