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22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. ~ James 1:22-25
Today, we come back to James 1 where we have been for several days, and, rightfully so. James 1 is a testament to the depth of the Word of God. The Bible is the most popular book in the world despite a considerable amount of opposition waged against it. Unlike other religious texts, advocating good works to please an unreachable god, the Bible uniquely teaches that salvation is a gift from God that does not require human works.
The Bible reveals that Jesus is God and that He saves us through His death and resurrection. No other sacred book claims that its leader rose from the dead. The God of Scripture is not a far-off, uncaring god but the Creator of all things who is intimately involved in the lives of His creation.
In v.22 of today's text we read, " Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
In this chapter, James, one of the four half brothers of the Lord Jesus, gives a portrait of what it looks like to have biblical faith. In this chapter James provides certain tests that can enable us to know that we have real biblical faith in the God of the Bible. The first is how we respond to trials. The second is how we respond to temptation. A trial is simply a situation which God allows or brings into our lives to strengthen our dependence upon Him. And, with the trials, there always looms the temptation. The temptation there to get us to make a go at life without the influence of God on our souls.
Here in v.22, James provides the third test to determine whether our faith is biblical or not. And, that test is how we respond to the Word of God. The hearer of God's Word who is not a doer of the Word is deceived. Back in James 1:18, James reminded us we were born again through the Word of truth. The Word of God gave us new life. God used His Word to wake us up spiritually. How we respond to the Word of God is indicative of our spiritual state toward God.
When we seek God in the midst of our trials and temptations, He promises that we will receive His wisdom. And, once we have that wisdom, we will be able to recognize the genius of God's Word. And, to ignore His Word is plain dumb because the alternative leads to all sorts of destruction in our lives.
The word deceive means to reason beside or alongside. It means to be beside yourself. The mathematical use of this word, when it appears in mathematical terminology, outside of the Bible, means to miscalculate, to reckon wrongly. If we think just hearing God's Word is enough, we have made a gross miscalculation. We are self-deceived through this false reasoning.
In v.23-24 of today's text we read, "23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."
Now, in order to explain this deception, James develops a very graphic analogy in v.23-24. This man is like someone who looks carefully into a mirror, and as a result, he sees the details of his condition in the mirror. This word "looks" means to observe carefully. It doesn’t mean to take a casual glance. He comes to the Word of God which shows him his sin, and he gets distracted. He goes back to his life and he forgets what he saw. The message did not stick. His problem is he has not the wisdom of God guiding his sights.
In v.25 of today's text we read, "But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do."
The Greek word used here for "looks" literally means to stoop over, to bend down to examine something with care and precision. Here is a person who really gets into it, and really searches out the Word of God. The stooping implies a humbling of oneself, looking intently with great desire and effort at the mirror, wanting to discern what is revealed.
Our attitude when we come to the hearing of the Word of God is the key to everything. Preparing our hearts to receive the message from God and responding to it is the key to it all. And, what best prepares our hearts for God's Word is the wisdom of God which is garnered through our trials and temptations. Resisting the lure of turning away from God in those most difficult moments is the preparation we need to see the impact of His wisdom on our lives.
The law James speaks of here is not the Law of Moses which condemns. This law gives freedom to the believer in Christ because Christ has fulfilled the Law of Moses and has given to us His perfection. This law James speaks of does not get us into heaven, it gets heaven into us right now.
At the end of v.25 we read, "they will be blessed in what they do."
When we obey God's Word, we will access God's blessing. As a result of accepting life’s tests and temptations, as friends, we are prepared for God's wisdom and blessing. The pain brought on by interruptions and disappointments, by loss and failure, by accidents and disease, is the long and arduous road toward spiritual maturity. The blessing here is not garnered in the hearing, only, the blessing is garnered in the hearing and the doing. Countless people have given testimony around the world of freedom from substance abuse, destructive lifestyles, lying, and stealing, due to learning to be hearers and doers of God's Word.
