James 1:21

NASB	NLT	VOICE
21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.	21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your heart, for it has the power to save your souls.	21 So walk out on your corrupt liaison with smut and depraved living, and humbly welcome the word of truth that will blossom like the seed of salvation planted in your souls.

The “filth” refers to impurity and corruption in the context of the sinful nature of humanity. The “evil” refers to all forms of wickedness in the context of the comprehensive nature of sin. Removing that sin is a like cleaning and purging yourself to approach God. Now, this is not the modern-day context of approaching God because Jesus tore down that barrier that would separate us through his sacrifice of the cross. For James’ original audience, there was a more historical context because it connected to the purification rituals that they would have partaken in or heard about from their parents and grandparents.

The idea of humbly accepting something resembles a posture of submission and being open to what God’s teachings are about. For God’s teaching to be planted with us shows that the Gospel message is hugely transformative, changing our hearts to live a Christlike life. Being planted means that it is to grow and bear fruit. God’s teaching is to build on us each day through what we do and what we say so that we are caring for our community in the way that he cares for us.

God’s word saves our souls. It sounds dramatic, but it’s true. We are surrounded by temptations that would cave us into sinful behavior and strips away from the teachings from God. We can go down a slippery slope and fall into consistent sinful behavior, but God’s word and teachings keeps us strong and faithful towards him. The assurance of salvation is a cornerstone of our Christian faith.

Receiving God’s word with humility is a sign that we need God’s guidance in our lives and we’re open by the transformation of his teachings. It will take some time to understand it though. Accepting God’s salvation plan is a great starting place, but it’s not an immediate effect. It’s going to take time for the transformation to take place. We will never get to perfection, but we will strive daily to be there. We will work to understand how God’s teachings apply to our lives today. We will need to reconcile and ask for forgiveness in all the ways that we did not align with God’s plan. It sounds like a lot, but will give us the strength, wisdom, courage, and faith to live this out.

Next slice of manna: Complete in Christ || Colossians 2:9-10 || Manna of the Mind #239