A Man Beholding His Face in a Glass James 1:23

As James gave instructions to his readers concerning being “doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving” their “own selves”, in chapter one and verse twenty-three of his letter he referred to the “man beholding his face in a glass” where we read:

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:

The verse begins, “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,...” James began with the word, “For” which means “because, on account of and since” “if any be” or “whoever or whosoever is” “a hearer” which refers to “one who listens and hears” “of the word” or “the speech, utterance, concept, idea, declaration, aphorism, weighty saying, dictum, maxim doctrine or teaching of the word of God”, “and not a doer” which means “is not a maker, producer, author or performer”. James' reference is to the person who “hears” the word of God and doesn't “perform” or act upon it in their lives.

The verse goes on to say, “...he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:” James continued, “he is like” or “akin to and resembles” “unto a man” which means “any person whether male or female” “beholding” or “perceiving, remarking, observing, understanding and fixing one's eyes or mind upon” “his natural face” which refers to “the face given by birth, nativity, origin and existence” “in a glass” or “a mirror of the ancients which was made of steel or metal such as brass”. The one who merely “hears” the word of God and doesn't “perform” it is like a person who looks and stares at themselves in the mirror.

When we consider these words of James, we realize his strong emphasis upon “doing” the word of God and not only “hearing” it. How many times has a person looked into a mirror and forgotten the way they look only moments afterward? How many times has a person thought they looked one way only to find their hair or face was disheveled and rumpled when they saw their image in a looking glass? Jesus Christ not only desires to save us, but also to “conform us to His image”. We are to continue looking into His word, “hearing” it and obeying in practice the principles He gives. This will allow us to be as King David desired, in Psalm 17:15:

“As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness:

I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness.”

Next time James shares about a man who“forgets what manner of man he was”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.