James 1:22, 25

NASB	NLT	VOICE
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves	22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.	22 Put the word into action. If you think hearing is what matters most, you are going to find you have been deceived.
25 But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.	25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.	25 However, it is possible to open your eyes and take in the beautiful, perfect truth found in God’s law of liberty and live by it. If you pursue that path and actually do what God has commanded, then you will avoid the many distractions that lead to an amnesia of all true things and you will be blessed.

Hearing vs. Doing

In Jewish tradition, the Shema calls for hearing and doing. The call to be “doers” aligns with what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. The Greek term for doers (poiētai) describes someone in a continuous, habitual action showing that faith must manifest in our everyday life. In the Greco-Roman world, rhetoric and listening were highly valued, but James warns against the passive reception of the world. The early church faced challenges with believers who professed their faith without acting it out. Otherwise, we run into self-deception. The Greek word for deceiving (paralogizomai) implies a false reasoning or miscalculation. Jesus called out the Laodicean church for being blind to its own spiritual state. We need to look at our faith, to see if it’s an authentic state through Jesus. 

Not Listening Properly

Merely listening to God’s teaching without acting on it leads to a deceptive mind-set. There is a false narrative when we take the Bible at its face value without learning its context and applicative purposes leads us down a rabbit hole of false teaching. Is there scripture that’s listed that we can read and apply at face value? Absolutely. However, when we’re not reflecting on Scripture to see how we can align our lives to its teaching, it’s pointless. James believed that being a doer of God’s word is something that happens every day. It’s developing habits to learn about God’s teaching and reflect on how we can apply it. I believe we’re running into situations where people will read Scripture as it is and misinterpret how it was applied then and what we’re going to take away from it for our lives today. This, in my opinion, is what we’re running into when it comes to self-deception. People will utilize different Scriptures for their own agendas and beliefs rather than aligning their beliefs with different Scriptures. Let’s make sure we are listening and acting out God’s will as a healthy response to our faith. 

Listening and Doing Leads to Freedom

The “perfect law of freedom” describes the Gospel, which frees believers from the bondage of sin. In the context of James, this law is not a legalistic set of rules, but it’s a guide to live our lives in a way that reflects Christ’s teaching. This should be something we do every day. As I’ve talked about, it’s not enough to just look at the Scriptures. We are called to persist in our study and application of them. It’s embracing a lifestyle of discipleship and commitment to spiritual growth. The cultural context of the time placed a strong focus on oral tradition and memory, showing that forgetting Scripture is highly significant. Jesus shows how the Word can be taken away if we don’t properly receive and remember it. (see the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:19-23) We are called to internalize what Scripture teaches, similar to how the Israelites were instructed to do that in Deuteronomy 6:6-9. James constantly talks about how faith without works is dead. The effective doer doesn’t only hear the Word, but also puts it into practice. It’s a healthy response to our genuine faith and a sign that true beliefs result in transformed behavior. This blessing is not necessarily material but involves spiritual prosperity and fulfillment. This assurance serves as our motivation for Christians to live out our faith actively and consistently, trusting in God’s faithfulness to reward those who ultimately follow Him. 

Importance of Internalizing Scripture

Being a “forgetful hearer” implies neglecting to internalize and act upon God’s Word. This is typically a teaching for most Sunday School teachers, youth leaders, small-group leaders, and pastors: memorize Scripture. Not just John 11:35, but internalizing the teachings of Jesus that help us apply His principles to our everyday life. When I was working in the Youth Ministry, my go to verse was 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (ESV) This was the foundation of how I operated. I started Youth Ministry when I was 20, and have not worked in Youth Ministry since I was 28. It was difficult for me to embrace my leadership capabilities because I grew up taught to respect my elders, and “telling them what to do” felt counter-intuitive. Yet the more I embrace my leadership role, and matured over the years, the change found in me was massive. People that were at the church all during my tenure commented often about how much I grew up during that time. I got to learn a lot about how to operate as a Christian, a mentor, a leader, a friend, and as the hands and feet of God. Embracing my need to rest with Matthew 11:28-30, managing my anxiety with Philippians 4:6-7, and learning how to be the person God created me to be through Galatians 5:22-23. As an early Christian, I was taking everything intellectually, but over time – I put God’s word into actions and life has not been the same. 

Reflection Questions

Above all, remember this: I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions.

1. What is one thing you do everyday to grow in your walk with God?
2. What is one Scripture you remember by heart? What circumstances have you needed to remember it by? 
3. How does the blessing of spiritual prosperity and fulfillment motivate you to become the hands and feet of God?

Call to Action

Read Romans 2:13. Thank God for his principles and commands that help us navigate our life. Ask God for clarity on the commands that you don’t fully understand, comprehend, or feel comfortable with. See how God can guide you and strengthen you in different ways of being stronger in His Command.

Next part: Beacons of Hope || Who Am I Again? || Part 16