The Nugget:
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
My Comment:
Mere hearers of the Scriptures deceive themselves (The New Topical Textbook, topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). We are to be doers of the word, not just hearers. To hear the word and not respond to it in obedience is to deceive ourselves. So likewise to read God’s Word and not obey it is to deceive ourselves. We also deceive ourselves if we do not carefully study the Bible for ourselves. The Bible itself teaches how to do God’s Word. For guidance, see such passages as 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; 2 Peter 1:3-4, 5-8; James 4:7, 8. We deceive ourselves if we simply take someone else’s word of explanation to guide us as to what the Bible means. We need to carefully examine what we are taught, and compare it closely to the Bible, to be sure it is correct. There are many teachers of the Bible who sincerely attempt to communicate its message. But sincerity is not enough. The Bereans checked up on the Apostle Paul (Acts 17:11, 12), and were commended or praised for doing so. We need to do just as they did. They searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul taught was so. But notice the wonderful result of their searching: “therefore many of them believed.” They were not mere hearers, but doers of the Word. They did not deceive themselves. Rather, the Bereans are a good example of proving all things and holding fast to what is true (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Checking up on what others teach (1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 John 4:1) may not be a popular or comfortable thing to do, but it is necessary. We need to check up on our own belief to be sure it is true! In the process of evaluating what we hear and read, we need to (1) investigate carefully and thoroughly before making a judgment call, John 7:51; Proverbs 14:15; (2) be careful about believing something just because it fits in with what we want to believe (Proverbs 14:12). (3) Treat others who have a view different from your own with gentleness and respect, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15). And in all cases, stay in the Word of God and make it our continuing study. Obey what God commands. Let the Holy Spirit produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22, 23).
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1447 for James 1:22.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1466 or in Logos 5 Bible software for James 1:22.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
James 1:22. But be ye. or, But become ye. Gr. ginomai. Present tense, middle voice, imperative mood verb. Mt 10:16. doers. ver. James 1:25. James 2:14-20. 4:11, **James 4:17. *Ex 24:7. 35:1. Le 20:8. Dt 15:5. +*Dt 26:16. 28:58. +**Jsh 1:8. **2 K 22:13. +*Ps 15:5. +*Ps 119:1. Pr 8:34. *Pr 15:32mg. Je 11:6. 38:20. Ezk 18:5, 9. Mt 5:19. **Mt 7:21-25. 12:50. 13:23. *Mt 28:20. *Lk 6:46-48. *Lk 8:15, 21. +*Lk 11:28. +*Lk 12:47, 48. *Jn 8:31. +*Jn 13:17. *Ro 2:13. 8:2. 15:18. 1 Cor 9:21. Ga 6:2. Ep 2:10. **Phil 4:8, 9. *Col 3:17. 2 Th 2:17. Titus 3:8. **1 J 2:3, 9, 10. 3:7. *3 J 1:11. *Re 22:7. the word. ver. James 1:18, 21, 23. +*Ps 119:48. Mk 4:14. Jn 5:38. not hearers. Gr. akroatēs (S#202g, only here, ver. James 1:23, 25; Ro 2:13), a hearer (merely) [Strong]. James 2:14. Ezk 33:4. *Mk 6:20. Ro 2:23. only. +*Ezk 33:31, 32. Lk 6:49. deceiving. or, ensnaring. Gr. paralogizomai (S#3884g, only here and Col 2:4), to deceive by false reasoning (CB); to misreckon, that is, delude (Strong); to use fallacies (Lange). By the logical fallacy that the mere hearing is all that is needed (see JFB). T#1078. ver. James 1:26. James 2:24. 3:13. Ge 29:25. 31:41. +**Dt 7:25. Jsh 9:22. 1 S 28:12. +*Ps 5:9. +*Pr 14:12. 16:25. Is 44:20. Je 37:9. 42:20. +*Ob 1:3. Ro 7:11. *1 Cor 3:18. +*1 Cor 6:9, 10. 8:1. 15:33. *Ga 6:3, 7. **Col 2:4. 2 Tim 3:13. Titus 3:3. 2 P 2:13. **1 J 1:8. Re 12:9. your own selves. *Pr 21:2. 27:19.
jas 1.22 But prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who
delude themselves.
encouraging cross refs(the best commentary on the bible is the bible)
1. lk 11.28 But He said, On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word
of God, and observe it.
2. jn 13.17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
3. 1 jn 2.3 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep
his commandments.
4. gal 6.7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this
he will also reap.
5. tit 3.3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to
various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating
one another.