Love goes both ways Pt 27: Listening and doing

James 1:22-25                        22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror  24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  25But 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.

Merely listen and so deceive

One on the things Jesus consistently did with the Pharisees is to accuse them of hypocrisy, even calling them ‘white-washed sepulchers’  (get verse).  This inconsistency between word and deed is what is being addressed here in the verses from James.  James begins his exhortation with a warning: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves”.

The Greek term here for “listen” refers to an audience member who hears a lecture or performance but does nothing afterward — a spectator, not a participant.  James is pointing out a subtle but dangerous self-deception: thinking that proximity to God’s Word is the same as obedience to it.  It’s possible to be so familiar with Scripture that it becomes background noise.  In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees and other religious leaders could quote the Torah extensively, yet He accused them of nullifying the Word of God by their traditions (Mark 7:13).  They heard, recited, and even taught the Word — but it didn’t translate into transformed lives.

The deception James warns about is not ignorance; it is a false confidence.  A person may feel spiritually secure because they attend church, own a Bible, or listen to sermons, but the real question is whether God’s Word is shaping their attitudes, decisions, and actions.  This echoes Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:24–27, where He compares the wise builder who “hears these words of mine and puts them into practice” with the foolish builder who hears but does not act.  One survives the storm; the other collapses under it.  The danger is compounded by the fact that passive listening can give the illusion of growth.  In the age of podcasts, livestreamed services, and Bible reading apps, it is possible to consume hours of spiritual content without a single step of obedience.  We may be well-informed but not well-formed.  The difference between the two lies in application.

True discipleship is not measured by how much of the Bible we’ve heard, but by how much of it we’ve obeyed.  Jesus Himself said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17, ESV).  Notice the blessing is tied to doing, not merely knowing.  Paul reinforced this truth in Romans 2:13, stating, “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.”

This first exhortation from James sets the foundation: hearing is good, but hearing alone is insufficient.  If hearing does not lead to action, it becomes a dangerous form of self-deception — a spiritual placebo that feels real but produces no cure.

Do what it says

James does not leave the matter in the abstract.  He follows with the positive command: “Do what it says” (James 1:22b).  The force of the Greek imperative here emphasizes continuous, ongoing action — not a one-time obedience but a lifestyle of doing.  In the Jewish mindset, “hearing” and “doing” were meant to be inseparable.1  For example, the Shema, recited daily by devout Jews, begins with “Hear, O Israel” (Deut. 6:4) but quickly moves into commands to love God wholeheartedly and obey His commands diligently.  Hearing without action would have been an alien concept to early Jewish believers.

The call to “do what it says” is not legalism; it is love in action.  Jesus Himself said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15).  Obedience flows from relationship, not from an attempt to earn it.  James is not advocating a works-based righteousness but rather a works-demonstrated faith — the kind he will elaborate on in chapter 2: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17).

Doing what the Word says also requires intentionality.  The commands of Scripture are not suggestions for when we feel spiritually motivated; they are God’s authoritative instructions.  Yet, they are not burdensome (1 John 5:3) because they align with His nature and our ultimate good.  The act of doing reinforces the truth in our hearts, strengthens our faith, and serves as a witness to others.  It’s worth noting that James’ instruction is not “Do what you think it means” but “Do what it says.”  This implies we are to approach Scripture with humility, allowing its plain meaning — interpreted faithfully in context — to direct our steps. This guards against selective obedience, where we follow only the parts that fit our preferences.

To “do what it says” also means obeying promptly.  Delayed obedience often becomes disobedience.  When the Spirit convicts us through the Word, the proper response is immediate action, whether that means confessing sin, reconciling with someone, making a change in our habits, or stepping into an act of service.

The Christian life is built on the rhythm of hearing and doing — receiving truth, responding to truth, and repeating the cycle daily.  It’s not the occasional grand gesture that marks a disciple, but the consistent small steps of obedience that add up to a life of faithfulness.

Look intently

James then illustrates his point with a vivid metaphor: the one who merely hears the Word is like someone looking at his face in a mirror and then immediately forgetting what he saw (James 1:23–24).  But the doer is the one who “looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom” (v. 25a).

The phrase “look intently” means to stoop down and examine closely, as one might bend over to investigate something precious or intricate.  This is not a casual glance; it is a deliberate, focused inspection.  In the same way, engaging with God’s Word requires attentiveness and reflection.  In the ancient world, mirrors were polished metal, not flawless glass.  Looking into one took effort, and the reflection might be imperfect unless you studied it closely.  James’ imagery suggests that God’s Word shows us reality — both the truth about ourselves and the truth about God — but it requires patient, focused attention to perceive it accurately.

“Looking intently” also carries the idea of meditation.  Psalm 1 describes the blessed person as one who meditates on God’s law day and night.  Meditation here is not emptying the mind, but filling it with God’s truth, turning it over in our thoughts, and asking how it applies to our lives.  Importantly, James connects this careful examination with doing.  The mirror analogy warns against spiritual amnesia: if we walk away without acting on what we’ve seen, the benefit is lost.  Imagine noticing in the mirror that you have dirt on your face and then walking away without cleaning it.  The mirror did its job; the failure was in the response.

Looking intently at God’s Word often reveals uncomfortable truths — selfish attitudes, harmful speech, misplaced priorities.  But it also reveals God’s promises, character, and purposes for us.  Both require a response: repentance for the former, faith and obedience for the latter.  In practical terms, “looking intently” may mean studying a passage in depth, comparing Scripture with Scripture, praying over what it means, and writing down concrete ways to apply it.  It’s the difference between skimming a verse on social media and sitting down with an open Bible, asking God to speak and committing to obey.

The perfect Law that gives freedom

James describes Scripture as “the perfect law that gives freedom” (James 1:25).  At first glance, “law” and “freedom” may seem contradictory.  In our culture, law is often associated with restriction, and freedom with the absence of rules.2  But biblically, true freedom is not the right to do whatever we want; it is the ability to live as God intended, unshackled from the slavery of sin.

The “perfect law” here probably refers to the gospel-fulfilled law of Christ — the moral will of God revealed in Scripture, now empowered by the Holy Spirit in the new covenant.  It is “perfect” in the sense of being complete, whole, and lacking nothing.  Far from binding us, it liberates us to live in harmony with God’s design.

Psalm 119 repeatedly connects God’s law with delight and liberty: “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts” (v. 45).  Obedience is not a prison; disobedience is.  Sin promises freedom but delivers bondage.  The commands of God, by contrast, lead us into the wide-open space of a life lived in truth and love.  James adds that the one who “continues in it” — who not only looks intently but perseveres in obedience — “will be blessed in what they do” (v. 25b).  Blessing here does not necessarily mean material prosperity but the deep joy and flourishing that come from aligning our lives with God’s will.  This blessing is both present (peace, purpose, spiritual fruit) and future (eternal reward).

What about me?

The call to “continue” reminds us that obedience is not a one-time decision but a lifelong commitment.  Just as freedom in a nation requires the ongoing upholding of its laws, freedom in Christ requires the ongoing embracing of His Word.

The “perfect law that gives freedom” is not static words on a page; it is the living Word, empowered by the Spirit, shaping us into the likeness of Christ.  The more we align ourselves with it, the freer we become — free from guilt, from the tyranny of sin, from the fear of death, and free for love, service, and worship.

James 1:22–25 confronts us with a choice: Will we be passive hearers or active doers?  The passage moves us through four clear actions: avoid self-deception by merely listening, obey what the Word says, examine it intently, and live continually under the perfect law that brings true freedom.  The blessing promised is not for those who hear the most sermons, read the most chapters, or underline the most verses, but for those who put God’s Word into practice.  As Jesus said in Luke 11:28, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Hearing without doing is like looking in a mirror and walking away unchanged.  Doing without careful listening risks acting in our own wisdom rather than God’s.  But hearing, looking intently, and doing — persevering in obedience — leads to the freedom and blessing God intends for His children.