The Able Word

God is the original heart surgeon. He alone can do surgery that no one else can do -- He can make a dead heart alive! His primary tool is His Word. James describes God's Word as

"...the word implanted, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)

James could not make it more obvious that we are not our own source of truth! Truth comes from outside us. Seeking answers from within, from our own heart, is the epitome of foolishness because man's heart is shackled in sin. Even once unfettered our hearts tend to drift toward sin. Is it any wonder, then, that faithfulness to God's Word, that is, the daily pursuit of Christ in His Word, is so difficult? In his commentary on James 1:21, John Calvin writes,

"It (the phrase 'which is able to save') is then a sharp goad to chastise our idleness, when he says that the word which we are wont to hear so negligently, is the means of our salvation...for James speaks of the word which by faith penetrates into the hearts of men..." (p. 296)

Regarding our desire for the Word of God, Peter writes,

"...like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation..." (1 Peter 2:2)

The Word of God is His primary instrument for making us like Christ. This very knowledge should motivate us to pursue Him, knowing His Word. It will not penetrate into our hearts if it doesn't grace our eyes! Sadly, many of us would rather sleep or be entertained. When will we learn that the dirty cisterns of self-indulgence will NEVER satisfy? Surely Proverbs 6:9-11 applies not only to the physical world, but also to the realm of the spiritual:

"How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest" -- your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man." (Proverbs 6:9-11)

Surely our spiritual sloth has swayed us to sleep! Awake, O Sleeper! Take hold of the Sword of the Spirit and know The Sovereign who died to perfect you, His wayward bride! Let not the business of this world, nor its tiresome trappings, nor its mesmerizing entertainment breed spiritual slackness!

In order to assist your longing for the pure milk of God's Word, please listen to the following message by Steve Lawson entitled, Blessed Purity, from the 2009 Resolved Conference.