James 1:25,26 - James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

Bible Comments

THE DOER’S REWARD

‘This man shall be blessed in his deed.’

James 1:25

It does not define what ‘deed.’ The word is, ‘This man shall be blessed in his doing’; all his doing; whatever he does.

It will come to you in many ways. You have now honoured God, and God will honour you.

I. You will be ‘blessed’ when you are studying.—A light will be thrown upon God’s Word. It will become quite a new book to you; and the reading, or the listening, will be very different to what it used to be; not a thing to be done, but a thing to be enjoyed; a pleasure more than a duty. And those will be very happy times which you will spend with God over His Word,—the happiest; happier than any other conversation that you have in life; dearer to you than the letter of your dearest friend.

II. You will find it in your prayers.—Prayer will become very real. It will be confidential. It will be minute. It will be power.

III. You will find it in your work.—God will soon give you some token to show that He has been pleased with you. I do not know how He may show it,—what He may give you; some worldly success, it may be; or it may be disappointment. It may be a real sorrow. But whichever it be, there will be a sense of being loved and cared for. There will be a Presence. There will be an intention, which brings infinite things very near. There will be a peaceful, restful state of mind. It will follow you in all the details of common life.

And then you will be fulfilling great and worthy ends. You will be living to good purpose. You will be ‘blessed,’ and be a comfort to many.

James 1:25-26

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.d

26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.