Faces in the Mirror
James 1:22-25
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.
1. DISTORTED MIRRORS
"We do not dare to...compare ourselves with some who commend themselves"—2 Corinthians 10:12
A. Many look into the MIRROR of SOCIETAL STANDARDS!
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. –Galatians 1:10
B. Many look into the MIRROR of SINFUL or SLOTHFUL SAINTS!
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 that you do not become slothful, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.—Hebrews 6:11-12
Slothful = Sluggish
He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.—Proverbs 18:9
C. Many look into the MIRROR of "SUPER-SPIRITUAL" SAINTS!
Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind—Colossians 2:18
…Not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.—Colossians 2:19
2. DIVINE MIRROR
"Anyone who listens to the word...is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror."—James 1:23
A. The MIRROR of the WORD REVEALS our FAULTS!
…The Lord said: "Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people…—Amos 7:8
B. The MIRROR of the WORD REMINDS us of our FRAILTIES!
Every hand will be feeble, and every knee will be as weak as water—Ezekiel 7:17
C. The MIRROR of the WORD RATES our FRUITFULNESS!
"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples—John 15:8
D. The MIRROR of the WORD REFUSES to FABRICATE or FLATTER!
Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining—I John 2:8
E. The MIRROR of the WORD RELATES our FIXABILITY!
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed—Luke 4:18
3. DAILY MIRROR
"We...with UNVEILED FACES...are being TRANSFORMED into his likeness." –-2 Corinthians 3:18
A. Daily looking into the MIRROR points to spiritual IMPERFECTION!
His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God—1Corinthians 2:10
B. Daily looking into the MIRROR provokes spiritual IMPROVEMENT!
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind—Romans 12:2
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord—Romans 7:24-25
C. Daily looking into the MIRROR produces a surprising IMAGE!
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord—2 Corinthians 3:18
