Test 1: The Bible Test Series

Also receive the Word of God with meekness by implanting. James uses the word “engrafted” in verse 21. Interestingly enough, this is the only time that original word is used in all of the New Testament. But I love the picture that is painted by the word engrafted. Have you ever had a seedless watermelon? Or a tangelo? We got something at the grocery store a few months back that was a cross between a plum and an apricot. How do they come up with those things? By grafting. They take part of one kind of tree and graft it to another kind of tree. And when they do, it grows together and produces a new kind of fruit. That is what James is encouraging us to do. If you are saved, you were saved by the power of God’s Word. There is no other way. But when you receive that Word with meekness, it becomes grafted to you. Actually, you become grafted to God’s Word. And when that happens, you will produce a new kind of fruit. You will no longer produce the old fruit of the flesh. Fruit like moral impurity. Fruit like evil and wickedness. Fruit like Paul talks about in Romans 1:29-31: “unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.” Did you catch all of those? Or did you just catch the ones you don’t have a problem with? What about deceit? What about whisperers? That’s people who spread rumors whether they’re true or not. Kids, what about disobedient to parents? What about proud boasters? That’s not the kind of fruit that grows from a person who has been engrafted with the Word. When you are truly grafted to God’s Word, you will produce new fruit. And that leads us to the second question on our test: How should you respond to the Word of God? The first question was how should you receive the Word of God? The answer: Receive with meekness by listening, receive with meekness by humbling yourself, and receive with meekness by implanting. But that’s only the first question. What’s the answer to the second question? Look with me in verses 22-27:

JAMES 1:22-27

We know how to receive the Word of God, so how should we respond to the Word of God? These verses tell us to respond by continuing, by walking, by talking, by loving and by living. Continue by doing the things the Bible instructs you to do. Continue by living the life God has called you to live. Continue by not walking away from the truths that God shows you in His Word. By not ignoring them, but by allowing them to change you. Respond by continuing and by walking. Walking means doing. Walking means putting into action the words that you hear. Walking is theology with legs. Walking is making progress. It’s becoming more like Jesus today than you were yesterday. Respond to the Word of God by continuing, by walking and by talking. You can go to church all the time. You can carry the biggest Bible around with you. You can wear a big cross around your neck and a WWJD bracelet on you wrist. But if you can’t control your tongue, it’s all in vain. Godly talking isn’t sounding religious. Godly talking is measuring your words instead of speaking your mind. It’s converting angry words into kind ones. It’s following Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:29: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Godly talking is speaking encouragement not biting sarcasm. Imparting grace not harm. Lifting up not tearing down. Respond to the Word of God by continuing, by walking, by talking, and by loving. Loving means giving of yourself to those around you. Loving the unloved. And loving the unlovable. Not just loving those who are like you. Who can do things for you. But loving those who can never repay you. Loving those who need it most. Just like Christ loves you even though you don’t deserve it. Even though you can’t do anything for Him. Even though, in your sin, you are unlovable. Even though you can never do anything to repay Him. He loves you. And you respond to His Word by loving others the same way. Respond to the Word of God by continuing, by walking, by talking, by loving, and finally, by living. By living unspotted from the world. By living out the gospel in every part of your life. By living in the light of God’s love for you. By living in such a way that you won’t be embarrassed when Jesus returns. Jim Elliot once said, “When it comes time to die, make sure all you have to do is die.” You respond to God’s Word by living like today is your last day on earth and you’re going to meet Jesus in the morning.