49 – Receiving the Word of God with meekness

James 1:21 (AMP)

“So get rid of all uncleanness and all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble (meek) spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls.”

What does it mean to receive the word with meekness? A meek spirit is a heart disposition that trembles at the word of God. It is a heart that is never offended by the word but hallows it. It receives it in humility of heart as the very voice of God. Why? Because it is able to save and transform your soul. 

The goal of the Christian faith is not just salvation from hell, if so, the Lord would have taken you, immediately you accepted Him into your life. You are called to a life of evident transformation into the character and image of the living Jesus (Romans 8:29, Galatians 4:19). That is, we are to look more like the living Jesus in character and possibilities: think like Him and function like Him. The agent for such possibilities happens to be exclusively the word of God and His indwelling Spirit. For one to appreciate this statement you must understand the purpose of the word of God. The word of God is not just a written text to cram, quote or know in your head for discussion purposes. Rather, it is the following: 

1. The documented will of God (Hebrews 10:7) 
2. The thoughts of God concerning all creation, more specifically you as a child of God (Isaiah 55:8-9, Jeremiah 29:11)
3. His ways and His principles (Proverbs 6:23, Psalm 119:105)
4. The fundamental conviction for Christian living (Matthew 4:4, Romans 10:17, Romans 1:17) 
5. God’s primary medium of transforming Man into the nature and character of Christ (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18) 
6. The boundaries for operations of His Spirit (i.e. the Spirit will never say something in contradiction to the written word, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:19-21)
7. The word of God is God Himself; His very being and character (Hebrews 4:12, John 1:1, Revelation 19:13). That is, when we question His word, we question His character and integrity, just as it is with natural man. 

Our focus however is the word as an agent of man’s transformation. What does it mean to be transformed? It means to change from one state to another. Eg Transformation from crude to fuel, gas to liquid, liquid to solid etc. According to James 1:21, the word of God is like a seed which when received in the heart has the ability to save your soul. The salvation spoken of here is not instant but a process of transformation. Man is made up of body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). 

The body is your container and medium of contact with the physical world; it is saved at the return of Christ. The spirit is saved first when we accept Christ (to become born-again), and it is perfect before God (2 Corinthians 5:17). The soul however is saved or transformed via a process of sanctification by the word of God and the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:7). The soul comprises the mind, heart, will, emotions and desires. No man is simply changed by saying “I believe in Jesus”. If he was fearful, short-tempered, lustful, devious, a murderer etc after accepting Christ, he remains relatively the same in his mind until he becomes deliberate about change. If a man is evidently changing then his soul is changing, either for good or bad. If he is looking more like Christ in character and possibilities then it is a result of receiving the engrafted seed of God’s word. 

Mathew 13:17-23 gives account of a parable of the seed and 4 different planting grounds, or heart conditions as interpreted by the Lord. The heart of man is the very core of man, where conviction and transformation begins (Proverbs 4:23). The last ground (or heart condition) was shown to be fruitful and it was called a good ground. Why was it fruitful? It was a heart that hallowed the word, understood it and internalized it for growth. These fruits are what the word of God calls “the fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22 (e.g. patience, self-control, fearlessness, faithfulness, unselfish love etc). 

The fruit of the Spirit is the evident character of Christ finding expression in the soul of the believer. The opposite is called the work of the flesh, which are human flaws and expressions of the sinful nature. The effect of the seed of the Word of God, however, is the notable reduction in the works of flesh and the evident increase in the fruit of the Spirit in my life. That is, if I was a liar, fornicator, fearful individual, impatient, short tempered or proud, the opposite begins to find expression in my character as I take in the word and make it my mirror for character adjustment. 

Jesus is the seed; that seed is the word, and when you receive it with meekness, hallow it and internalize it in your soul/heart/planting grounds, you bring forth much fruit. That is, you become more and more  in the likeness of Jesus’s character. 

There is no spiritual growth or transformation outside the word of God. We benefit when we let the word of God affect how and what we think. We benefit when let the word be our only standard of living. We benefit when it is our only truth. We benefit when it is the boundary of interpretation for life. James says the word of God can be received like a seed. It is the very seed that makes us fruitful after the nature, character and possibilities of the Lord Jesus. It is the very seed of the Living God. 

The true mark of followership is fruit bearing (John 15:8). Show me a mighty child of God, and I will show you one who has stayed with the word. The word of God interacted with is the only channel for true, mature and productive Christianity. Remember, the goal of the Christain faith is not mundane existence or for seeking solutions or breakthroughs, but transformation into the character and possibilities of our God, and fulfilment of divine purpose. We are called to a life of Godly character and dominion through the word and indwelling Spirit of God. This is a possibility for all children of God. 

Some important practices: 

1. Always ask, “what does the word of God say about this?” and stick with it.
2. Expose yourself to good teachers of the word of God. 
3. Meditate on the word, believe it, make it your only confession and practice.

Final thoughts:

Are you receiving the word with meekness? are you the same person you have always been over the years or is Christ being formed in your character? Do you still have the same old worldly appetites, character flaws etc? Or do you see change in your character, ability and perspective of life to that of God? 

Prayer for today:

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your love that ensures that I change into Your nature. Please help me not to remain the same. Help me to expose myself to Your word and let my heart be a good ground for Your Word. Give me the faith to believe your Word so that the power for salvation would be activated to transform me into Your character and abilities. Let the works of the flesh be destroyed in me, and let the fruit of the Spirit flourish in me. Let my Christian life not be mediocre or self-seeking, but let me fulfill divine purpose and live in a manner that both glorifies You and is profitable to You. In Jesus name, Amen.