²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ 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.

1) What does James mean by a doer? A hearer?
A study of the Greek words used here reveals nothing new–a “doer” is someone who does things, and a hearer is someone who hears. What James means is that a doer puts the things he learns into practice—he learns about mercy and he goes out and shows mercy. A hearer may understand what is being taught, and may even agree with it, but it doesn’t change the way he lives his life.

2) What does it mean that someone who is only a hearer deceives himself?
Using the metaphor of a mirror, James point out how foolish a person is to believe that they look good when in fact they don’t. It’s one thing to think you look fine if you have never seen your reflection, but if you truly know that you look bad and you do nothing about it, you are deceiving yourself. If a person is not living out the teachings of the Word of God, they may believe that they are pleasing God, when they are not. The kind of faith that saves is the kind of faith that is not satisfied with an unchanged life!

3) What does “he will be blessed in his doing” mean?
The word translated “blessed” here means blessed or happy. It is not referring to material blessing, as if doing good works automatically leads to prosperity. But James is saying that because hearing, believing, and studying the word of God leads to outward action, you will find happiness and blessing in carrying out those deeds.

1) What does James mean by a doer? A hearer?
Are you a hearer or a doer? Do you get more excited about the knowledge you gain by studying Scripture, or about the life change that knowledge brings about? Most of us are likely both. Consider the last time you heard something, but didn’t action it, as well as a recent time when you both heard and embraced change as a result.

2) What does it mean that someone who is only a hearer deceives himself?
If I checked my reflection in a mirror and saw that I had food in my teeth, but I decided not to remove it and to just forget it was there, I would look like a fool to everyone I met that day. If I look in the Scriptures and see my sin, but I decide not to deal with it, I am just as much a fool. Lord, help me to see my sins as the ugly stains that they are, and help me to take action. Help me to see the good I ought to do and to do it.

3) What does “he will be blessed in his doing” mean?
The whole world is looking for ways to find happiness, and here James tells us that by obeying the Scriptures and living out the word of God, we will be blessed! Those who are hearers not only deceive themselves, but they are also missing out on the blessings that come from being doers. Women, don’t miss out on something that God has clearly described how we can attain it! Look intently into the law of liberty, and persevere in action!

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We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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