James 1:25
But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so--not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer--he will be blessed in what he does.
But the one who looks intently
The phrase "looks intently" suggests a deep, penetrating examination rather than a casual glance. The Greek word used here is "παρακύπτω" (parakyptō), which implies bending over to look closely. This indicates a deliberate and focused study of God's Word, akin to how one might carefully examine a precious artifact. In a historical context, this reflects the dedication of early Christians who, despite limited access to written texts, would gather to hear and meditate on Scripture with great care and attention.

into the perfect law of freedom
The "perfect law of freedom" is a profound concept. The Greek word for "perfect" is "τέλειος" (teleios), meaning complete or mature. This law is not a set of restrictive rules but a liberating guide that leads to spiritual maturity and freedom from sin. Historically, this reflects the transition from the Old Covenant, which was seen as a tutor leading to Christ, to the New Covenant, which offers true freedom through the Spirit. The "law of freedom" underscores the transformative power of the Gospel, which frees believers from the bondage of sin and empowers them to live righteously.

and continues to do so
The phrase "continues to do so" emphasizes perseverance and consistency. The Greek word "παραμένω" (paramenō) means to remain or abide. This suggests a continuous, ongoing engagement with God's Word, not a one-time event. In the early church, this perseverance was crucial for spiritual growth and resilience in the face of persecution. It highlights the importance of daily devotion and steadfastness in the Christian walk.

not being a forgetful hearer
"Forgetful hearer" contrasts with the attentive doer. The Greek word "ἐπιλησμονή" (epilēsmone) for forgetful implies negligence or carelessness. This serves as a warning against superficial engagement with Scripture. Historically, this reflects the oral culture of the time, where hearing was a primary means of learning, and memory was vital. The admonition is to internalize and remember God's Word, allowing it to shape one's life.

but an effective doer
An "effective doer" is one who acts upon what they have learned. The Greek word "ποιητής" (poiētēs) means a maker or producer, indicating active implementation. This reflects the biblical principle that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). In the historical context, early Christians were known for their acts of charity and service, living out their faith in tangible ways. This phrase encourages believers to translate their understanding of Scripture into practical, godly actions.

he will be blessed in what he does
The promise of being "blessed" is a recurring theme in Scripture. The Greek word "μακάριος" (makarios) denotes a state of happiness or divine favor. This blessing is not merely material but encompasses spiritual well-being and fulfillment. Historically, this reflects the beatitudes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, where true blessedness is associated with living according to God's will. The assurance is that those who diligently study and apply God's Word will experience His favor and joy in their lives.

Persons / Places / Events
1. James
The author of the epistle, traditionally identified as James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the early Jerusalem church. He writes to Jewish Christians scattered abroad.

2. The Perfect Law of Freedom
Refers to the teachings of Christ and the moral law fulfilled in Him, emphasizing liberty from sin and the bondage of legalism.

3. Hearers and Doers
James contrasts those who merely hear the word with those who actively live it out, emphasizing the importance of action in faith.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Intentional Study
The phrase "looks intently" suggests a deep, careful examination of God's Word. Believers are encouraged to study Scripture diligently, seeking to understand and apply it.

The Role of Memory and Action
Being a "forgetful hearer" implies neglecting to internalize and act upon God's Word. True blessing comes from remembering and doing.

Freedom in Obedience
The "perfect law of freedom" suggests that true liberty is found in obedience to God's Word, freeing us from sin's bondage.

Consistency in Practice
The call to "continue to do so" highlights the need for perseverance in living out our faith, not just occasional obedience.

Blessing Through Obedience
The promise of being "blessed in what he does" assures believers that God rewards faithful obedience with spiritual and sometimes material blessings.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of the "perfect law of freedom" challenge or affirm your understanding of Christian liberty?

2. In what ways can you ensure that you are not just a hearer of the Word but a doer? Reflect on practical steps you can take.

3. How does the teaching in James 1:25 relate to Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-27?

4. Consider a time when you experienced blessing as a result of obeying God's Word. How did this reinforce your faith?

5. How can the church community support each other in being doers of the Word and not just hearers? What role can you play in this?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Matthew 7:24-27
Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders highlights the importance of not just hearing His words but putting them into practice.

Romans 2:13
Paul emphasizes that it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

Psalm 19:7
The psalmist speaks of the law of the Lord as perfect, reviving the soul, which aligns with James' description of the "perfect law of freedom."
Christianity in Three AspectsD. Thomas.James 1:25
ContinuanceA. Farindon, B. D.James 1:25
Doctrine Rendered into LifeS. Martin.James 1:25
Forgetful HearersW. H. M. H. Aitken, M. A.James 1:25
Happiness Connected with Obedience to the Law of ChristS. Wills, D. D.James 1:25
Law and LibertyJames Vaughan, M. A.James 1:25
Looking into the Perfect LawJames Barr, D. D.James 1:25
Self-ForgetfulnessW. Page Robert. , M. A.James 1:25
Slavery and LibertyH. Melvill, B. D.James 1:25
Spiritual Mnemonics; or Rules for Improving the MemoryJ. Freeman Clarke.James 1:25
The Blessedness of DoingA. Maclaren, D. D.James 1:25
The Eye Effects the SightA. Farindon, B. D. .James 1:25
The Gospel LawJames 1:25
The Gospel the Perfect Law of LibertyJames 1:25
The Law of LibertyJoseph Taylor.James 1:25
The Nature Or the Gospel LawA. Farindon, B. D.James 1:25
The Perfect LawT. Manton.James 1:25
The Perfect Law and its DoersA. Maclaren, D. D.James 1:25
The Perfect Law of LibertyW. M. Punshon, D. D.James 1:25
The Perfect Law of LibertySystematic Bible Teacher.James 1:25
The Perfect Law of LibertyJ. Lewis.James 1:25
The Perfect Law of LibertyR. Wardlaw, D. D.James 1:25
The Perfect Law of LibertyR. Treffry.James 1:25
True LibertyJames 1:25
The Law of the New LifeT.F. Lockyer James 1:19-27
Doers and Non-DoersW. D. Horwood.James 1:22-25
Doers, not Hearers OnlyJohn Adam.James 1:22-25
Doing the WordR. Turnbull.James 1:22-25
Duty of HearersJoseph Marsh.James 1:22-25
Hearers and DoersC. Jerdan James 1:22-25
Hearing and DoingJ. T. Whitley.James 1:22-25
Hearing and DoingS. Cox, D. D.James 1:22-25
Hearing and DoingA. Plummer, D. D.James 1:22-25
Hearing and DoingJ. S. Macintosh, D. D.James 1:22-25
Hearing and DoingT. Manton.James 1:22-25
Hearing and DoingA. Raleigh, D. D.James 1:22-25
Hearing with the ConscienceIsaac Walton.James 1:22-25
Hearing Without DoingE. Blencowe, M. A.James 1:22-25
Hearing Without MendingJames 1:22-25
Knowledge and DutyCanon Duckworth.James 1:22-25
Living the PreachingJames 1:22-25
Man's GlassH. Melvill, B. D.James 1:22-25
Necessity of Adding Doing to HearingT. Hannam.James 1:22-25
Profitless HearingJ. T. Tucker.James 1:22-25
Self-Deceit of Those Who are Hearers But not Doers of the WordBp. Mant.James 1:22-25
Self-Deception of HearersM. F. Sadler, M. A.James 1:22-25
Self-RealizationProf. F. Paget.James 1:22-25
Standing Before the MirrorA. S. Patterson, D. D.James 1:22-25
The Danger of Mistaking Knowledge for ObedienceArchdeacon Manning.James 1:22-25
The Divine MirrorJas. Noble, M. A.James 1:22-25
The Due Receiving of God's WordBp. Brownrig.James 1:22-25
The Looking-GlassC. H. Spurgeon.James 1:22-25
The Word a Mirror and a LateW. Pulsford, D. D.James 1:22-25
The Word of WordsU. R. Thomas.James 1:22-25
Two Sorts of HearersC. H. Spurgeon.James 1:22-25
People
James
Places
Dispersion
Topics
TRUE, Acts, Becoming, Blessed, Blessing, Closely, Continue, Continues, Continueth, Deed, Doer, Effect, Effectual, Fixes, Forgetful, Forgets, Forgetteth, Forgetting, Free, Freedom, Gives, Goes, Happy, Hearer, Intently, Law, Liberty, Looks, Makes, Memory, Obedience, Obedient, Perfect, Perseveres, Putting, Result, Therein, View, Worketh
Dictionary of Bible Themes
James 1:25

     1615   Scripture, sufficiency
     5499   reward, divine
     5881   immaturity
     6661   freedom, and law
     6746   sanctification, means and results
     8102   abiding in Christ
     8117   discipleship, benefits
     8321   perfection, divine
     8330   receptiveness

James 1:21-25

     8351   teachableness

James 1:22-25

     5959   submission

James 1:22-26

     5943   self-deception

James 1:23-25

     5411   mirror

Library
February 28. "Count it all Joy" (James i. 2).
"Count it all joy" (James i. 2). We do not always feel joyful, but we are to count it all joy. The word "reckon" is one of the key-words of Scripture. It is the same word used about our being dead. We do not feel dead. We are painfully conscious of something that would gladly return to life. But we are to treat ourselves as dead, and neither fear nor obey the old nature. So we are to reckon the thing that comes as a blessing. We are determined to rejoice, to say, "My heart is fixed, O God, I will
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Fourth Sunday after Easter Second Sermon.
Text: James 1, 16-21. 16 Be not deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Ye know this, my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

George Buchanan, Scholar
The scholar, in the sixteenth century, was a far more important personage than now. The supply of learned men was very small, the demand for them very great. During the whole of the fifteenth, and a great part of the sixteenth century, the human mind turned more and more from the scholastic philosophy of the Middle Ages to that of the Romans and the Greeks; and found more and more in old Pagan Art an element which Monastic Art had not, and which was yet necessary for the full satisfaction of their
Charles Kingsley—Historical Lectures and Essays

October the Eighteenth Unanimity in the Soul
"A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." --JAMES i. 1-8. If two men are at the wheel with opposing notions of direction and destiny, how will it fare with the boat? If an orchestra have two conductors both wielding their batons at the same time and with conflicting conceptions of the score, what will become of the band? And a man whose mind is like that of two men flirting with contrary ideals at the same time will live a life "all sixes and sevens," and nothing will move to purposeful
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

May the Fifth Healthy Listening
"Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only." --JAMES i. 21-27. When we hear the word, but do not do it, there has been a defect in our hearing. We may listen to the word for mere entertainment. Or we may attach a virtue to the mere act of listening to the word. We may assume that some magical efficacy belongs to the mere reading of the word. And all this is perverse and delusive. No listening is healthy which is not mentally referred to obedience. We are to listen with a view to obedience,
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

An Address to the Regenerate, Founded on the Preceding Discourses.
James I. 18. James I. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. I INTEND the words which I have now been reading, only as an introduction to that address to the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, with which I am now to conclude these lectures; and therefore shall not enter into any critical discussion, either of them, or of the context. I hope God has made the series of these discourses, in some measure, useful to those
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

On Patience
"Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:4. 1. "My brethren," says the Apostle in the preceding verse, "count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." At first view, this may appear a strange direction; seeing most temptations are, "for the present, not joyous, but grievous." Nevertheless ye know by your own experience, that "the trial of your faith worketh patience:" And if "patience have its perfect work, ye shall be perfect and
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

On Charity
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Cor. 13:1-3. We know, "All Scripture is given by inspiration
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Loving Advice for Anxious Seekers
However, the promise is not to be limited to any one particular application, for the word, "If any of you," is so wide, so extensive, that whatever may be our necessity, whatever the dilemma which perplexes us, this text consoles us with the counsel, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God." This text might be peculiarly comforting to some of you who are working for God. You cannot work long for your heavenly Lord without perceiving that you need a greater wisdom than you own. Why, even in directing
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 13: 1867

All Joy in all Trials
Beginning with this word "brethren," James shows a true brotherly sympathy with believers in their trials, and this is a main part of Christian fellowship. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." If we are not tempted ourselves at this moment, others are: let us remember them in our prayers; for in due time our turn will come, and we shall be put into the crucible. As we would desire to receive sympathy and help in our hour of need, let us render it freely to those who are
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 29: 1883

The Days of the Week
JAMES i. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is neither variableness, nor shadow of turning. It seems an easy thing for us here to say, 'I believe in God.' We have learnt from our childhood that there is but one God. It seems to us strange and ridiculous that people anywhere should believe in more gods than one. We never heard of any other doctrine, except in books about the heathen; and there are perhaps not three people
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

Sermon on a Martyr's Day
Of three sorts of spiritual temptation by which holy men are secretly assailed; to wit: spiritual unchastity, covetousness, and pride. James i. 12.--"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. ALL our life (says Job), so long as we are upon earth, is full of struggle and temptation, insomuch that this life is not called a life by the Saints, but a temptation. When one temptation is over,
Susannah Winkworth—The History and Life of the Reverend Doctor John Tauler

The Sixth Petition Corresponds as we have Observed to the Promise of Writing the Law...
The sixth petition corresponds (as we have observed) to the promise [26] of writing the law upon our hearts; but because we do not obey God without a continual warfare, without sharp and arduous contests, we here pray that he would furnish us with armour, and defend us by his protection, that we may be able to obtain the victory. By this we are reminded that we not only have need of the gift of the Spirit inwardly to soften our hearts, and turn and direct them to the obedience of God, but also of
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith

The Deepest Need of the Church Today is not for any Material or External Thing...
The deepest need of the Church today is not for any material or external thing, but the deepest need is spiritual. Prayerless work will never bring in the kingdom. We neglect to pray in the prescribed way. We seldom enter the closet and shut the door for a season of prayer. Kingdom interests are pressing on us thick and fast and we must pray. Prayerless giving will never evangelise the world.--Dr. A. J. Gordon The great subject of prayer, that comprehensive need of the Christian's life, is intimately
E.M. Bounds—Purpose in Prayer

Biographical Preface.
"The Church! Am I asked again, What is the Church? The ploughman at his daily toil--the workman who plies the shuttle--the merchant in his counting-house--the scholar in his study--the lawyer in the courts of justice--the senator in the hall of legislature--the monarch on his throne--these, as well as the clergymen in the works of the material building which is consecrated to the honour of God--these constitute the Church. The Church is the whole congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Antecedents of Permanent Christian Colonization --The Disintegration of Christendom --Controversies --Persecutions.
WE have briefly reviewed the history of two magnificent schemes of secular and spiritual empire, which, conceived in the minds of great statesmen and churchmen, sustained by the resources of the mightiest kingdoms of that age, inaugurated by soldiers of admirable prowess, explorers of unsurpassed boldness and persistence, and missionaries whose heroic faith has canonized them in the veneration of Christendom, have nevertheless come to naught. We turn now to observe the beginnings, coinciding in time
Leonard Woolsey Bacon—A History of American Christianity

The Puritan Beginnings of the Church in virginia ---Its Decline Almost to Extinction.
THERE is sufficient evidence that the three little vessels which on the 13th of May, 1607, were moored to the trees on the bank of the James River brought to the soil of America the germ of a Christian church. We may feel constrained to accept only at a large discount the pious official professions of King James I., and critically to scrutinize many of the statements of that brilliant and fascinating adventurer, Captain John Smith, whether concerning his friends or concerning his enemies or concerning
Leonard Woolsey Bacon—A History of American Christianity

The Neighbor Colonies to virginia-Maryland and the Carolinas.
THE chronological order would require us at this point to turn to the Dutch settlements on the Hudson River; but the close relations of Virginia with its neighbor colonies of Maryland and the Carolinas are a reason for taking up the brief history of these settlements in advance of their turn. The occupation of Maryland dates from the year 1634. The period of bold and half-desperate adventure in making plantations along the coast was past. To men of sanguine temper and sufficient fortune and influence
Leonard Woolsey Bacon—A History of American Christianity

Directions to Church-Wardens, &C.
CHURCH-WARDENS are officers of the parish in ecclesiastical affairs, as the constables are in civil, and the main branches of their duty are to present what is presentable by the ecclesiastical Jaws of this realm, and repair the Church [1] . For the better information of Church-wardens as to those particulars, which they are to present, [2] articles are to be given them extracted out of the laws of the Church, according to which they are to make their presentments, Can. 119. They are obliged twice
Humphrey Prideaux—Directions to Church-Wardens

Theological Controversies and Studies
(a) Baianism. Schwane, /Dogmengeschichte der neuren zeit/, 1890. Turmel, /Histoire de la theologie positive du concile de Trente au concile du Vatican/, 1906. Denzinger-Bannwart, /Enchiridion Symbolorum/, 11th edition, 1911. Duchesne, /Histoire du Baianisme/, 1731. Linsenmann, /Michael Baius/, 1863. The Catholic doctrine on Grace, round which such fierce controversies had been waged in the fifth and sixth centuries, loomed again into special prominence during the days of the Reformation. The views
Rev. James MacCaffrey—History of the Catholic Church, Renaissance to French Revolution

The Downfall, 1616-1621.
The dream of bliss became a nightmare. As the tide of Protestantism ebbed and flowed in various parts of the Holy Roman Empire, so the fortunes of the Brethren ebbed and flowed in the old home of their fathers. We have seen how the Brethren rose to prosperity and power. We have now to see what brought about their ruin. It was nothing in the moral character of the Brethren themselves. It was purely and simply their geographical position. If Bohemia had only been an island, as Shakespeare seems
J. E. Hutton—History of the Moravian Church

Knox and the Book of Discipline
This Book of Discipline, containing the model of the Kirk, had been seen by Randolph in August 1560, and he observed that its framers would not come into ecclesiastical conformity with England. They were "severe in that they profess, and loth to remit anything of that they have received." As the difference between the Genevan and Anglican models contributed so greatly to the Civil War under Charles I., the results may be regretted; Anglicans, by 1643, were looked on as "Baal worshippers" by the
Andrew Lang—John Knox and the Reformation

Whether Sacred Doctrine is a Practical Science
Whether Sacred Doctrine is a Practical Science We proceed to the fourth article thus: 1. It seems that sacred doctrine is a practical science. For "the end of practical knowledge is action," according to the philosopher (2 Metaph., Text 3), and sacred doctrine is concerned with action, according to James 1:22: "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only." Sacred doctrine is therefore a practical science. 2. Again, sacred doctrine is divided into the Old and the New Law, and the Law has to do with
Aquinas—Nature and Grace

Wherefore Let this be the First Thought for the Putting on of Humility...
42. Wherefore let this be the first thought for the putting on of humility, that God's virgin think not that it is of herself that she is such, and not rather that this best "gift cometh down from above from the Father of Lights, with Whom is no change nor shadow of motion." [2172] For thus she will not think that little hath been forgiven her, so as for her to love little, and, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish her own, not to be made subject to the righteousness
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity.

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