Theme: COMMENTARY ON JAMES CHAPTERS 1 – 2
Text: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. “- James 1:22-25.
Comment: Because there are so many people who profess the Christian faith but do not feel bound to keep the commandments of God, the Bible stresses the point now and again that those who know God are not just those who hear the word but those who do what they have heard. St. Paul stated: “for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” (Romans 2:13) Our Lord Jesus Christ told his mother and brethren, “…Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Matthew 12:49, 50. See also Luke 11:28) Those who do their own will inspite of knowledge they have will suffer worse punishment than those who err out of ignorance. St. Peter declared: “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.” – 2 Peter 2:20-22. See also James 4:17; Luke 12:47,48.