Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 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
One of my very favorite verses in all of the Scriptures is verse 22, and I can’t help but notice that it’s almost never quoted outside of a study of James; not even by me! I really love this verse because it just brushes past all the arguments and excuses and comes right down to the bottom line: Do what it says!
We aren’t just to read the Word, we’re supposed to follow the Word, just like we aren’t just supposed to be in Christ, we are supposed to follow Him. So simple, yet so seldom done. If we just read it, we deceive ourselves because we get the idea that everything is great, after all, I read my Bible today. Then what do we do, go out and do what everybody else does? In the immortal words of Chef Gordon Ramsey, “That’s not good enough!”
James follows with an interesting illustration, that of someone looking into a mirror, seeing their face and then forgetting what they looked like. Hearing the Word and not following it is pretty much a waste, for we are to put it into effect in our lives. Even better, James tells us exactly what he means.
We are to gaze at the “perfect law that gives freedom” intently, and then act accordingly. To fully comprehend James’ instruction, all we need to do is to know what he means by “perfect law that gives freedom.” I think Jesus can help us out here:
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-30
James is talking about putting our love of God and of one another into action; if we do , we will be blessed in everything that we do. What a simply amazing little passage, so simple, so clear.
What holds us back?
Life Project Blog 
The world holds us back. Because we let it. What would people think after all? If we didnt do and act the way everyone else does?
Its a brave soul that truly follows Him. Its a blessed soul.
You’re so right, “Because we let it.” When I’m really honest with myself, I realize this is a dumb thing to do for ‘greater is He who is in me than he who is on the world.”
Amen!
I need to keep this in the front of my mind all the time. It is so easy to just read the Bible and move on without really meditating on it and then doing it. Thanks for sharing!
Well Tom, I’m right there with you!
Thanks for the post. Good message to start my day. Keep it goodly and Godly.
Thank you Jeffrey!
On that podcast via LM today – the “bible and church” being enough for a christian life was compared to us living our human lives by saying “I breathe really well, and my heart beats beautifully” – job done! All of would scoff at that being enough.
Lovely words Don. There is a synergy in the air.
Thank you Paul… I think you’re right about that
Just wanted to let you know…I look forward to your posts!
Thanks! 🙂
When I think about looking in a mirror, it reminds me of thinking about how I want others to treat me, somehow. When I think about forgetting what I look like, it reminds me of forgetting how I should treat others the way I want to be treated.
Good stuff, I like that!
The world holds us back but even more, we hold ourselves back! The world may try to force us to do differently but in reality the choice is ours. Thanks for this post and the wisdom and common sense in it,
The world rarely really forces us, more like we’d rather ‘go along’. So you are right Elaine, the choice is ours in the end!
Wow! What an Amazing Post…In all Honesty,This is Something that really hurts because we are living in Times where people are More of “Talkers” than “doers” of The word. People now live “Double~standard “Lives. And that is dangerous, You cannot be torn between two worlds, You need to decide whether you choose life or Death.You can’t have two bites of the Cherry James 1:8 “Such a man is double~minded and unstable in all his ways”. 1 question “Do your actions Glorify The God You serve?”
Well said and thank you so much for saying it! We must decide… Awesome!
I remember the old commercial for Nike that said just do it. I never did watch much television but I do remember that commercial. I always thought of verse 22 when I did see it.
I remember those too; pretty much sums it up I’d say