James 1:22-25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. (24) For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. (25) But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
The Christian faith is far more than simply hearing a message of salvation, saying a prayer of forgiveness, and going to heaven when you die. The Christian walk of faith is a process of continued sanctification day in and day out as we flesh out the word of God in our daily lives. James instructs us in these verses that one who simply hears the word of God and does not become a doer is deceived.
What is this deception he is talking about here? When one is simply a “professing” Christian, whose heart has not been transformed to a place of change that motivates to live out the word, they are deceived and their faith is in vain. As in the day James is writing this, there are many in our churches today whose religion is by name only.
One who goes to church week in and week out, reads his Bible on occasion, and never obeys what he hears and reads is like a man that looks into a mirror and forgets what he looks like when he walks away. Unfortunately, the inside of the church is looking more and more like the world. Pop-culture references rather than scripture references, movies and videos rather than testimonies and miracles, and people are not only deceived in the world, but decieved inside the church. James is reminding the true believer to look intently into the word of God. To search out the scriptures and remember what you see in them and live it out, not forgetting anything you see.
Looking into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevering in it is far more than spending a minute or two each day reading a few verses. This means that we are to continue in it. Not once or twice a day, not when we are in trouble and need the strength of the Lord, but moment by moment staying near to the word as to live it out continually. Living out the word, or being doers of it, gives us freedom. The perfect law of liberty is what guides and directs us. It is the perfect will of God in our lives that directs our conduct and allows us victory, or freedom, over the sins that entangle us. We are to yield to it and in so doing we will be blessed in all we do.
Being a doer of the word is not so we can earn our position with the Lord. It is a direct response to our lives being so intimate with Christ each moment of the day that we eventually begin to look like Him. We love others through good deeds, we speak with love and compassion, and we uphold the truth when there is compromise all around us. James writes to the people of his day and to us today in order for us to grow up in our faith. It is an encouragement to stop sitting on the side lines watching the world go straight to hell, but to be a doer of the word with a life filled with good works that will bring glory to God and direct men and women to the only One that can offer them salvation.
Prayer
Lord, help me to be so intimate with the word that when I walk away from it my life reflects you. I want to step out in faith today and do all that you have commanded me to do. Help me to put away the things that hinder me from serving you with all my heart, soul, and mind. Amen