James 1:22-25 But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.… I. The apostle speaks in the text of "HEARERS ONLY." When are we so? It is when all the good we get ends with the hearing, and goes no further. This is easy work. It requires no self-denial, no dying to the world, no newness of heart and life. Are we hearers only? 1. We are surely so, if the Word of God which we hear does not separate us from our sin. 2. We are "hearers only" when the Word of God makes no more than a passing impression. 3. Another reason why so few of us who are hearers of the Word are doers of it also, is because faith is wanting — faith to receive it as the Word of God. 4. To faith must be added self-application. Place yourselves honestly in the light of Scripture. Let it bring to your own view the very secrets of your heart. Let your most besetting sin be judged by it. Let us be only brought to feel that we are labouring under a sickness which none but God can heal. Let us be fully persuaded of this, and then the Scriptures will be no longer a source of pain, but a comfort to us. For if they wound, they also have power to cure. II. WHEN THE WORD OF GOD IS THUS APPLIED TO US IN SPIRIT AND IN POWER, THEN WE BECOME DOERS OF IT, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY. III. BE YE THUS "DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOUR OWN SELVES." What has our "hearing," what has our religion done for us? Has it convinced us of our sin? humbled us before God? (E. Blencowe, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.WEB: But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. |
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