Posted by
TAB on Saturday, October 11, 2008 6:10:43 AM
Get Out of Those Filthy Rags
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." James 1:21 (KJV).
It is a fruitless endeavor for those who refuse to hear and acknowledge the word of God as being the Word of God. Why do people want to use "higher critical" interpretations of Scripture? My personal view of that is to give themselves an air of superiority, even over the Word of God. That is what is in the heart of man, and has been since Adam and Eve fell in the garden of Eden.
This, however, is not the heart of the Christian, the disciple of Jesus Christ who loves Jesus and hungers and thirst for righteousness, and longs to be nearer Him each and every day. We desire to hear His precepts, His ordinances, His commandments, His law, and apply them to our lives. I don’t know who originally said this, but I heard it from the godly pastor I had when I surrendered to preach the Word; referring to the Bible he said, "Sin will keep you from this book; or this book will keep you from sin." I have heard it many times since then. The Psalmist wrote, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word." (Psalm 119:9).
The Lord is glorious and powerful and worthy of praise and glory from all His creation. One part; the one made in His image and likeness; fell short of His glory due to pride and rebellion against the word of God. Because God desired fellowship with the man and woman He was merciful, gracious, and provided an animal to die in their place. The animal was a picture of a Savior who would come in God’s on economy of time, and give His life as a ransom for many. When a man or woman trusts the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross; the heart and life of that individual is changed to love God, love His Word, His will and His way.
We are given commandment to "Lay apart", and that is similar to taking off vile and dirty clothing. Sin has been like a garment; a filthy, stinking, putrid garment; that has repulsed God, hated and despised anything godly, righteous and holy. The Christian no longer has the desire to have anything in the heart and life which is repulsive to God, and finds that old things in our lives that use to thrill us, are becoming more and more repulsive to us.
There are other uses of similar sayings in Paul’s writings, "Put off" (Colossians 3:8), and he uses the word "Mortify" or "put to death" in Colossians 3:5. It is the picture of quickly getting out of those old filthy rags. When Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead he came scuffling out of that tomb with the grave clothes still wrapped around him, and hindered by them. When he was to the edge of the tomb Jesus said, "Loose him, and let him go." We are hindered many times by the old grave clothes, and need to "Lay apart" those old sins and have the Word of God work in us powerfully.
The New King James Version for this verse; "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." If we ever hope to be free of sins power, even as Christians, we must stop fighting against the Word of God, deal with our sins by putting them off, "Laying aside" all those things that hinder our fellowship with God. They are many. "Receive with meekness the implanted word…" It is the means of our salvation.
Separate yourself from sin to Christ.
-Tim A. Blankenship