(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 observing his natural face in a mirror;
(24) for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
(25) But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
This passage reminds us that we are deluding ourselves in thinking think that we can simply read the Bible or listen to sermons in church or through media and not act upon what we hear. Afterall, there are many unbelievers who attend church; moreover, even satan knows the Bible or the word, but certainly, he does not follow its teachings.
James compares those who only hear the word to someone looking in a mirror then turning away forgetting the details of what they saw. The Lord tells us in His word that IF we love Him, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15). He wants His followers to be genuine and to represent Him well to a fallen world because we love Him and His principles are seared in our hearts.
The teachings of the word of God should increasingly and continually become a part of the behavior, the speech, and the thoughts of Christians. That leads to the encouraging result in verse 25: “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
When James uses the word “law,” he is not likely talking about the Law of Moses or legalistic rules. He was writing to Christians about what it means to live out their faith in Christ. The perfect law of the love of Christ brings freedom. When we are both hearers and doers of the word, we will be blessed.