In Matthew, Mark and Luke Jesus shares the parable of the seed that fell along the path, the rocky places, the thorns and the good soil. When the seed - or the word of God, fell on the good soil it became the “planted word” and it produced a crop thirty, sixty or one hundred times what was sown. If you are a believer, then the word of God has been planted in you. Hopefully, it was planted in good soil. And for the seed to grow; for our faith to continually mature, we need to do what it says in James chapter 1, verse 21 which says:
"Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."
Everyone who has heard the word of God has received the seeds from Jesus’ parable. Believers, however, have received the “planted” seed, because it has taken root in our heart. But I believe that for us to mature as believers, for the seed to grow and produce thirty, sixty or one hundred times what was sown, we need to embrace righteousness by separating ourselves from the ways of the world and the philosophies of the world. James tells us to get rid of all moral filth and evil that is so prevalent. That implies separation from the world. The verse prior to this one suggests that by having these pollutants in our life, we cannot produce the righteousness that God desires. But we are to humbly accept the seed planted in us and allow God to make it grow.
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Every believer has the seed, or the word of God, planted in our heart. “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you”, as James declares. Separation from the world is not easy. We live here. And as James says, the moral filth and the evil are very prevalent. As it tries to permeate our eyes, ears, minds and hearts, we need to remain steadfast, and not allow the temptations of the world to give birth to sin, and for that sin to create a stronghold in our life. On the contrary, we are called to navigate this world with the aid of the Holy Spirit. And when we are in step with the Spirit, he can produce a yield of thirty, sixty or even one hundred times what was planted. So, I encourage you to continue to purge the sinful toxins and pollutants from your life; to get rid of the moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent. And to humbly accept daily, the word of God planted in you, which can save you.