The Attitude of Our Hearts to the Word of God

We are to come under the Word of God, the authority of God. Gene read many Scriptures that tell us who we are, if we are under the authority of God. We need a right response to the Word of God and a willingness to receive the Word. Text: James 1:18-22. We are to be doers of the Word. When we come to the Word of God, we need to come with a submissive heart. Be eager toward the Word of God. James tells us to be swift to hear the Word of God. Be an eager hearer. Believers have a right response that involves three attributes. The first is willingness to receive the Word with submission. We enter with a submissive heart to the Word. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word. James also tells us to be slow to speak and slow to wrath. Anger builds barriers. Not only do we come to the Word with a submissive heart, but secondly, we lay aside and lay apart all filthiness and wickedness and receive the Word with purity. We have to cast off works of darkness (Romans 13:12). We can compare it to taking off smelly, dirty clothes. We need to be cleansed, or filthiness will make us “stink” and unable to hear because we “have wax in our ears”. We need purity of heart, so we can hear and receive the life we need. The third attribute of willingness to receive the Word is humility (James 1:21). We pray that we can live out the truth that we receive.