This Man Shall Be Blessed in His Deed (Part 3)

In James 1:22 God's Word delivers an instruction and admonition concerning our right relationship toward God's Word – “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” The positive instruction is that we are ever to pursue being doers of God's Word. The negative admonition is that we are never to be hearers only of God's Word, deceiving our own selves thereby. In order to emphasize and explain this admonition, James 1:23-24 presents an illustration concerning those who are hearers only of God's Word, and not doers also – “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.”

Then in direct contrast to the hearers only of God's Word, James 1:25 describes those who are doers also of God's Word and pronounces a promise of the Lord's blessing upon them – “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.” Grammatically, James 1:25 can be divided into four parts. First, there is the description of daily study – “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty.” Second, there is the description of diligent submission – “And continueth therein.” Third, there is the description of dedicated obedience – “He being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work.” Finally, there is the declaration of divine blessing – “This man shall be blessed in his deed.”

1. The Daily Study.
2. The Diligent Submission.
3. The Dedicated Obedience.
4. The Divine Blessing.