Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:22 Being doers of the word, and not hearers only is the only proper response to the Word of God (not only the gospel but the entirety of Scripture), allowing it to take root in one's life (cf. v. 21).

1:23-24 Looking intently at his natural face in a mirror and then forgetting what he was like demonstrates the folly of examining oneself in God's "mirror" of the "implanted word" (v. 21) and then doing nothing about it (v. 22). When one sees imperfections (as when looking in a mirror), common sense says something should be done about it.

1:25 the law of liberty (cf. 2:12). In James, the "law" and the "word" are two different ways of describing the same reality. Earlier, the "word of truth" (1:18) is the gospel of Christ, and the "law" here refers to the OT law as it has been interpreted and fulfilled in Christ. Though the OT law was "holy and righteous and good" (Rom. 7:12), it had no power by itself to enable sinful people to conform to it. Thus, the OT law did not liberate God's people but enslaved them, as Paul taught (Gal. 3:10-4:7; cf. Rom. 2:1-3:20; 5:20; 6:14-15; 7:1-25). But the law is one of "liberty" when it comes along with the word of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit to change hearts. See also note on James 2:12.