Self-deception of the person with dead faith — James 1:22 'deceiving yourselves'

Mike connects James 2:19 to James 1:22 ('not a doer but a hearer only, deceiving yourself') — the person with dead faith is genuinely self-deceived. They believe they are saved when they are not. James's escalating rhetoric (including calling them 'demons' in effect) is necessary precisely because this self-deception is so difficult to penetrate.