Doers of the Word

Doers vs Hearers (1:22)

Context: James 1:21, James just described what it looks like to “put off” (broad NT term) or in James words “put away” filthiness and rampant wickedness and received or “put on” the implanted word which is able to save our souls. The concept of putting off sin and putting on righteousness in Christ is a common theme in the NT and would naturally lead to our verses of James 1:22-24. So James here is seeking to teach us what is truly looks like to “receive with meekness the implanted word” (ESV) or “humbly accept the word planted in you.” (other translation)

Thus, James beings to our attention the concept of a hearer only of the word and a doer of the word.

Question: What comes to mind when you think through the concept of being a hearer vs a doer of the Word?

The concept is clearcut to us immediately and is part of why the illustration here and the exposition of this statement later in James 2 is so powerful. The concept of hypocrisy.

This is a word that comes to mind when first reading James 1:22. In Greek culture, the word represented an actor who played more than character and thus worse multiple “masks” on stage. The picture is clear, the actor would wear a mask depending on what character the actor played.

In terms of James, we are called away from hypocrisy. We are not have a worldly mask and a godly mask. A Sunday mask and a Monday-Saturday mask. We are not to merely hear the Word, but be a doer of the Word as well.

This is not only taught by James, but also in these other parallel passages.

Romans 2:13 “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.”

Matthew 7:15–23 ““Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Here Matthew implements the imagery of the root and fruit being in harmony. Bad root = bad fruit — Good root = good fruit — the root and fruit cannot be mixed. The illustration is the backdrop for Matthew’s recording of our Lord’s warning found in verses 21-23. There will be some with a bad root that will claim to have good fruit. In fact, some hide it in this life before the limited sight and insight of man. Verses 24-27 go on to state the point in terms of the doer of the word being like man building his house on the rock, while hearers only building their house on sand. When the rain and wind of storms come, that house will fall.

In context of John 13 Jesus arose to wash the disciples feet and corrected misunderstanding of Peter. After an acknowledgement that Christ knew there was one among them who would betray him, John tells us; John 13:13–20 “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Here Jesus used feet washing to express the heart of servanthood and love that we should express towards one another, just as our master Jesus gave us an example to follow. Therefore, it isn’t just about “knowing these things, blessed are you if do them” (v17) Again, the evidence that some hear and do them (the eleven disciples), but some merely hear and it does not benefit them at all (Judas the betrayer).

So the point of distinction between the hearer and the doer is clear, and James will go on to expound this point in greater detail in chapter 2 in what is sure to be a great teaching from Jeremy in clarifying exactly what James meant and whether or not James and Paul need to duke it out in the theological boxing ring! But lets at least read those verses now. James 2:14–20 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?”

Again, I’ll let Jeremy tackle the interpretation of this text since in the coming weeks.

One final point to clarify here, contrasting a mere hearer of the word against a doer of the word does not mean that the doer does not hear or has no need of hearing the word. James makes this evident, in verse 22 but it bears repeating since the acting out of our faith is based on the written word or the hearing of God’s word. In other words, we hear and learn what God’s word says, then we apply that knowledge and do what he commands. Just a couple verses to emphasize this point…

In Christ’s high priestly prayer, he prays this regarding his disciples, John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

The Foolish Hearer (1:23-24)

I call this imaginary hearer of the word only a “foolish” hearer because the picture than James paints for us in verse 22-23 is about a man who sees his reflection, walks away, and immediately forgets what he looks like.

Why do you think James would use such a seemingly ridiculous illustration to describe the one is only a hearer of the word?

ITS INTENTIONAL! IT SHOULD BE A RIDICULOUS CONCEPT TO BE A HEAER OF THE WORD AND NOT A DOER! It should be just as ridiculous to us to think of a man who claims to know Jesus, have his Spirit in us, and immediately “forget” to love and obey him in our daily life.

It is completely antithetical to think that the merely listening to the word would give any power or ability to change a persons standing before God. Of course, we all agree that is by grace, through faith in Christ alone that saves us apart from any good works than man can accomplish in order to earn God’s favor.

The point is, that those people who God has truly saved show that saving faith by a heart felt, loving obedience to the Lord that first loved them and saved them from their sin. Not to mention the role of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that every believer possesses at the moment of salvation. So in that light, a mere hearer of the word that is not a doer of the word is inconsistent. Put plainly, James tells us it is inconsistent to claim to be a follower of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and not, through loving obedience to him with the help of the Holy Spirit, be a doer of what he calls us to in response to the free gift of salvation. To put it in another way, we are not saved by works, but we are saved unto works.

Ephesians 2:8–10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Turning back to the illustration, as verse 26-27 at the end of this chapter will show us, the practical outworking of being a hearer only works itself out in many ways. Not to steal Jeremy’s thunder next week, but James turns to a common theme moving forward in his letter — the tongue. as one example of what a hearer only of the word.

James also questions the worthiness of seeing a fellow believer who is cold and hungry and telling them “Be warm and filled” He asks at the end of verse 16 in James 2:16-17 “What good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”

The Blessed Doer (1:25)