Teleios, perfect or mature occurs five times (1: 4 twice; 1: 17, 25; 3: 2). Teleioo, to

make perfect or mature occurs once in an important context relating to Abraham's faith

(2: 22). Teleo, to finish or fulfil is found in 2: 8 "If ye fulfil the royal law". Telos, end

or goal is used in 5: 11 "the end of the Lord". This very important group of words gives

us one of the clues to the interpretation of the epistle, specially its relationship to the law.

We must remember that while justification of the sinner is not by law-keeping, going on

to maturity for the believer is certainly related to practical response.  This is the

standpoint of James and we shall give this further consideration in chapter 2: where the

controversial passage concerning Abraham and his justification occurs.

The Hebrew believers to whom James addressed his letter are now reminded of this

fact. While the beginning in experience of the truth of God is related to the opened eye

and the opened ear, progress in it depends upon the practical working out in daily living,

and so a progressive Christian will constantly `look into' the Word of truth for guidance

in this respect (James 1: 25).

The word parakupto means literally `to bend down and peer into' for close inspection,

such as Peter and Mary did in the empty tomb on the great resurrection morning

(John.xx.5,11). Peter also tells us that angels desire to `peer into' the contents of the

gospel (I Pet. 1: 12). Likewise the saved who are putting first things first, delight in

God's commandments and are eager to obey them. After giving them consideration they

do not forget such things, but rather they continue therein (1: 25) making these their daily

delight. Did not the Lord Jesus say concerning His teaching, "if ye know these things,

happy are ye if ye do them" (John 13: 17)? Further than this James reminds his readers

that in so doing they will be blessed (1: 25). He follows this with a warning:

Dokei means `seem in his own estimation'. Such a person imagines himself to be

progressive spiritually because he is often engaged in religious observances. At the same

time he does not control his speech and so denies in practice his profession. This man's

religion is empty declares James, who is nothing if not practical all through this epistle.

Threskos religious and its cognate threskia, describes the details of formal worship or

ritual, in other words the externals of religion. Thousands are very punctilious in this

respect, but the Word of God makes it abundantly clear that such acts are unacceptable to

God unless the attitude of mind is right with Him, accompanied by practical obedience.

Israel's scrupulous observance of Mosaic ritual was spurned by God when they turned

away from Him. Isaiah had to write: