January 23 Daily Devotional

Scripture for Day 23—James 1:21

²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Devotional:

This verse seems to be an application of Luke 8:14–15, "¹⁴ And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. ¹⁵ As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience."

Just as we should seek wisdom from God without being double-minded (vv. 5–8), so we should sincerely ask God to make us good soil for his Word. Being such involves a two-fold response to God's Word.

On the one hand, keep pulling weeds from your heart, "put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness." Indwelling sin remains a reality in the lives of believers. But you must never be complacent or content about it.

"Believers … must contend with sin as long as they live (1 Kings 8:46; Prov. 20:9; James 3:2; 1 John 1:8). Their lives are characterized by a constant warfare between the flesh and the spirit, and even the best of them are still confessing sin (Job 9:3, 20; Ps. 32:5; 130:3; Prov. 20:9; Isa. 64:6; Dan. 9:7; Rom. 7:14; 1 John 1:9), praying for forgiveness (Ps. 51:1, 2; Dan. 9:16; Matt. 6:12, 13; James 5:15), and striving for greater perfection (Rom. 7:7-26, Gal. 5:17; Phil. 3:12–14)"^†

If you don't persistently pull weeds in a garden, they'll choke out the good plants. Likewise, if you don't persistently "put away" sins from your life, they'll choke out your spiritual growth and fruitfulness. Every time you hear God's Word, ask yourself, "Does this expose a sin I need to repent of?" Then repent unto God.

At the same time, keep welcoming God's seeds into your heart, "receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls." Welcome God's Word with open arms, not with haughtiness, but "with meekness." As B. B. Warfield said,

"How unquestionably we must receive its statements of fact, bow before its enunciations of duty, tremble before its warnings, and rest upon its promises."

Does that describe your response? Anything less is wicked. In the Bible, the living God himself speaks to you. How do you respond?

This is important to heed, for God says it more than once. For example, 1 Peter 1:25–2:2 (NIV): "²⁵ '…the Word of the Lord stands forever.' And this is the Word that was preached to you. ^2:1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation...." Are you quick to hear God's Word, especially the preaching of God's Word? Do you crave it like a baby craves its mother's milk? Do you heed it so that you persistently "put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness" and "rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind"? Do you seek continuously to "receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls"?

^†Louis Berkhof, Summary of Christian Doctrine. Eerdmans, 1938, 1972; p. 144.

Click here for background on the author of Are You For Real?: Meditations in the Epistle of James for Secret or Family Worship.