"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." Cut this one short:) Long version in next post...

James 1:22 above is one of the most misinterpreted bible verses. Many preach this in the context of "you see, you have to obey the Law of Moses in order to be godly." Many wrongly see the verse as meaning: "You must be doers of the Ten Commandments and not hearers alone." Not so when you read the verse in its context. When you take a "text" out of its context, you are left with a "con."

See the verse in its context:

22 "But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. 23 For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; 24 For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like. 25 But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience)."

See the TPT-

22 "Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let his Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! 23 If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning. 24 You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin. 25 But those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do!"

John 1:17 tells us: "For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ."

See Paul's Holy Spirit inspired word in Acts 20:32 - "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

Law and Grace don't mix. 

This Word that we are to be doers of isn't keeping the Ten Commandments in order to be righteous. The letter kills. But when we receive God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ, we get to live in triumph over sin and death through Christ (Romans 5:17.)

Grace is the Message of Christ; we are to be doers of His word- the gospel of Grace aka Good News which has the power to save souls. See what the Message of Christ that saves (and that we are to do) is about in Romans 1:16-17-

16 "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving ne who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

The Word that we are to be doers of or message that we are to obey tells us how God makes us right in His sight. We see a detailed account of how God makes us right in His sight in Romans 3:

"26...for He himself is fair and just, and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."

This is the Word that we are to be doers of: believing that in Christ, we are righteous by faith and not by human effort at obeying the law. This is the crux of the gospel of Christ: Righteousness by faith in Christ.

God's word expressly tells us in Romans 5:9- "And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

In Christ, we are not under law but under Grace. Grace is the "now" Truth that makes us free. This is the Good News: Righteousness by faith. Practicing God's (gift of) righteousness is what it means to be a doer of the Word.

Believer, with Christ as your righteousness, understand that when you sin, God is no longer holding your sins against you. Thank Him that you have been forgiven and confess your righteousness in Him that you believe in your heart. Only when we receive God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ do we get to live in triumph over sin and death: Romans 5:17-

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

The crux of the gospel of Christ is Righteousness by faith through Christ. God gives His righteousness as a gift to all who believe in Jesus Christ, no matter how vile our sins. Our day to day living is imperfect but as we look in the mirror of our lives and see not our flaws but His glory, we are being transformed to the same image from glory to glory by His Spirit. Believing and practicing the Good News of Righteousness by faith is what it means to be a doer of the Word. All other things are added unto us as we, by grace, continue to believe that we are righteous by faith.

Consider 2 Corinthians 3:18- "But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed to the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Believer in Christ, by grace, let's not be like the man that James spoke of in James 1: 23 "For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; 24 For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like."

See the TPT-23 "If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning. 24 You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin."

By grace, live out the message of Christ: Righteousness by faith. Whenever you look in the mirror of your life, don't see yourself as that person who is still held down by many sins and imperfections. See yourself the same way God perceives you in the mirror of His word (Righteous) and always rememeber your divine origin. His word says: "...For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.”..." The Holy Spirit is taking care of the rest, transforming us.... 

Only when we receive His abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ can we live in triumph over sin and death: See Romans 5:17- 

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

Remember James 1: 22 "Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let His Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! 23 If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning. 24 You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin. 25 But those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do!"

Believe Right and you will Live Right.