The focus of this week’s text from the Epistle of James is obedience to the Word of God. James issues a simple command: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). Unfortunately, the issue of self-deception has been a topic of concern within the church since the first century. There are many Christians–then and now–who read their Bibles, know their Bibles, quote their Bibles, teach their Bibles, preach their Bibles, yet do not obey their Bibles.
This Week’s Text: James 1:19-26
James uses a simple illustration with a mirror to highlight the problem. He compares those who merely hear the word to a person who looks intently into a mirror and carefully examines his or her face, only to turn away from the mirror and forget what they look like. In other words, a person could study his face in a mirror and then minutes later be shown a picture of himself and not be able to identify the person in the picture. That’s crazy, but that’s what James is pointing to when he puts his finger on this problem.
Jesus also talked about the problem of self-deception when he gave this familiar example:
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”– Matthew 7:24–27 (ESV)
Self-deception was a problem then and it is a problem today. How can you tell if you are caught up in the destructive sin of self-deception? It’s not difficult. James gives us the answer: “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:25).
Those who are not self-deceived are doers of the Word–they are obedient to the Word. In his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society, Eugene Peterson observes: “There is a great market for religious experience in our world; there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness.” The Apostle Paul compared the Christian life to a race (2 Tim. 4:7) and instructed us to discipline ourselves for godliness (1 Tim. 4:7).
As we wrestle with James’ practical instructions for living a holy life, be encouraged by the words of the writer to the Hebrews: “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
May God grant you the faith and the strength to be a doer of His Word–obedient to the commands and instructions for life and holiness within the pages of the Bible.–Chris Eller
This Week’s Core Virtue
The Bible (2 Timothy 3:16–17): We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God, and the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
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