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Bible Passage James 1

James 1:21-25 The Implanted Word of God

  • Tony Raker
Date preached July 26, 2026

This passage is both comforting and confronting. After James has touched upon faith, trials, temptation, double-mindedness – he does not let us stay passive, including with respect to God’s Word. He does not allow us to admire God’s word from a distance. Rather, he calls us to receive it, to obey it, and to be changed by it.

James 1:22: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

  • Grammatical Usage: “doers” or in the Greek, “poiētai” meaning, “practitioners”; “deceiving” or “paralogizomenoi” meaning, “reckon wrong”.
  • Literal Interpretation: Put into practice the Word, not just hearing the message; otherwise you are deluding yourselves.
  • Contextual/Comparison: God keeps His Word: God continually uses His Word.
  1. THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD
    1. NOTICE THE WORDS OF JAMES HIMSELF…”which is able to save your souls” (v. 21). Stated very clearly, the Word of God has the power to SAVE OUR SOULS!
    1. ITS POWER TO SAVE IS FOUND IN ITS ABILITY TO…
      1. CREATE ANEW: to cause us to be born again (1Peter 1:22-25; James 1:18). This is because of what the Word of God contains: God’s way of salvation through Jesus Christ!
      2. SANCTIFY
        1. The word “sanctify” means to “set apart for a holy purpose”
        2. David sang of the Word’s ability to sanctify God’s people – Psalm 19:7-11
        3. In His prayer, Jesus spoke of the sanctifying influence of God’s Word – John 17:15-17
        4. Thus the Word of God can serve to set us apart for His purpose!
      3. PRESERVE
        1. The young were told to preserve their way by the Word of God – Psalm 119:9, 11
        2. The elders were admonished to keep the church pure by the same Word – Acts 20:28-32

When we take the time to consider the POWER of the Word of God, it becomes evident that the Word is very important to the Christian! But the value of “The Implanted Word” can only be realized when certain conditions are met. We find those conditions mentioned in our text:

  1. BENEFITING FROM THE POWERFUL WORD OF GOD
    1. THERE ARE THINGS WE MUST LAY ASIDE! (v. 21a)
      1. James mentions such things as “all filthiness and overflow of wickedness” ( cf. Paul’s description of things to lay aside – Colossians 3:5-9)
        1. For the Word of God to bear its fruit in our lives, the “weeds of sin” must first be uprooted!
        2. We cannot hope to benefit from our study of the Word if we continue to dwell on that which is spiritually filthy and to engage in wickedness
    2. WE MUST HAVE A PROPER ATTITUDE! (v. 21b)
      1. James says to “receive with meekness” the Word of God
      2. A humble and receptive attitude is essential to get the most out of the Word of God. It helps to remain humble if we remember two things:
        1. We are sinners too!
        2. We can be easily deceived also!
      3. We should study, not to learn facts, not to win debates, but to learn God’s truth to save ourselves and those around us! Is this prayer of David our own? “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18)
    3. THE WORD MUST BE “IMPLANTED” IN OUR HEARTS! (v. 21b)

It is only the “implanted” Word which can truly save our souls. We must be sure to take the words out of the pages and implant them into our hearts!

      1. A distinguishing feature of the those under the NEW COVENANT is that the Word of God is to be WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS – Heb. 8:6-13
      2. Where is the Word of God today?
        1. Is it only in ink inscribed on paper? Or we have we read it often enough, meditated upon it enough, that it has become IMPLANTED in our hearts as well?
    2. IT MUST BE APPLIED IN OUR LIVES! (vv. 22-25)
      1. We must be “doers of the Word and not hearers only“
      2. Otherwise, we deceive ourselves (and usually ONLY ourselves)

God is not deceived, nor is the devil. Most likely our children will see through us and so will many others!

      1. Notice that the true blessedness of the Word comes… NOT by “looking into the perfect law of liberty” ALONE, BUT by “continuing in it,” and being “a doer of the work.“
      1. Yes, it is not just the READING of the Word which provides JOY, PEACE and HAPPINESS, but the actual application of the Word in lives through faithful obedience!

A simple application:

    • Removewhathinders the
    • ReceiveScripturewith
    • Obeyquicklyand
    • Keepreturningto God’s word until it shapes your
  • Conclusion: If I’m serious about my spiritual life, will I get serious about God’s Word?