Albert Barnes Commentary James 1:22

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves." — James 1:22 (ASV)

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only. Obey the gospel, and do not merely listen to it. .

Deceiving your own selves. It is implied here, that by merely hearing the word but not doing it, they would deceive their own souls. The nature of this deception was this: they would imagine that it was all that was required, whereas the main thing was that they should be obedient.

If a man supposes that by a mere punctual attendance on preaching, or a respectful attention to it, he has done all that is required of him, he is labouring under a most gross self-deception. And yet there are multitudes who seem to imagine that they have done all that is demanded of them when they have heard attentively the word preached. Of its influence on their lives, and its claims to obedience, they are utterly regardless.