Someone once wrote that we should read the Bible like we read a love letter. We should dig deeply for the truths that it contains. The idea here is not that we merely glance at God’s word but that we gaze right into it. In other words, we are to examine the word. James is talking about someone who looks intently. “one looking into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it.” James gives us three ways to be submissive to God’s word. 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.” (v 22-25) 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. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. We will never be able to receive the full benefit from God’s word that we need until we spring clean our lives. James tells us to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent”. God cannot speak to us when we hold these attitudes in our hearts. Different forms of anger are all barriers to communication. “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires”. Our minds can be elsewhere, and sometimes we are like that with God. When God was giving out body parts, he gave us two ears but only one mouth!

You can’t be an effective listener if you are doing all the talking. We have to concentrate on the attitude of our heart in hearing the facts. The reality is that we can physically hear His Word with our ears but not really hear it in our hearts. James is not just talking about physically hearing the words, but listening for what God has to say to us.

James gives us four guidelines we need to model. We must cultivate a heart and life that welcomes the Word James tells us to “humbly accept the word planted in you.” “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” (v19.) James says (v23-4) “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” The view we get is not what we think based on our experiences or what others think based on their observations of us, it is how God sees us. The word of God is a moral mirror which the Holy Spirit uses to enable us to see ourselves as we really are. James in this portion of scripture is talking about a moral mirror. The problem with mirrors is that they are totally honest Listening and doing – Reading: James 1:19-27

Sermon series – Selections from the Book of JamesĢ.

Book of james study outline