SERMON: “Responding to God’s Word” (James 1:22–25)
“Responding to God’s Word” (James
1:22–25)
Series: “James:
True Faith Works” #8 Text: James 1:22–25
By: Shaun
Marksbury Date: December 1, 2024
Venue: Living
Water Baptist Church Occasion: PM Service
I.
Introduction
Many unbelievers complain about hypocrites in the
church. Many times, this is a disingenuous
complaint. Yet, there are a lot of
Christians who indeed say they believe one thing but practice another, with no
sign of remorse or repentance. I’m not
talking about those who strive in the Lord and sometimes fail, but those who actually
live two lives: one in church, and the other outside of it.
Sometimes, these can be seen around the Charismatic circuit,
where there are claims of big miracles and healings, but a scandal awaits in
the wings. There are popular televangelists
who have married multiple times, who have been guilty of various disqualifying sins
and crimes, and yet, they seem to have no remorse or introspection.
Jesus warned about this.
In Matthew 7:21–23, He said these frightening words: “Not everyone who
says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the
will of My Father who is in heaven will
enter. Many will say to Me on that
day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out
demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to
them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ ” He said that there are some who know about
His word, who can even claim miracles, but who never put it personally into
practice in their own lives. Of these, Jesus
says He never knew them.
James wanted the scattered Jewish Christians facing
persecution to remember to be doers of the Word, and we should seek the same
for ourselves. So, this evening, we’re
considering how to wisely respond to God’s Word. We’ll note three points — the command to practice
the word, the illustration of considering the word, and the blessing of abiding
in the word. Let’s consider the first of
those.
II.
First, the Command to Practice the Word (v. 22)
But prove
yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
James gives us a straightforward command. It’s translated “prove yourselves” here, but
don’t get the idea that this is talking about going out and showing people who you
are, like it’s a test or a contest. The LSB
here has a better translation: “become.” In fact, it carries the idea of continually
becoming doers of the Word. As the
MacArthur Study Bible notes, this command is not about isolated acts but about
a life characterized by obedience.[1]
This is a theme in the New Testament. Jesus contrasts those who just give lip
service rather than honoring what He has said, as we considered in Matthew 7:21–27. Similarly, in Luke 6:46, He asks: “Why do you
call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Jesus often highlighted the distinction
between mere hearing and true obedience.
This is what true hearing leads to — good and godly works. Of course, this isn’t condemning hearing. At this time, Scripture was often read publicly,
much as we do here, but many people didn’t have a copy of God’s Word; hearing God’s
Word was vital for Christian living. That’s
why we saw expository preaching is so important, where the preacher is reading
and explaining God’s Word to people rather than his own. Yet, Christians who aren’t putting the Word
they hear into action are wasting their time; we must all become expository
listeners of the Word so we can do what Scripture commands us.
This is part of what James meant in v. 21 when he says, “Therefore,
putting aside all filthiness and all
that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is
able to save your souls.” James is
telling us to put God’s Word into action.
This begins with receiving the message of Jesus Christ, repenting of sin
and trusting in Him for salvation. This
continues with ongoing repentance, finding and laying aside “all filthiness and
all that remains of wickedness,”
allowing God to sanctify us through the application of His Word to our lives.
James warns us that we must receive God’s Word. Merely listening to sermons or reading
Scripture without applying it is self-deceptive, so James emphasizes this by
saying that such individuals “delude themselves” (v. 22); you are “deceiving yourselves” (ESV, KJV, NKJV).
The Greek term used here conveys a false
reasoning, much like a mathematical miscalculation.[2] The danger lies in thinking that listening
alone fulfills our duty to God.
Self-deception is a serious danger in the Christian life. The Lord does not want us deceived. In Colossians 2:4, Paul writes, “I say
this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.” In this case, though, it’s not an outside
force prompting the deception, but we ourselves. This delusion is self-inflicted.
Those who hear the Word may think they are in the right, but
they fool themselves. Perhaps, as one study
says, “They might think that they could be saved by merely hearing God’s word.”
[3] Paul describes some as “always learning and
never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7). It is vital to put the Word into daily
practice, lest you lull yourself into spiritual lethargy and not even know it.
Let us resolve not to merely hear but to act on God’s Word,
ensuring that our faith is living and active.
But that requires a different perspective on the matter. So, James gives us an illustration in the
next few verses.
III.
Second, the Illustration of Considering the Word
(vv. 23–24)
For if anyone is a
hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural
face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has
immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
Mirrors in the ancient world were different than they are
today. In the ancient world, mirrors
were created by taking a piece of bronze or silver (or gold, if you were
wealthy), flattening it, and polishing it until it was sufficiently reflective.[4] Today, mirrors still use metal, coating a
sheet of glass with a thin layer of aluminum or silver. The result today is much more reflective, but
the need for mirrors have always produced innovation.
James uses the mirror to represent possible responses to the
word of God. In these verses, he gives a
negative illustration, demonstrating a mirror that is wasted on a person. A man who frequently looks and forgets might
as well not own a mirror, and a person who is a hearer of the word without
being a doer wastes his time.
There is an interesting word in the Greek here. The James switches from using the general
term for man and uses a specific term.
It might not mean anything, but this has lead to a few theories. One writer notes, “A woman would probably not
give just a cursory glance, and if she saw a flaw she would probably do what
she could to cover it or correct it.”[5] It’s not clear whether James means that, but
a person should act on what the mirror reveals.
This is especially true with the language of “looking”
rather than glancing in the mirror. If a
person glanced in the mirror and forgot, it might be more forgivable. The ESV
renders this, “looks intently,” and the NKJV, “observing.” The
man here does not simply glance at the mirror but stops and studies his
face.
Of course, we shouldn’t just glance at the word of God, but
if we’re going to look intently in it, we might as well utilize it. Reformed theologians have discussed the three
usages of the Law of God. The first use
of the law is pedagogical, a tutor showing us we’re unable to meet God’s
standards and our need for Christ (Gal. 3:24).
The second use is civil, restraining evil in society by acting as a
moral guide. The third is didactic,
serving as a rule of life for believers, guiding their sanctification and
obedience to God in gratitude for His grace.
Now, consider what James is saying. Just as the word of God demonstrates our depravity
and our need for Christ, it also instructs believers in how to live holy
lives. Paul echoes what James says in
Romans 2:13: “For it is not the hearers
of the Law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law will be
justified.” The word of God cannot be
ignored by believers. We dare not forget
our need for the gospel as we look at God’s Word, but nor should we ignore the
rest of the ways in which God’s Word is necessary and useful to us.
Consider how James puts this in v. 24. He says, “for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately
forgotten what kind of person he was.”
Again, he refers to the “kind
of person.” I thought this only referred
to seeing dirt on your face and forgetting to wash, and that’s partly
true. Scripture reveals our very nature,
calling us to repentance. However, if we
read the Bible and not do what it says by turning from sin to Christ in faith,
then we are like a person who looks in the mirror and can’t even remember what
color eyes we have! There is a
certain carelessness here, an inconsistent behavior with the care he showed
before the mirror. Considering the next
verse, part of the problem is that he leaves, but it is clear here that life
takes him away from where he needs to be.
The failure to act on what Scripture reveals is akin to
looking in a mirror and ignoring dirt on your face. We must not be like the man who forgets but
instead respond with repentance and obedience.
This should be aa continual process, as we consider next.
IV.
Third, the Blessing of Abiding in the Word (v.
25)
But one who looks
intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having
become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in
what he does.
James concludes with a promise here. Of course, he’s not giving a promise about looking
in the mirror, but looking intently[6] into
the perfect law which comes down from our perfect Lawgiver. Psalm 19:7 declares, “The law of the LORD is
perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the
simple,” and Paul called it “holy and righteous and good” (Rom. 7:12). Here, James includes all the word, the OT and
the gospel message.[7]
Those wondering how to not be a forgetful hearer find the
answer here. The phrase “looks intently”
not only parallels the mirror illustration, but also conveys the idea of
stooping. Just like the angels in
heaven stretch and bend over to see God’s grace at work in your lives (1 Pet.
1:12), your intent is the Scripture. The
difference here, though, is that the person does not stop studying the Word — he
remains beside it, not allowing Satan to steal it away or life to choke it
out. He is a good soil, if you will, a
person who receives the implanted Word.
This is where true freedom comes. James calls it the “law of liberty” because
it sets us free from sin’s bondage and enables us to live righteously. It may be interesting to hear the word “law”
applied to “freedom” or “liberty.” We
tend to think of laws and rules as restrictive of liberty, and James goes on to
say we will be judged by the law of liberty (2:12)!
Yet, the law is necessary for the establishment of true
freedom, for the world always operates according to nature whether we follow
God’s ways or not. For instance, Jesus
said that the truth sets us free (John 8:32), for lies bind us. In Romans 8:2, Scripture says, “For the law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and
of death.” On the other hand, Paul warns
that false brethren sneak in to spy out our liberty and return us to bondage (Gal.
2:4), which is why we must be on guard against people adding to Scripture and
imposing legalistic standards upon the church.
Peter says, “Act as free men,
and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God” (1 Pet. 2:16).
It is important for the Christian to remember two, seemingly
contradictory things: 1) we are no longer under law, and 2) we may not live
lawlessly. Jesus fulfilled the Law
perfectly on earth, and His righteousness is imputed to us. The Holy Spirit now helps us fulfill God’s
commands in our lives (Rom. 8:4). Since
we have true liberty in Christ, we can now obey Him (John 8:34–36). On the other hand, living lives in bondage to
sin apart from the word gives us no liberty.
This is where we should abide or remain. James uses this term, and its similar term
used often in the Book of John. The Lord
will help us to persevere in our
faith and make us effectual doers, but we can’t be forgetful hearers.
James assures us that the one who abides in the Word and
acts upon it will be blessed. Jesus
echoes this in John 13:17, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do
them.” There is a special blessing in
doing what the Lord has commanded, another beatitude, as in 1:12.
There are those, though, that seem to never experience
blessing from the Word of God they hear preached. Sometimes in these Southern Baptist churches
that have altar calls, among others, there will be certain persons who come
forward every week to get “resaved” or to “rededicate” their lives. These are people who experience no peace or
comfort in the Word because they never see it in action during the week. They spend the week in sin, and come back to
the altar again. If they placed their
trust in Christ to take care of their sins, however, and trusted that the Holy
Spirit would help them obey the commands of Scripture, then they would not be
forgetful hearers. But, you have to be
in the Word and applying it through the wisdom from above to see the kind of
blessedness and joy promised here.
Blessing comes not from hearing alone but from obedience. The Word becomes a source of joy and strength
as we align our lives with its truth. Let’s consider this as we close.
V.
Conclusion
There are those who encounter the Word, know it, and even
apply it sparingly in their lives. Jesus
warns, however, that these are not those who will go to heaven with Him, as we
considered in Matthew 7:24–27. There are those who have little or no concern
with personally being changed by the word; they only want external change. They are hearers but not does of the
word. If that describes you, then you
should talk to the Lord and ask Him to help you know that He knows you and will
work in your heart.
Heavenly wisdom leads you to pause and listen to the
Word. Don’t forget what you hear on
Sundays — the Bible is everywhere today, a mirror that’s always available for
your souls. Plan your day so you can
spend time stooped over Scripture, and then turn those verses over in your head
as you do your chores. Let us obey the
Word, becoming doers of it and not hearers only.
[1] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1928.
[2] Ibid.
[3] J. Harold Greenlee, An Exegetical Summary of James, 2nd ed., (Dallas, TX: SIL
International, 2008), 53.
[4] MacArthur, 1928.
[5] J. Ronald Blue, The
Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 1985, 2, 823.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Greenlee, 57.
