James 1:22-27

James 1:19-27
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; [20] for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. [21] Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
[22] But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. [23] For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. [24] For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. [25] But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
[26] If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. [27] Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Who are the two types of people presented in verses 22-27?

Doers of the Word. These people persevere (remain steadfast) in God’s law (v.25). These people control their tongues (v.26) not speaking quickly out of anger (v.19). They care for the helpless (v.27). They are of one mind in their devotion toward God (v.8), keeping themselves unstained from the world (v.27). These people will stand before God justified (Romans 2:13) and will receive the crown of life (v.12).
Hearers of the Word. These people claim to know Christ (2:1), but they hear the word and do not do it. They think they are religious (v. 26) because they deceive themselves (v.22). Their religion, however, is worthless (v.26). They do not control their tongue, take care of the helpless or keep their affections wholly for God. These people have not been justified (Romans 2:13).

Why do hearers of the word need to deceive themselves?

There is one reason that corresponds to the immediate context: a hearer of the word needs to deceive himself because the character of his heart is contrary to the character of God which is presented in the word and so it is clear that he must not be born of God. This is what I have stated earlier in my commentary on verses 12-18. James rebukes those who might make excuse for their sin by accusing God of tempting them in verses 13-15. James points out that the perfect, untempting and untemptable character of God opposes those who are carried away by the wicked desires of their hearts. James continues, in verses 16-18, by pointing out that God’s character is immutably perfect and that he brought forth the reader by His word, thus warning those who would call themselves Christians to live lives that reflect God’s character. James presents nothing new to the reader, but simply highlights the truths that are evident to a hearer of the word.

How do hearers of the word deceive themselves?

They begin to build a wall of deception so they don’t have to admit that they are enemies of God. This first wall they build is a deception in regards to the holiness of God. They make a god who they can blame for their sin, “I am being tempted by God.” In the light of God’s word they could never pass as His children, so they make a god who doesn’t oppose their nature. Their god regenerates people, but only in word, because anything more than that would require evident change. Faith becomes to them something that is independent of good works (2:14-17). Once they have done this they can defend a life full of bad works by appealing to the doctrine of justification by Faith.
James has already been tearing down those deceptions, so that those who are truly children of God will not behave like hearers of the word. He has told them that God does not tempt. He then tells them to “not be deceived (v.16)” in regards to what kind of things God is capable of producing. God only gives good gifts, such as living, steadfast, law–doing hearts. God has not brought forth anyone to be inconsistent with who He is, and so James writes, “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.”

What is the point of the mirror analogy?

The mirror analogy demonstrates how absurd it is for a person to consider themselves to be a believer and to not do the word. When one looks intently at his natural face in a mirror, it is inconceivable that he could walk away and forget what kind of man he is. When one claims to be a believer, claims to love the word, and hears the word over and over he will discover the state of his heart. Just as it is absurd that one might forget what he looked like in the mirror it is equally absurd that one would not do the word, hear the word’s witness against him, and still believe he is accepted by God.

What do Orphans, Widows, Tongues, and the World have to do with all this?

The hearers of the word are those who are double minded, trying to be friends of Christ and the World (v.5-8). Love for the world produces a quarreling (4:1-4) tongue that speaks evil against the brethren (4:11). Love for the world also produces earthly wisdom (3:15). This wisdom judges the helpless (orphans and widows) according to their worldly stature instead of by their standing before God (2:4-6).

Review

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves [to think that you are born of God (v.16-18)]. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like [so does the hearer of the word seem to forget the state of his heart before God which the word testifies to clearly]. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing [receiving the crown of life (v.12)]. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart [because his wicked, quarreling tongue has revealed the state of his heart (v.19)], this person's religion is worthless [because it is not true religion, born of God to produce good fruit (v.16-18 and Ephesians 2)]. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father [not inconsistent with His perfect character] is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world [because those who are friends of the world are enemies of God (4:4), oppress the helpless, and use their tongues for quarreling (4:1) which cannot produce God’s righteousness (v.20)].