James Expounds on Faith Volume 14

 Be Doers of the Word of God Part 2

James 1:23-24 For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Word Picture 🖼 that is given to us next by the Apostle James is something clearly any of us can understand in the natural realm because we often have occassion to look at ourselves in physical mirrors when we wash our 😔 faces or brush our teeth in the mornings when we are awakened by God or at 🌃 night before we go to 🛏 bed. Therefore, we find James now comparing our spiritual journey or 🚶 walk with Christ Jesus our Lord to that very thing with these words, "For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." (James 23-24) (KJV). In other words, how utter foolish would it be for us to behold our 😔 faces in the mirror and go away from said mirror and forget what we look like and then even more ridiculous to even 🤔 think and believe that we are some other person or that we have the face 😔 of someone else and then act out in public like we are that other person. This would be nonsense and we would be looked at by other people as being 🤪 crazy or mentally unstable. How much more then can we read the Word of God and hear what it declares to us and then live in a manner just the opposite of what the Word communicates to us, this is a form of spiritual insanity and it leads us into a defeated, downcast, and destructive life hear on the earth 🌎 as followers of Jesus Christ, for we are now the Temple of God and He will not continously allow us to bring disrepute or discredit to His Name, as it is 📝 written by the Apostle Paul to the Church @ Corinth with these words, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) (NKJV). We are the Lord God/Elohim's children now and He is a far better Father than any earthly father, therefore, out of love for Him we should desire to glorify His Name on the 🌎 earth and allow God the Holy Spirit to keep us in said state and condition as it is written 📝 with the following words, "I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore." (Psalms 86:12) (NKJV) and also "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:20) (NKJV). We no longer belong to ourselves or anyone else on the 🌎 earth, but we belong to God, let us then desire to bring Glory to His Name and not blaspheme His Name among unbelievers. Throughout the epistles in the New Testament the subject of 'conduct' (behaving in a certain manner) is communicated often, for example, "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:17-24) (NKJV). It is as clear as the noon day ☀ sun and our rationalizing our sin, disobedience, and rebellion (and not repenting) to this truth will only hurt us more and more spiritually, for God is not mocked by unbelievers sure, but He will also not be mocked by us (believers) and He will grant to us the fruit of our declarations, deeds, and doings, as it is written, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:7-8) (NKJV) Amen!

Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 1:23-24, "This metaphor is very simple, but very expressive. A man wishes to see his own face, and how, in its natural state, it appears; for this purpose he looks into a mirror, by which his real face, with all its blemishes and imperfections, is exhibited. He is affected with his own appearance; he sees deformities that might be remedied; spots, superfluities, and impurities, that might be removed. While he continues to look into the mirror he is affected, and wishes himself different to what he appears, and forms purposes of doing what he can to render his countenance agreeable. On going away he soon forgets what manner of person he was, because the mirror is now removed, and his face is no longer reflected to himself; and he no longer recollects how disagreeable he appeared, and his own resolutions of improving his countenance. The doctrines of God, faithfully preached, are such a mirror; he who hears cannot help discovering his own character, and being affected with his own deformity; he sorrows, and purposes amendment; but when the preaching is over, the mirror is removed, and not being careful to examine the records of his salvation, the perfect law of liberty, or not continuing to look therein, he soon forgets what manner of man he was; or, reposing some unscriptural trust in God’s mercy, he reasons himself out of the necessity of repentance and amendment of life, and thus deceives his soul." Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 1:23-24, "The ground of the comparison in these verses is obvious. The Apostle refers to what all persons experience, the fact that we do not retain a distinct impression of ourselves after we have looked in a mirror. While actually looking in the mirror, we see all our features, and can trace them distinctly; when we turn away, the image and the impression both vanish. When looking in the mirror, we can see all the defects and blemishes of our person; if there is a scar, a deformity, a feature of ugliness, it is distinctly before the mind; but when we turn away, that is 'out of sight and out of mind.' When unseen it gives no uneasiness, and, even if capable of correction, we take no pains to remove it. So when we hear the Word of God. It is like a mirror held up before us. In the perfect precepts of the law, and the perfect requirements of the Gospel, we see our own short-comings and defects, and perhaps think that we will correct them. But we turn away immediately, and forget it all. If, however, we were doers of the Word, we should endeavor to remove all those defects and blemishes in our moral character, and to bring our whole souls into conformity with what the law and the Gospel require. The phrase 'natural face' (Greek: face of birth), means, the face or appearance which we have in virtue of our natural birth. The word glass here means mirror. While he looks in the mirror he sees his true appearance. As soon as he goes away, he forgets it. The Apostle does not refer to any intention on his part, but to what is known to occur as a matter of fact. How he looked; and especially if there was anything in his appearance that required correction."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…