James 1:24

Here we have what happens to the man who only hears the word mentioned in verse 23.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; James 1:23

Remember in verse 23 we observed that the word hearer is used of one of the audience versus  the doer of the word being the performer.

The hearer is like a person who contemplates himself in the mirror for a time, satisfies his curiosity and walks away, forgetting what he looked like.

The moment this person walks away from what the mirror reveals, it becomes out of mind, forgotten. We also see here that the sort of quality the person is was not revealed by the mirror, only his outward appearance. If you want to see a book’s content, don’t just look at the cover. It may appear one way and turn out to be quite different once you get to read it.

The hearer of the word is a person who listens to fill his curiosity. He listens to what he wants to hear and once he has received his share, walks away with no consequence. He only looks at it superficially and momentarily.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 1 Peter 1:13-14

The hearer of the word needs a mindset change. He likes to hear a nice message preached, it warms his heart. He desires to read the word to see himself in it and satisfy a nagging. Instead of listening for the sake of listening, he should adjust his mentality, prepare to receive the word with intention, with the purpose of action. God is looking for us to walk in our identity (as obedient children) is the form of active dependence – fixing your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Let me give you an example. We hear the gospel preached. We could choose to be hearers only and decide that though it sounds nice and all, we walk away, forgetting the message.  Or by faith in the truth we heard, we receive the message and place our trust in it. This became our first step as doer of the word, we received as a result the Holy Spirit. Now, we should continue in that same mindset.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, Colossians 2:6

Let us understand that only being hearers of the word is a natural setting for all of us to fall to. It is our default choice. Walking by faith means actively trusting God at His word.  Shifting from being a hearer only to becoming a doer is about a way of life of actively seeking God rather than a daily contemplation in the mirror to see how we look. It is a walk of continuous looking to the word and abiding in it not merely walking away from it as we will see in the next verse.

James 1:22

James says to rid ourselves of distractions (v. 21), be quick to listen (v. 19)  and receive the Word (v. 21).

The idea here is that we not remain listeners only. The word James uses for hearers is ἀκροατής (akroates – noun). This is a word used of people coming to hear a public speaker. It could also refer to a disciple or pupil. An audience.

The other verb in the verse is the word prove and it is in the imperative mood, therefore we should see it as a command. This word could be translated ‘come into being’ or ‘become’.  What are we to become? We are to become doers of the Word. The word used for doers (noun) is very interesting.  In Acts 17:28 it is translated ‘poet’. The famous Greek poet was called a doer. It was used for the composer of music, the painter, the author of a speech, the deliverer of it, the inventor as well to describe a workman. It apparently was a title given to performers, to the genuine article as it were. The doer is placed in contrast to a person in the audience who merely entertains the notion of being a performer in his mind. This person is deluded. Interestingly, Paul makes use of these same words in Romans for justification (saved from the penalty of sin).

for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. Romans 2:13

By faith in Christ (who was the perfect doer of the law), we are identified by God as doers as well since He sees us in Christ. The person who has trusted by faith in Jesus Christ alone for his salvation becomes identified with Christ and is therefore a doer of the law (righteous).

James is making use of these words to show us that sanctification (for the believer) is similar. We should become doers, performers or speakers of the word and not merely one of the audience.

The person who takes this verse with an incorrect understanding, will end up trying to do good works for God. The verse is not saying this. We should realize that those of the audience (hearers) merely come to observe the performer (doer). They are entertained and can pretend to be something by watching the doer but they aren’t the doer. There is a difference between one of the audience and the performer.

As you come to spend time with God and through a growing understanding of His Word, He will renew your mind to an understanding of who He has declared you to be. This is your new reality, who you really are. You were not reborn to be part of the audience but to perform. God wants to use you and He will if you walk by faith in Christ and His work, declaring you His child.