Today’s post concludes the treatment of James 1:22-25 and is obtained from our verse-by-verse study of the Book Of James.
“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:25)
The word “looks” is in the active voice and conveys the idea of continual action, looking intently, endeavoring to get a good, thorough look. It is “to stoop down and look into.” It’s the same word used in John’s Gospel, where John writes about his visiting the empty tomb of Jesus and stooping down and looking into the tomb (John 20:5).
So James says that if we “look into the perfect law of liberty (the Word which sets us free),” and we don’t forget what we read but actually do what it says, then we will be blessed in what we do.
How easy it is to be a “forgetful hearer!” You can hear the Word in worship or Bible study and then walk out of the classroom or the sanctuary, immediately forgetting what you’ve heard. Too often, the conversation centers upon sports, the weather, or what we will eat.
Unless we are disciplined to remember what we have read—by reflecting upon it and putting it into action—we will be a “forgetful hearer.”
For example…
- If you recently read that Jesus says, “Love your enemies,” don’t forget it when someone hurts you this week.
- If you have read where Paul says, “Forgive as you’ve been forgiven,” then remember that when a loved one breaks your heart.
- Perhaps you have read recently that the Bible says, “God loves a cheerful giver,” then remember that the next time you write out a check.
Of course, we are more likely to remember biblical teaching when we spend time reading the Bible.
Here’s a practical question: Do you believe everything you see on television? Or on the internet? Or in the newspaper? My guess is that you would answer in the negative.
On the other hand, what if I asked, “Do you believe everything you read in the Bible?” Most evangelicals would answer in the positive: “Yes! I absolutely believe everything I read in the Bible.”
If so, here is the follow-up question: “Do you spend more time reading things you don’t believe or reading things you do believe?”
It’s a fair question, isn’t it? Many of us believe the Bible to be absolutely trustworthy in everything it teaches. We believe the Bible to be inerrant, free from error, and incapable of being disproven. Yet, how much time do we spend reading this powerful book, especially given the time we spend reading other books or sitting in front of screens?
Reading the Bible is one of the main ways we can grow and have a meaningful relationship with God, the ultimate author of the Bible. Think of it: the Bible is the only book whose author is with us every time we read it!
We grow in our Christian walk by letting God speak to us. That means we allow him to correct us as well as encourage us. Just as a marriage thrives when each spouse is free to communicate everything—the good, the bad, and the ugly—our relationship with God thrives when we allow Him to share everything with us. If we only read certain parts of the Bible and skip over difficult passages, we are like a controlling spouse who “shuts down” the one he loves when hearing the truth becomes too painful. However, our relationship with God matures and deepens when we allow God to address us in our sin.
Allow the Bible to speak to you! Allow the Bible to “call you out” on your behavior. Then, correct that errant behavior by doing what the Bible says. If you do this, James promises we will be blessed in return.
We’ve noted before that James frequently echoes the teachings of his half-brother Jesus. Jesus talks about being a “doer” of the Word and not merely a “hearer.” Listen to how He concludes the famous “Sermon on the Mount.”
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24-27).
Don’t be a forgetful hearer of the Word. Do what it says!
What About You?
- Are there places in the Bible you’d rather not read because they address behaviors you are unwilling to change?
- Why do you think James refers to the Bible as “the perfect law of liberty?”
- What can you do this week to keep from becoming a “forgetful hearer” of the Word?
**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 52-54, available on Amazon.
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