NOTE: This is the
second of 3 articles on James 1. It
builds from part 1, which can be found below.
In James 1, we are told specifically what the condition of
our heart needs to be, for the Word of God to change us (see part 1). Then, 1:21 goes on to tell us to “...
receive the Word implanted...” If you
have known the Lord for a long time, you are probably familiar with this
passage. However, there is a lot more
to these simple words than you might have considered in the past.
Christians today are pretty good at taking the Word of God
seriously. We read the Word, study the
Word, talk about the Word, maybe even memorize the Word. However, what does it mean to “receive” the
Word?
To receive something is to take it, to take it in, to take
possession of it. If you receive
something, it now belongs to you. However, this might be very different from
what many of us do with the Word of God.
Do you really take ownership of God’s Word? Has it really become yours?
We often talk about the Word as “God’s truth.” It clearly is that. However, do we see it as “His truth,” as
opposed to “my truth?” I’m sure all
Christians believe that they should do what the Bible tells them because it is
God’s truth, and therefore its should be obeyed. But does this perspective make it harder to put Biblical truths
into practice? For most of us, it is
harder to do what someone else wants us to than it is to do what we want to,
even if we think they are right.
What if God’s truth actually becomes your truth? Do you ever feel like it is hard to do what
you know God wants you to? I wonder if
we actually took ownership of His truth, and made it our truth, if it would
still be so hard to do.
Taking ownership of the truth moves us from “I’m doing this
because God wants me to,” to “I am a child of God. I’m doing this because it is right for me to do it, it is who I
am, and what I am, or at least who I’m trying to allow God to make me
be...” Ownership means it is now your
world view, not someone else’s that you are trying to implement in your life.
Next, we are told that we are to receive the Word
“implanted.” Having something implanted
means having that thing put inside you.
It now is part of you. You don’t
just own it, but it is LITERALLY a part of you. If you own a shirt, you can put that shirt on, and take it
off. If something is implanted in you,
there is no taking it off. It is easy
to pick and choose from what you own, but what is implanted in you goes where you
go, and is always a part of you.
It seems clear to me that this is one of the major reasons
that we are not more impacted by the Word of God. It is easier to disobey God’s Word, even if I know I shouldn’t,
than it would be to disobey an internal belief or value of my own.
Knowing, studying, memorizing, and talking about the Word of
God is good. However, we MUST receive
His Word, and receive it implanted.
Make His truth your truth. Then
it can change your life.
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