Hearers

James 1:25

James describes the Word of God as the perfect law of liberty. Why? Because in it we learn the gospel of Jesus Christ, which gives us freedom from sin, bondage, and death. And the more time we spend in the Bible, the freer we become. Which is why James stresses that we need to “look intently” at what God says. In the ancient Greek language, to “look intently” spoke of a penetrating examination. To peer so intently, that a person would go to great extremes, even physical, to get a better look. Adam Clark calls “looking intently” as taking the time to, “see and examine the state of his soul, the grace of his God, the extent of his duty, and the height of the promised glory.” Being able to both own and read the Bible is a privilege we should never take for granted. And when it comes to the Word of God, James promises great blessings for those who instead of being forgetful hearers, become effectual doers!