James 1:22-25
“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.”
Thoughts from Pastor Brian
Dive Deeper
Behind the Scenes
The book of James, written by the half-brother of Jesus, focuses on not just the “why” in our faith, but the “how”. James wrote the letter in response to believers who said all the right things and called themselves believers but failed to actually live out their faith. He was frustrated with the hypocrisy that he saw in the early church and wrote to challenge believers to stand firm on their faith, not just in idea or theology, but in deed as well.
James, like his older brother Jesus, liked to teach with word pictures to help the reader understand his point. Throughout the book of James he uses these word pictures often, which is very reflective of the Old Testament wisdom literature. This passage is one of those word pictures.
The point that James is making in this passage is that we have to know what our identity in Christ really looks like. For those who put on the identity of Christian but don’t live it out, it’s like a person who looks in the mirror one minute and then a minute later forgets what he looks like. It’s a spiritual short-term memory that robs us of all that God wants to do in and through us. He is pointing out that when we do this, we not only deceive the world around us but ourselves as well.
Make it Real
Have you ever sat through an awesome sermon on Sunday morning, feeling convicted and moved? Then when Monday morning rolls around, you fall back into the same routine, the same habits, and the same person you were before? I know I have. It’s easy to do.
We can all hear the truth, feel the Spirit speaking, and feel the conviction. But if we aren’t intentional, it never penetrates deep down into our souls. It’s like oil hovering on the surface of water. It’s distinct and noticeable, but never more than surface deep. It looks like a change, but the water underneath is basically unaltered.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to more than just surface change. Christ calls us to total transformation. It’s about throwing off the old so we can put on the new. Not putting new over the old. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to completely rewrite our identity. And that takes intentionality.
When we take on the identity of a Chrisitan, we have to allow that identity to sink deep and rewrite how we act, how we think, and how we believe. We have to choose to be more than just “Sunday Christians” or else we will miss the opportunity to enjoy the fullness and abundance that Christ promises to those who follow Him. We will miss out on all that it means to be a child of the Most High King!
So, today as you go about your day, ask yourself how your identity in Christ is shaping who you are as a person. Is it just surface deep? Or are you allowing it to sink in? How can you choose to own that identity more today, throwing off the old so you can put on the new?
Crystal Garnett
ACF Digital Discipleship Team Lead
End in Prayer
Hey God!
I don’t want to forget who I am in You. I don’t want to just be a “Sunday morning Christian.” Please help me to take what I am learning on at church, in my small groups, in discussions with other believers, and in these daily devotionals and apply YOUR truth to my life. I want to be changed from the inside out. Please help me to grow in my identity in You, always keeping my eyes firmly fixed on You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen!