Daily Bible Nugget #285, James 1:25

The Nugget:

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

My Comment:

Blessedness of hearing and obeying the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the main title “The Scriptures,” page 240).

James describes how we are to make use of our Bible. First, we are to look into it. The Bible is a powerful tool to help us grow and thrive spiritually, but if we don’t look into the Bible for ourselves, it will not prove useful for us.

Second, James tells us that God’s Word in the Bible is perfect. That reminds me of Psalm 19:7 which declares God’s word is perfect, converting the soul and making wise the simple. I began reading the Bible for myself in 1953. At the time, my purpose was to learn its content so I would not always appear so dumb in Sunday school class where I rarely knew the answer to a Bible question. I had no idea then that the Bible was designed to convert the soul. I had no idea that I needed converting. But by reading the little pocket New Testament, my whole life was changed because the Bible led me into a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, and furnished me assurance of salvation in this life. God’s Word is perfect in many other ways. Those who make light of the Bible, who ridicule those who believe it, are not aware of the ignorance of the truth they unwittingly display when they make remarks in person or on the Internet against the Bible.

Third, James tells us the Bible is the law of liberty. Jesus had something to say about that in John 8:32. He promised (John 8:31) that if we continue in His word, we would truly be His disciples. That would result, Jesus said, in our knowing the truth, and the truth would set us free. God’s Word is not a straitjacket designed to burden us at every turn. God’s Word sets us free from the sin that enslaves us. Some read the Bible, and especially the Ten Commandments, and focus on the Fourth Commandment about the Sabbath, and brow-beat everyone else who goes to church on Sunday instead of Saturday with the accusation that they are Sabbath violators. Any church that teaches this false doctrine is in bondage to legalism, failing to recognize that Christ set us totally free from the Jewish law (Colossians 2:14), and replaced it with a new life. The new life Christ gives us does not focus upon obedience to the commandments of the law, but leads us to produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). New life in Christ results from regenerative change (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5), wrought by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25). Christ gives us liberty (Galatians 5:1) and He does not place us under the bondage of the Law (Galatians 2:16, 21; Acts 15:10).

Fourth, James tells us we must not merely look into God’s Word, but we must continue in God’s Word. This is a very unpopular doctrine. It is the opposite of the “Once Saved, Always Saved” teaching so popular in so-called Evangelical and even Calvinistic circles. The Bible does not teach unconditional eternal security. Such a teaching is absolutely false doctrine. What the Bible does teach is the absolute eternal security of the believer, not the unbeliever! The Bible teaches we must continue to believe. This is taught by the tenses found in the Greek New Testament, which always teaches the necessity and requirement of continuous belief which will result in salvation, not a one-time momentary “act of faith.” That very truth is obvious starting at John 3:16. See also John 5:24. And don’t miss John 10:27 which must be considered, and its conditions met, before you lay claim to the promise of John 10:28! Take note of Colossians 1:23 too.

Fifth, James tells us we must not be forgetful hearers. The only way not to forget what we hear (or, often as not in our day, what we read) in God’s Word, the Bible, is to continue to read the Bible and make it the object of our study. Remembering what the Bible says does not take place automatically. You cannot forget what you never knew!

Sixth, James tells us that the necessary condition to reap the blessing promised involves being a doer of the work. That is, we must obey what the Bible teaches us. We must put what we learn from the Bible into practice.

Seventh, James tells us that if we do these things we shall be blessed in what we do. As always in Scripture, to receive the promised blessing, we must meet the stipulated conditions.

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 pages 1447-1448 for James 1:25.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1466 or in Logos 5 Bible software for James 1:25.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

James 1:25. But whoso. or, he that. looketh. or, became absorbed. Literally, stooped down (to look). Gr. parakuptō [(S#3879g), to bend beside, that is, lean over (so as to peer within) [Strong]: Rendered (1) stoop down: Lk 24:12. Jn 20:5, 11. (2) look: James 1:25. 1 P 1:12]. The mirror is conceived as placed on a table or on the ground (Vincent). Ge 26:8. Dt 27:26. Pr 7:6. 14:15. SS 2:9. Is 2:3. +**Is 8:20n. Lk 12:24, 27. 24:12. Jn 8:31. *Jn 20:5n, 11g. Ac 7:31, 32. 11:6. +**Ac 17:11. *2 Cor 13:5. *He 12:15. *1 P 1:12. the perfect. Gr. teleios (S#5046g, Mt 5:48). James 2:8. Mt 5:48. 1 Cor 9:21. Ga 6:2. law. James 2:12. Dt 33:2, 3. Ps 1:2. **Ps 19:7-10. 40:8. 119:32, *Ps 119:45, **Ps 119:96-105. Pr 6:23. Je 31:33. *Ro 3:27. *Ro 7:12, 14, 16, 22, 23. *Ro 8:2. 1 Tim 1:8. liberty. or, freedom. Gr. eleutheria [(S#1657g): Ro 8:21. 1 Cor 10:29. 2 Cor 3:17. Ga 2:4. 5:1, 13. James 1:25. 2:12. 1 P 2:16, 19]. James 2:8, 10, 12. +*Ps 119:32, 45. Ex 35:5. Dt 28:47. **+Jn 8:32, 36. Ro 6:22. *Ro 8:2, *Ro 8:15. 13:10. 1 Cor 7:22. *2 Cor 3:17, 18. Ga 2:4. **Ga 5:1, 13, 14. 1 P 2:16. 2 P 2:19. and continueth. Gr. paramenō [(S#3887g): Rendered (1) continue: He 7:23. James 1:25. (2) abide: 1 Cor 16:6]. ver. %James 1:24. 1 S 12:14. +*Ps 119:15, 98. +*Jn 8:31. 15:9, 10. Ac 2:42. +*Ac 13:43. 26:22. *Ro 2:7, 8. +*Ro 11:22. +**Col 1:23. *1 Tim 2:15. +*1 Tim 4:16. *1 J 2:24. a forgetful. Gr. epilēsmonē (S#1953g, only here), negligence (Strong). ver. James 1:23, 24. hearer. +*Lk 11:28. but a doer. ver. +*James 1:22. James 4:11. Dt 5:10. 2 K 23:24. +*Ps 119:34. Pr 29:18. Mt 7:24. *Mk 3:35. Lk 6:47. +*Lk 11:28. +*Jn 13:17. this man shall be blessed. Gr. makarios (S#3107g, Mt 5:3). ver. James 1:12. Dt 5:29. 10:13. 11:27. +*Ps 1:1, 2. *Ps 19:11. 106:3. +*Ps 119:1-3. Pr 24:14. Da 6:20. *Lk 6:47, etc. *+Lk 11:28, 36. +*Jn 13:17. +**1 Cor 15:58. +*Re 14:13. 22:14. deed. or, doing. ver. James 1:27. Ro 10:9, 10.