Woman Looking in a Mirror at the Ten Commandmentsby KandD
1:23James 1:23
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:
Hearing God's word without doing it is like looking at one's natural face in a mirror and going away and at once forgetting what was seen, gaining a brief sight of self that brings no lasting benefit unless it is remembered and obeyed. The mirror is God's holy law, the perfect law of liberty and great moral standard of character, which is also His Word and gospel revealing the divine attributes to be reflected in life. It acts as a moral looking-glass that tells the truth about a person as God sees him, exposing defects of character, hidden motives and true spiritual condition by comparison with God's standard. To be only a hearer is to deceive oneself, for profession, church membership, knowledge of truth and feeling under preaching have no saving value if character remains unchanged and the truth is not lived. The law gives knowledge of sin and condemnation but has no power to pardon or cleanse, so seeing sin in the mirror must drive the sinner in repentance and faith to Christ, whose blood alone pardons and whose likeness transforms the heart to become a doer. The opposite of forgetful hearing is looking into the perfect law of liberty and continuing in it as a doer of the work, daily examining self to remove one's own defects, bridling the tongue, keeping unspotted from the world, helping the needy, and keeping the commandments, and this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Mirror Picture Explained
To hear the word without obeying it is to look at one's natural face in a mirror and then go away and straightway forget what manner of man one was, with hearing alone giving no self-understanding and no changed life. Such hearing without doing is self-deception, belonging to the command to lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and selfishness and to receive with meekness the implanted, engrafted word which is able to save souls. The opposite is to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only, to look into the perfect law of liberty and continue in it as a doer of the work and not a forgetful hearer, so as to be blessed in deed. True religion so proved bridles the tongue lest religion be vain, practices pure and undefiled religion before God by visiting the fatherless and widows in affliction and keeping oneself unspotted from the world, gives needful food and clothing to the naked and destitute, departs from all iniquity, enmity and unruly speech, is swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath, and shows faith by works because faith without works is dead.
The word is a moral looking-glass and moral mirror that reveals defects of character by comparing conduct, words, spirit, thoughts and actions with God's standard and with the Word of God. The law of God is that great moral looking-glass and moral standard of character, and the work of comparison must first be done in one's own heart. The hearer who does not act on its message fails to retain the impression, does not recognize or correct his defects, does not reform, and continues unreformed in his own way rather than God's way. Merely seeing faults is not enough, for those brought to the truth must make thorough reform and keep responsibility awake, otherwise they forget what the law showed and lapse into even greater carelessness.
A brief sight of self from mere hearing is useless unless followed by doing, bringing no benefit and leaving the person no better morally or spiritually for having heard. The mirror reveals defects that need correcting and reformation that is needed, but the mere hearer does not look closely enough to see them, and though many things are set before him he straightway forgets what manner of man he was and what the mirror showed. Knowing and believing the truth is vain unless the memory of the word is cultivated and the message is remembered, continually fed upon as the bread of life, since prayer seasons alone do not meet the soul's need. Without doing, the natural heart and temperament remain unsubdued, ability and talents lent for God's glory are wasted, religious life deteriorates, unused ability degenerates, and the soul is cut off from blessing.
The mirror tells the truth about a person as God sees him, accurately reflecting character, exposing a defective and distorted character and true spiritual condition, with God weighing actions and testing motives and character that may be hidden from others. Looking into it shows the character God does not commend and the lessons the Word could teach, and its message can be direct rather than flattering. Those who follow their own standards instead of the Bible fail to see their defects as they truly are, while seeing distortion in the Word should lead to contrition, casting off self-righteousness, humility, willingness to be corrected, self-examination by its light, and seeking grace to make character like the pattern shown. After seeing defects people must not forget what they learned about themselves but examine character, change ideas of self as Christ sees them, and see how unable they are to do Christ's work as guide and judge.
Mirror Is God's Law
The mirror in the verse is God's law, His holy law, the perfect law of liberty, the great moral standard of character that all who believe in Jesus are designed to obey. The word to be received with meekness as the engrafted word able to save the soul is to be looked into and continued in as this law with its binding claims, and those who profess to know and love God must reveal it not by pretension and assertion but by good works showing its power to keep from transgression. It reveals defects and sins of moral character and gives knowledge of sin so that hearers will not deceive themselves, and merely seeing faults is not enough but calls for thorough reform with a sense of responsibility kept awake lest what was shown be forgotten in even greater carelessness. When works show little conception of its requirements God is dishonored and His will is fallen far short of, with danger of being cut off in disobedience, for love of God is keeping His commandments which are not grievous, and the law of the Lord is perfect to convert the soul and make wise the simple so that whoever is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work shall be blessed in his deed.
That law is the representation and transcript of His character, holy, just and good. It is the ten-commandment moral law, the royal law, the only standard of righteousness by which life and character, thoughts and works are measured. It is the standard by which all will be judged in the last great day, established by Christ's death when only the ceremonial law of sacrificial offerings was done away. Looking into it shows how far short the hearer falls of meeting God's requirements and the exceeding sinfulness of sin, pronouncing him weighed in the balances and found wanting if he goes on in his own way after conviction without confessing wrong and making thorough restitution.
The mirror is also God's Word and the gospel, in which people see the divine attributes to be reflected in words and works. The love, honor, perfection, justice, goodness and benevolence seen in Christ show the kind of character God would have man form, and earnest study of the Word shows wherein daily life fails to reveal its principle. Looking into it should lead to putting selfishness away and revealing nobility of soul in works of righteousness, with the human will molded to the divine as the beholder keeps beholding God's glory revealed in Christ and is changed into Christ's likeness from day to day in gentleness, courtesy, kindness and helpfulness. Seen in this light the gospel reveals people to themselves as transgressors of God's law so that seeing sin leads to repentance and receiving Christ as personal Saviour.
Satan tries to induce men to believe God abolished His law so they will have no mirror in which to look and see what manner of person they are. Breaking or rejecting that mirror does not improve a person's condition, and the right response to its discovery of sin is to put sin and impurity away and do what is right rather than reject the law that reveals it, for cherished sins left unrepented close the way to heaven. Refusing to look, shielding from its holy light, or adopting the customs and practices of the world as the standard does not remove defects of character, especially failure to love neighbor as self and to carry out the claims of suffering humanity in daily life. Remaining willingly ignorant of its claims does not protect anyone from the penalty for violating it, and a person who acknowledges its claims and lives by its truth can receive moral power from God to live consistently rather than hypocritically and let good works lead others to glorify God.
Hearing Deceives Without Doing
To hear the word without doing it is to deceive oneself, keeping an inflated view of self with no genuine conversion or reformation. The hearer who is not a doer is like one who looks at his natural face in a mirror and goes away and straightway forgets what manner of man he was, gaining only a brief sight that leaves him unprepared to meet Christ. The command is to lay apart all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and selfishness and to receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save the soul, believing and appropriating it in deed rather than only hearing it. The opposite is to look into the perfect law of liberty, God's law with its binding claims, and to continue in it as a doer of the work and not a forgetful hearer, and this man shall be blessed in his deed. That doing is proved by being swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath, by bridling the tongue lest religion be vain, by departing from all iniquity, enmity against brethren and unruly speech, and by pure and undefiled religion before God in visiting the fatherless and widows in affliction, keeping oneself unspotted from the world, and giving needful food and clothing to the naked and destitute, because faith without works is dead. Those who profess to know and love God must let light shine not by pretension and assertion but by good works revealing that law and the power of Christ to keep from transgression, for the love of God is keeping His commandments and His commandments are not grievous, and when works show little conception of His requirements they dishonor God, fall far short of doing His will, and are in danger of being cut off in disobedience.
Profession of following Christ has no value if character remains unchanged, for the work is then superficial, self is retained, and the life works against God. Church membership, knowledge of truth, listening to preaching, sacred impressions felt while listening, emotional excitement, or adopting truth for personal advantage are worthless if the truth has no sanctifying influence and the life is not transformed into pure, unworldly benevolence with less of self and more of Jesus. Those who have received instruction must act on the light and are accountable to God if they reject or neglect it, and God rewards those who faithfully do His will without any needing to be forced or condemned into obedience. Hearing without practice leaves a person no better morally or spiritually for having heard, allows religious life to deteriorate and God-given ability unused to degenerate, and only those who do the word are justified before God, while mere theory without lived practice leaves a person lost.
The word is a faithful mirror that reveals defects of character, and neglecting it leaves sin and deformity present even when others can see them and the person at fault does not recognize them. Comparing character with God's requirements, especially His holy, just and good law, exposes how far one falls short when the search is earnest and honest, calling for heart and life to be brought into line with God's standard. Instead, those blinded by sin may refuse to examine the heart honestly, avoid self-examination, remain willingly ignorant of guilt, shield themselves from holy light, and twist Scripture to defend wrongdoing rather than turn from sin and become pure. Looking closely reveals deformities and spots, especially failure to love neighbor as self and to meet the claims of suffering humanity in daily life, and refusing to look or adopting the customs and practices of the world as the standard does not remove defects.
Merely seeing faults is not enough, for self-love and lack of principle keep a person from acting on known truth, and continued neglect can harden the conscience until truth loses its sanctifying influence. Those brought to the truth must make a thorough reform and keep the sense of responsibility awake, pressing truth upon the conscience in daily life, or they may forget what the law has shown and lapse into even greater carelessness. Failure to practice God's words is like building on sand and ends in a fall, while obedience is like building on rock, since what can be shaken will be shaken. Those with the Word brought home to mind and conscience occupy no neutral ground: they either live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God and are entitled to all the treasures of heaven, or they are only hearers and not doers whose foundation is sliding sand swept away by storm and tempest of temptation. Such hearers are the most guilty in proportion to light and knowledge not practiced, are regarded as most dangerous for careless disregard of the life and character of Christ, and by example lead others out of obedience, faith and rectitude, so that one man in office who is not in works a doer of the Word does incalculable evil, and the judgment shall sit and the books be opened upon him.
Law Leads Sinner to Christ
The law as mirror gives knowledge of sin by exposing moral deformity, guilt, frailty and depravity so the hearer will not deceive himself. It reaches even secret thoughts, purposes and motives, defines sin as transgression of the law, shows its exceeding sinfulness, and declares condemnation under its penalty with death as the portion of the transgressor. Its discovery of sin is a reason to put sin away, not to reject the law that reveals it, for cherished sins left unrepented close the way to heaven. Looking into the divine statutes discovers defects, reveals spots and deformities of character, especially failure to love neighbor as self and to meet the claims of suffering humanity, and no refusal to look, shielding from its holy light, or taking worldly custom as standard removes those defects.
The mirror reveals sin but provides no remedy, for in the law there are no saving properties and it has no power to pardon, cleanse, set right, help or save. It shows the perfection of a righteous character and enables discernment of defects in one's own, promises life to the obedient and declares death to the transgressor, yet cannot give strength to overcome or save from the penalty. The gospel alone frees from condemnation and defilement.
Seeing sin in the mirror must drive the sinner with godly sorrow, contrition and humiliation to repentance toward God whose law has been transgressed and to faith in Christ as atoning sacrifice. His blood alone pardons, justifies, cleanses and heals, washing in the fountain prepared by the Redeemer, claiming the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour as Advocate who takes sins and imputes His righteousness, and as Great Physician who heals wounds sin has made. He becomes sanctification and righteousness and redemption, opening the way out of bondage and giving power to obey, so the sinner must face defects rather than turn away, forget, despair, claim guiltlessness while disobeying, or reject what exposes fault. Mere human effort, emotional excitement, or outward reformation cannot bring radical change; Christ came to save from sins not in sins, and genuine conversion comes by conviction followed by acceptance of His atoning blood as the only hope.
Right looking brings shame, distress, humiliation and abhorrence of self and then leads to looking to Jesus and beholding His perfection. Blind eyes must be anointed with heavenly eyesalve, with a broken heart, the new birth and entire reformation, giving up habits that hold the soul in bondage and vicious practices that dwarf and pollute the soul-temple. Through repentance, faith and grace the heart is transformed and renewed, the moral nature renewed, the mind and spirit changed with every capacity of soul and body brought into submission to Christ, evidenced by outward deportment corresponding with profession. By constantly beholding God's glory revealed in Christ the character is changed into Christ's likeness, the human will molded to the divine, and the believer is justified, enabled by divine grace to obey the commandments, put away sin, and become a doer beginning a new purer life.
Obedience Verse Demands
James 1:23 stands within the command to lay apart all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and selfishness and evil, and to receive with meekness the engrafted or implanted word which is able to save the soul. Hearing must become doing, for to hear the word of truth and not do it is to deceive oneself. The word must be believed and appropriated and obeyed in deed rather than only heard, after evil is put away and the soul-saving word is meekly received and then obeyed in life. Those who profess to know and love God must let light shine not by pretension and assertion but by good works revealing His law and the power of Christ to keep from transgression, for love of God is keeping His commandments and His commandments are not grievous. The law of the Lord is perfect to convert the soul and make wise the simple, and doing the word keeps the heart pure so the soul can see God, delights to behold God in Christ Jesus and is changed into His image by asking how Jesus would act under the same circumstances and conforming conduct to His example, for without holiness no one will see God.
The opposite of forgetful hearing is looking into the perfect law of liberty and continuing in it as a doer of the work and not a forgetful hearer, and this man shall be blessed in his deed. Under all circumstances believers must be doers of the Word and not hearers only, and hearing may reveal a person's condition but brings no lasting change unless the word is obeyed and its work is continued in. A church that practices the truth presented by the minister cooperates with him and uplifts him, while the one who continues in doing is blessed in his deeds. The mirror to be looked into and continued in is the perfect law of liberty, which is God's law with its binding claims as the representation and transcript of His character.
True religion is proved by bridling the tongue, for if the tongue is unbridled religion is vain and the heart is deceived. Pure undefiled religion before God is visiting the fatherless and widows in affliction and keeping oneself unspotted from the world. It is further proved by mercy shown in giving needful food and clothing to the naked and destitute, and by showing faith by works, because faith without works is dead. A brief sight of self from hearing is useless unless followed by doing, so the hearer must behold the Saviour and heavenly things rather than earthly things, stop judging others and examine the self to know whether Christ is within.
Doing the word means being swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, and departing from all iniquity, enmity against brethren, and unruly speech. It means loving God and one's neighbor and continuing in that practice, with affection for God shown in ways and words and love shown to every member of the human family, whether black or white, high or low, treating each with kindness and interest for his soul as brethren of one family. It means building on rock by putting God's words into practice in daily life, for failure to practice them is like building on sand and ends in a fall, since what can be shaken will be shaken. No one is to go to man to learn duty or leave duty to any human being's judgment, but to go to Jesus Christ, take impressions from Christ, pray to God and not to man, and eat the Word of the living Christ as the bread that came down from heaven and drink His blood as life, which gives rest, wisdom to understand duty, Christ's presence, the influence of the divine Spirit resting on the mind, and the counsel needed when it is sought from God. Doing the word means bringing the natural temperament into subjection to Jesus Christ so He makes character a strength and efficiency for good, learning first to obey before commanding, guarding words and actions and spirit so they do not offend but are commended of God, knowing self, watching unto prayer, and putting away striving for supremacy and a strong, masterly spirit that mars God's work, lest hearing without doing leave the natural heart and temperament unsubdued, waste the ability and talents God lent for His glory, and cut the soul away from the blessings of God. It means staying connected to unconverted persons instead of withdrawing and refusing to associate with the world, relying firmly on God for divine assistance, living a consistent Christian life at home, in business and among believers and unbelievers, guiding conduct and daily dealings by the religion of the Bible, and winning others by precept and example, for making a profession of following Christ without being a doer of His Word makes a counterfeit without the true ring.
The chapter is practical instruction to be read carefully and prayerfully with a clear understanding of Scripture and personal application that shows a work to do to clear the King's highway, so as not to be weighed in the balances and found wanting. It is to be followed day by day as a remedy for bodily and spiritual ills and as a path to final victory, containing God's great remedy for the diseases of the body and soul and God's health reform prescription, with the same health principles continued in James 2, and those who bring it into daily life and heed it day by day will triumph at last with the overcomers. Students are urged to read it to understand their individual responsibility, to gain victory over self and bring the will into conformity with God's will, and to put God's word into action instead of remaining unchanged in practice. Hearing God's word is not enough but it must be obeyed in keeping God's law in daily practice, including honest and careful stewardship of school funds. This instruction belongs to one long in the work of God with grave responsibilities to take heed to himself and to the doctrine.
Examining Self Daily
The verse calls for careful and prayerful reading with clear understanding under the Holy Spirit's instruction, with personal application that clears the King's highway lest one be weighed in the balances and found wanting. Daily looking into the divine mirror means comparing the life with its light and keenly criticizing the reflection as a matter of life or death, remembering and acting on what is seen instead of going away and straightway forgetting what manner of person one was and what the mirror showed. Mere hearing gives no benefit because the message is forgotten unless the memory of the word is cultivated, the defects it reveals are closely seen and corrected, and the needed reformation is made with earnest, thorough change in working for the advancement of truth. This is individual responsibility to put God's word into action rather than remain unchanged in practice, gaining victory over self and bringing the will into conformity with God's will, allowing the word to expose selfish and harmful conduct until actions agree with what is heard. A single day of service is not enough, for the soul must keep returning to Christ with persistent effort, vigilance, and continual spiritual nourishment rather than forgetting the truth about itself and failing to live by it.
The mirror is given to discover defects in one's own character in order to remove them, not for seeing a neighbor's faults reflected or watching whether he comes up to the standard. Looking rightly means self-criticism rather than judging, criticizing and obstructing others, and each must give an account of himself to God, so knowing what is right is not enough unless the light seen is followed by doing. There is to be no choosing to obey what is agreeable and disobey when convenient, but correction of one's own unchristian course, confession of wrong and restitution, with everyday work great or small carried out faithfully for Christ's glory rather than selfish motives. Those who focus on other people's faults while neglecting their own fail to examine themselves and do not build sound, Christlike characters, for truth must work in the life with sanctifying power. Looked into rightly after prayer for the Holy Spirit's instruction, the great moral looking-glass that always tells the truth about oneself reveals the duty to keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment, leading God's servants to work as laborers together with God out of love for Christ and souls ready to perish, each in his place doing the work put in his hands for this time; a minister who sees his character does not match the divine pattern yet spends his time correcting others instead of correcting himself continues to misrepresent Christ.
Under all circumstances believers must be doers of the Word and not hearers only, and a church that practices the truth presented cooperates with and uplifts the minister. Men in responsible positions, ministers and conference officers, need to look faithfully into the great looking-glass where a man learns what manner of man he is and examine their own hearts by its light to see where they stand. In doing so they change their ideas of self, see themselves as Christ sees them, see how totally unable they are to do Christ's work as guide and judge, examine their own shortcomings clearly, and listen promptly to needed reproof and instruction. The one who continues in doing is blessed in his deeds, bridles his tongue instead of deceiving his own heart with vain religion, and lives pure religion by visiting the fatherless and widows in affliction and keeping himself unspotted from the world, faithfully caring for those entrusted to him and working together with God for perishing souls.
The right use of the moral mirror stands opposed to looking into a literal glass to admire appearance and dress while neglecting God's law. Vanity and idolatry of dress destroy all that is humble, meek and lovely in character, swallow up what is humble, needy and lowly, consume precious hours that should be devoted to meditation, searching the heart, and prayerful study of the Scriptures, and reveal no inclination to examine oneself in the great moral mirror. Instead of focusing on outward appearance, people should let God's holy law as mirror and detector expose what needs changing and seek inward beauty, including Christ's meekness and perfection of character. Luxurious living and extravagant dress carried to such an extreme is one of the signs of the last days.
Hearing without doing leaves the natural heart and temperament unsubdued, wastes ability and talents lent for God's glory, and cuts the soul away from His blessings, while doing brings the natural temperament into subjection to Jesus Christ so He makes character a strength and efficiency for good. Doing the word means receiving and practicing it, including loving God and neighbor, learning first to obey before commanding, guarding words and actions and spirit so they do not offend but are commended of God, knowing self, watching unto prayer, and putting away striving for supremacy and a strong, masterly spirit that mars God's work. When the Word is received and obeyed, with truth worked into the soul and taken as it reads, light shines forth in good works that bless the receiver and through that person bless others, as the Holy Spirit works with the consecrated person who searches Scripture. So practiced day by day, the word brings the will into conformity with God's will, reflects divine attributes in righteous works, gives strength, joy and light heavenward, and secures blessing in deed and eternal life under the Father of lights.
Hearing God's word without doing it is like looking at one's natural face in a mirror and going away and at once forgetting what was seen, gaining a brief sight of self that brings no lasting benefit unless it is remembered and obeyed. The mirror is God's holy law, the perfect law of liberty and great moral standard of character, which is also His Word and gospel revealing the divine attributes to be reflected in life. It acts as a moral looking-glass that tells the truth about a person as God sees him, exposing defects of character, hidden motives and true spiritual condition by comparison with God's standard. To be only a hearer is to deceive oneself, for profession, church membership, knowledge of truth and feeling under preaching have no saving value if character remains unchanged and the truth is not lived. The law gives knowledge of sin and condemnation but has no power to pardon or cleanse, so seeing sin in the mirror must drive the sinner in repentance and faith to Christ, whose blood alone pardons and whose likeness transforms the heart to become a doer. The opposite of forgetful hearing is looking into the perfect law of liberty and continuing in it as a doer of the work, daily examining self to remove one's own defects, bridling the tongue, keeping unspotted from the world, helping the needy, and keeping the commandments, and this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Mirror Picture Explained
To hear the word without obeying it is to look at one's natural face in a mirror and then go away and straightway forget what manner of man one was, with hearing alone giving no self-understanding and no changed life. Such hearing without doing is self-deception, belonging to the command to lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and selfishness and to receive with meekness the implanted, engrafted word which is able to save souls. The opposite is to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only, to look into the perfect law of liberty and continue in it as a doer of the work and not a forgetful hearer, so as to be blessed in deed. True religion so proved bridles the tongue lest religion be vain, practices pure and undefiled religion before God by visiting the fatherless and widows in affliction and keeping oneself unspotted from the world, gives needful food and clothing to the naked and destitute, departs from all iniquity, enmity and unruly speech, is swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath, and shows faith by works because faith without works is dead.
The word is a moral looking-glass and moral mirror that reveals defects of character by comparing conduct, words, spirit, thoughts and actions with God's standard and with the Word of God. The law of God is that great moral looking-glass and moral standard of character, and the work of comparison must first be done in one's own heart. The hearer who does not act on its message fails to retain the impression, does not recognize or correct his defects, does not reform, and continues unreformed in his own way rather than God's way. Merely seeing faults is not enough, for those brought to the truth must make thorough reform and keep responsibility awake, otherwise they forget what the law showed and lapse into even greater carelessness.
A brief sight of self from mere hearing is useless unless followed by doing, bringing no benefit and leaving the person no better morally or spiritually for having heard. The mirror reveals defects that need correcting and reformation that is needed, but the mere hearer does not look closely enough to see them, and though many things are set before him he straightway forgets what manner of man he was and what the mirror showed. Knowing and believing the truth is vain unless the memory of the word is cultivated and the message is remembered, continually fed upon as the bread of life, since prayer seasons alone do not meet the soul's need. Without doing, the natural heart and temperament remain unsubdued, ability and talents lent for God's glory are wasted, religious life deteriorates, unused ability degenerates, and the soul is cut off from blessing.
The mirror tells the truth about a person as God sees him, accurately reflecting character, exposing a defective and distorted character and true spiritual condition, with God weighing actions and testing motives and character that may be hidden from others. Looking into it shows the character God does not commend and the lessons the Word could teach, and its message can be direct rather than flattering. Those who follow their own standards instead of the Bible fail to see their defects as they truly are, while seeing distortion in the Word should lead to contrition, casting off self-righteousness, humility, willingness to be corrected, self-examination by its light, and seeking grace to make character like the pattern shown. After seeing defects people must not forget what they learned about themselves but examine character, change ideas of self as Christ sees them, and see how unable they are to do Christ's work as guide and judge.
Mirror Is God's Law
The mirror in the verse is God's law, His holy law, the perfect law of liberty, the great moral standard of character that all who believe in Jesus are designed to obey. The word to be received with meekness as the engrafted word able to save the soul is to be looked into and continued in as this law with its binding claims, and those who profess to know and love God must reveal it not by pretension and assertion but by good works showing its power to keep from transgression. It reveals defects and sins of moral character and gives knowledge of sin so that hearers will not deceive themselves, and merely seeing faults is not enough but calls for thorough reform with a sense of responsibility kept awake lest what was shown be forgotten in even greater carelessness. When works show little conception of its requirements God is dishonored and His will is fallen far short of, with danger of being cut off in disobedience, for love of God is keeping His commandments which are not grievous, and the law of the Lord is perfect to convert the soul and make wise the simple so that whoever is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work shall be blessed in his deed.
That law is the representation and transcript of His character, holy, just and good. It is the ten-commandment moral law, the royal law, the only standard of righteousness by which life and character, thoughts and works are measured. It is the standard by which all will be judged in the last great day, established by Christ's death when only the ceremonial law of sacrificial offerings was done away. Looking into it shows how far short the hearer falls of meeting God's requirements and the exceeding sinfulness of sin, pronouncing him weighed in the balances and found wanting if he goes on in his own way after conviction without confessing wrong and making thorough restitution.
The mirror is also God's Word and the gospel, in which people see the divine attributes to be reflected in words and works. The love, honor, perfection, justice, goodness and benevolence seen in Christ show the kind of character God would have man form, and earnest study of the Word shows wherein daily life fails to reveal its principle. Looking into it should lead to putting selfishness away and revealing nobility of soul in works of righteousness, with the human will molded to the divine as the beholder keeps beholding God's glory revealed in Christ and is changed into Christ's likeness from day to day in gentleness, courtesy, kindness and helpfulness. Seen in this light the gospel reveals people to themselves as transgressors of God's law so that seeing sin leads to repentance and receiving Christ as personal Saviour.
Satan tries to induce men to believe God abolished His law so they will have no mirror in which to look and see what manner of person they are. Breaking or rejecting that mirror does not improve a person's condition, and the right response to its discovery of sin is to put sin and impurity away and do what is right rather than reject the law that reveals it, for cherished sins left unrepented close the way to heaven. Refusing to look, shielding from its holy light, or adopting the customs and practices of the world as the standard does not remove defects of character, especially failure to love neighbor as self and to carry out the claims of suffering humanity in daily life. Remaining willingly ignorant of its claims does not protect anyone from the penalty for violating it, and a person who acknowledges its claims and lives by its truth can receive moral power from God to live consistently rather than hypocritically and let good works lead others to glorify God.
Hearing Deceives Without Doing
To hear the word without doing it is to deceive oneself, keeping an inflated view of self with no genuine conversion or reformation. The hearer who is not a doer is like one who looks at his natural face in a mirror and goes away and straightway forgets what manner of man he was, gaining only a brief sight that leaves him unprepared to meet Christ. The command is to lay apart all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and selfishness and to receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save the soul, believing and appropriating it in deed rather than only hearing it. The opposite is to look into the perfect law of liberty, God's law with its binding claims, and to continue in it as a doer of the work and not a forgetful hearer, and this man shall be blessed in his deed. That doing is proved by being swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath, by bridling the tongue lest religion be vain, by departing from all iniquity, enmity against brethren and unruly speech, and by pure and undefiled religion before God in visiting the fatherless and widows in affliction, keeping oneself unspotted from the world, and giving needful food and clothing to the naked and destitute, because faith without works is dead. Those who profess to know and love God must let light shine not by pretension and assertion but by good works revealing that law and the power of Christ to keep from transgression, for the love of God is keeping His commandments and His commandments are not grievous, and when works show little conception of His requirements they dishonor God, fall far short of doing His will, and are in danger of being cut off in disobedience.
Profession of following Christ has no value if character remains unchanged, for the work is then superficial, self is retained, and the life works against God. Church membership, knowledge of truth, listening to preaching, sacred impressions felt while listening, emotional excitement, or adopting truth for personal advantage are worthless if the truth has no sanctifying influence and the life is not transformed into pure, unworldly benevolence with less of self and more of Jesus. Those who have received instruction must act on the light and are accountable to God if they reject or neglect it, and God rewards those who faithfully do His will without any needing to be forced or condemned into obedience. Hearing without practice leaves a person no better morally or spiritually for having heard, allows religious life to deteriorate and God-given ability unused to degenerate, and only those who do the word are justified before God, while mere theory without lived practice leaves a person lost.
The word is a faithful mirror that reveals defects of character, and neglecting it leaves sin and deformity present even when others can see them and the person at fault does not recognize them. Comparing character with God's requirements, especially His holy, just and good law, exposes how far one falls short when the search is earnest and honest, calling for heart and life to be brought into line with God's standard. Instead, those blinded by sin may refuse to examine the heart honestly, avoid self-examination, remain willingly ignorant of guilt, shield themselves from holy light, and twist Scripture to defend wrongdoing rather than turn from sin and become pure. Looking closely reveals deformities and spots, especially failure to love neighbor as self and to meet the claims of suffering humanity in daily life, and refusing to look or adopting the customs and practices of the world as the standard does not remove defects.
Merely seeing faults is not enough, for self-love and lack of principle keep a person from acting on known truth, and continued neglect can harden the conscience until truth loses its sanctifying influence. Those brought to the truth must make a thorough reform and keep the sense of responsibility awake, pressing truth upon the conscience in daily life, or they may forget what the law has shown and lapse into even greater carelessness. Failure to practice God's words is like building on sand and ends in a fall, while obedience is like building on rock, since what can be shaken will be shaken. Those with the Word brought home to mind and conscience occupy no neutral ground: they either live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God and are entitled to all the treasures of heaven, or they are only hearers and not doers whose foundation is sliding sand swept away by storm and tempest of temptation. Such hearers are the most guilty in proportion to light and knowledge not practiced, are regarded as most dangerous for careless disregard of the life and character of Christ, and by example lead others out of obedience, faith and rectitude, so that one man in office who is not in works a doer of the Word does incalculable evil, and the judgment shall sit and the books be opened upon him.
Law Leads Sinner to Christ
The law as mirror gives knowledge of sin by exposing moral deformity, guilt, frailty and depravity so the hearer will not deceive himself. It reaches even secret thoughts, purposes and motives, defines sin as transgression of the law, shows its exceeding sinfulness, and declares condemnation under its penalty with death as the portion of the transgressor. Its discovery of sin is a reason to put sin away, not to reject the law that reveals it, for cherished sins left unrepented close the way to heaven. Looking into the divine statutes discovers defects, reveals spots and deformities of character, especially failure to love neighbor as self and to meet the claims of suffering humanity, and no refusal to look, shielding from its holy light, or taking worldly custom as standard removes those defects.
The mirror reveals sin but provides no remedy, for in the law there are no saving properties and it has no power to pardon, cleanse, set right, help or save. It shows the perfection of a righteous character and enables discernment of defects in one's own, promises life to the obedient and declares death to the transgressor, yet cannot give strength to overcome or save from the penalty. The gospel alone frees from condemnation and defilement.
Seeing sin in the mirror must drive the sinner with godly sorrow, contrition and humiliation to repentance toward God whose law has been transgressed and to faith in Christ as atoning sacrifice. His blood alone pardons, justifies, cleanses and heals, washing in the fountain prepared by the Redeemer, claiming the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour as Advocate who takes sins and imputes His righteousness, and as Great Physician who heals wounds sin has made. He becomes sanctification and righteousness and redemption, opening the way out of bondage and giving power to obey, so the sinner must face defects rather than turn away, forget, despair, claim guiltlessness while disobeying, or reject what exposes fault. Mere human effort, emotional excitement, or outward reformation cannot bring radical change; Christ came to save from sins not in sins, and genuine conversion comes by conviction followed by acceptance of His atoning blood as the only hope.
Right looking brings shame, distress, humiliation and abhorrence of self and then leads to looking to Jesus and beholding His perfection. Blind eyes must be anointed with heavenly eyesalve, with a broken heart, the new birth and entire reformation, giving up habits that hold the soul in bondage and vicious practices that dwarf and pollute the soul-temple. Through repentance, faith and grace the heart is transformed and renewed, the moral nature renewed, the mind and spirit changed with every capacity of soul and body brought into submission to Christ, evidenced by outward deportment corresponding with profession. By constantly beholding God's glory revealed in Christ the character is changed into Christ's likeness, the human will molded to the divine, and the believer is justified, enabled by divine grace to obey the commandments, put away sin, and become a doer beginning a new purer life.
Obedience Verse Demands
James 1:23 stands within the command to lay apart all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and selfishness and evil, and to receive with meekness the engrafted or implanted word which is able to save the soul. Hearing must become doing, for to hear the word of truth and not do it is to deceive oneself. The word must be believed and appropriated and obeyed in deed rather than only heard, after evil is put away and the soul-saving word is meekly received and then obeyed in life. Those who profess to know and love God must let light shine not by pretension and assertion but by good works revealing His law and the power of Christ to keep from transgression, for love of God is keeping His commandments and His commandments are not grievous. The law of the Lord is perfect to convert the soul and make wise the simple, and doing the word keeps the heart pure so the soul can see God, delights to behold God in Christ Jesus and is changed into His image by asking how Jesus would act under the same circumstances and conforming conduct to His example, for without holiness no one will see God.
The opposite of forgetful hearing is looking into the perfect law of liberty and continuing in it as a doer of the work and not a forgetful hearer, and this man shall be blessed in his deed. Under all circumstances believers must be doers of the Word and not hearers only, and hearing may reveal a person's condition but brings no lasting change unless the word is obeyed and its work is continued in. A church that practices the truth presented by the minister cooperates with him and uplifts him, while the one who continues in doing is blessed in his deeds. The mirror to be looked into and continued in is the perfect law of liberty, which is God's law with its binding claims as the representation and transcript of His character.
True religion is proved by bridling the tongue, for if the tongue is unbridled religion is vain and the heart is deceived. Pure undefiled religion before God is visiting the fatherless and widows in affliction and keeping oneself unspotted from the world. It is further proved by mercy shown in giving needful food and clothing to the naked and destitute, and by showing faith by works, because faith without works is dead. A brief sight of self from hearing is useless unless followed by doing, so the hearer must behold the Saviour and heavenly things rather than earthly things, stop judging others and examine the self to know whether Christ is within.
Doing the word means being swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, and departing from all iniquity, enmity against brethren, and unruly speech. It means loving God and one's neighbor and continuing in that practice, with affection for God shown in ways and words and love shown to every member of the human family, whether black or white, high or low, treating each with kindness and interest for his soul as brethren of one family. It means building on rock by putting God's words into practice in daily life, for failure to practice them is like building on sand and ends in a fall, since what can be shaken will be shaken. No one is to go to man to learn duty or leave duty to any human being's judgment, but to go to Jesus Christ, take impressions from Christ, pray to God and not to man, and eat the Word of the living Christ as the bread that came down from heaven and drink His blood as life, which gives rest, wisdom to understand duty, Christ's presence, the influence of the divine Spirit resting on the mind, and the counsel needed when it is sought from God. Doing the word means bringing the natural temperament into subjection to Jesus Christ so He makes character a strength and efficiency for good, learning first to obey before commanding, guarding words and actions and spirit so they do not offend but are commended of God, knowing self, watching unto prayer, and putting away striving for supremacy and a strong, masterly spirit that mars God's work, lest hearing without doing leave the natural heart and temperament unsubdued, waste the ability and talents God lent for His glory, and cut the soul away from the blessings of God. It means staying connected to unconverted persons instead of withdrawing and refusing to associate with the world, relying firmly on God for divine assistance, living a consistent Christian life at home, in business and among believers and unbelievers, guiding conduct and daily dealings by the religion of the Bible, and winning others by precept and example, for making a profession of following Christ without being a doer of His Word makes a counterfeit without the true ring.
The chapter is practical instruction to be read carefully and prayerfully with a clear understanding of Scripture and personal application that shows a work to do to clear the King's highway, so as not to be weighed in the balances and found wanting. It is to be followed day by day as a remedy for bodily and spiritual ills and as a path to final victory, containing God's great remedy for the diseases of the body and soul and God's health reform prescription, with the same health principles continued in James 2, and those who bring it into daily life and heed it day by day will triumph at last with the overcomers. Students are urged to read it to understand their individual responsibility, to gain victory over self and bring the will into conformity with God's will, and to put God's word into action instead of remaining unchanged in practice. Hearing God's word is not enough but it must be obeyed in keeping God's law in daily practice, including honest and careful stewardship of school funds. This instruction belongs to one long in the work of God with grave responsibilities to take heed to himself and to the doctrine.
Examining Self Daily
The verse calls for careful and prayerful reading with clear understanding under the Holy Spirit's instruction, with personal application that clears the King's highway lest one be weighed in the balances and found wanting. Daily looking into the divine mirror means comparing the life with its light and keenly criticizing the reflection as a matter of life or death, remembering and acting on what is seen instead of going away and straightway forgetting what manner of person one was and what the mirror showed. Mere hearing gives no benefit because the message is forgotten unless the memory of the word is cultivated, the defects it reveals are closely seen and corrected, and the needed reformation is made with earnest, thorough change in working for the advancement of truth. This is individual responsibility to put God's word into action rather than remain unchanged in practice, gaining victory over self and bringing the will into conformity with God's will, allowing the word to expose selfish and harmful conduct until actions agree with what is heard. A single day of service is not enough, for the soul must keep returning to Christ with persistent effort, vigilance, and continual spiritual nourishment rather than forgetting the truth about itself and failing to live by it.
The mirror is given to discover defects in one's own character in order to remove them, not for seeing a neighbor's faults reflected or watching whether he comes up to the standard. Looking rightly means self-criticism rather than judging, criticizing and obstructing others, and each must give an account of himself to God, so knowing what is right is not enough unless the light seen is followed by doing. There is to be no choosing to obey what is agreeable and disobey when convenient, but correction of one's own unchristian course, confession of wrong and restitution, with everyday work great or small carried out faithfully for Christ's glory rather than selfish motives. Those who focus on other people's faults while neglecting their own fail to examine themselves and do not build sound, Christlike characters, for truth must work in the life with sanctifying power. Looked into rightly after prayer for the Holy Spirit's instruction, the great moral looking-glass that always tells the truth about oneself reveals the duty to keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment, leading God's servants to work as laborers together with God out of love for Christ and souls ready to perish, each in his place doing the work put in his hands for this time; a minister who sees his character does not match the divine pattern yet spends his time correcting others instead of correcting himself continues to misrepresent Christ.
Under all circumstances believers must be doers of the Word and not hearers only, and a church that practices the truth presented cooperates with and uplifts the minister. Men in responsible positions, ministers and conference officers, need to look faithfully into the great looking-glass where a man learns what manner of man he is and examine their own hearts by its light to see where they stand. In doing so they change their ideas of self, see themselves as Christ sees them, see how totally unable they are to do Christ's work as guide and judge, examine their own shortcomings clearly, and listen promptly to needed reproof and instruction. The one who continues in doing is blessed in his deeds, bridles his tongue instead of deceiving his own heart with vain religion, and lives pure religion by visiting the fatherless and widows in affliction and keeping himself unspotted from the world, faithfully caring for those entrusted to him and working together with God for perishing souls.
The right use of the moral mirror stands opposed to looking into a literal glass to admire appearance and dress while neglecting God's law. Vanity and idolatry of dress destroy all that is humble, meek and lovely in character, swallow up what is humble, needy and lowly, consume precious hours that should be devoted to meditation, searching the heart, and prayerful study of the Scriptures, and reveal no inclination to examine oneself in the great moral mirror. Instead of focusing on outward appearance, people should let God's holy law as mirror and detector expose what needs changing and seek inward beauty, including Christ's meekness and perfection of character. Luxurious living and extravagant dress carried to such an extreme is one of the signs of the last days.
Hearing without doing leaves the natural heart and temperament unsubdued, wastes ability and talents lent for God's glory, and cuts the soul away from His blessings, while doing brings the natural temperament into subjection to Jesus Christ so He makes character a strength and efficiency for good. Doing the word means receiving and practicing it, including loving God and neighbor, learning first to obey before commanding, guarding words and actions and spirit so they do not offend but are commended of God, knowing self, watching unto prayer, and putting away striving for supremacy and a strong, masterly spirit that mars God's work. When the Word is received and obeyed, with truth worked into the soul and taken as it reads, light shines forth in good works that bless the receiver and through that person bless others, as the Holy Spirit works with the consecrated person who searches Scripture. So practiced day by day, the word brings the will into conformity with God's will, reflects divine attributes in righteous works, gives strength, joy and light heavenward, and secures blessing in deed and eternal life under the Father of lights.