"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." — James 1:21
Laying the Foundation
Before we get to the main message, let me lay the foundation.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning" (John 1:1–2). Sa pasimula ay ang Verbo, at ang Verbo ay sumasa Diyos, at ang Verbo ay Diyos.
So who is this Word? "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
The Word is Jesus Christ. And He was with God in the beginning. In fact, how did creation begin? When the Word came out of the mouth of God the Father — let there be light — and there was light. Animals, vegetation, all of it. The Word was already at work in the beginning. And the Bible says the Word was God. So Jesus is God.
How exactly the Word became flesh is a mystery. We cannot understand everything because of the limits of our knowledge. We worship one God in three persons — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Three Parts of Human Nature
"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Sanctify means to be set apart, made holy for God's purposes. And notice what must be sanctified: spirit, soul, and body.
We have the soul — our mind and our emotions. We have the spirit — what God placed in us so we could live. And we have this body. All three must be made holy and set apart for God, kept blameless until the Lord Jesus comes.
God Made Our Spirit Alive
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4–5).
God is rich in mercy. The rich of this world eventually run out of wealth — but when we say God is rich in mercy, His mercy never runs out.
And because of His great love, even while our spirits were dead in our sins, He made us alive. Our spirit was born again. And it is by grace — we do not deserve to be saved, but because of His goodness, His mercy, and His love, our spirit was made alive.
But we are three parts. So the soul and body were left behind.
The Body and Soul Must Sync with the Spirit
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:1–2).
When we were forgiven and made alive, only our spirit was born again. Our thinking and the old habits of our body are still there. So Paul says the body must be offered as a living sacrifice, and the mind must be transformed. Only then will we know what God's will actually is for our lives.
This is why sometimes we look at a new Christian and think, "Kristyano ba yan? Parang hindi nagbago." Because only the spirit has changed so far. The body and the mind still have to be sanctified.
Remember our lesson on spiritual maturity? When we were born again, we were infants. When we were baptized, we were infants. And we needed to crave pure spiritual milk — the Word of God — until we grew, became strong, and matured enough to distinguish good from evil.
The Word Planted in You Can Save You
"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" (James 1:21).
Get rid — remove the moral filth. And humbly accept the Word planted in you. That is our title: the Word planted in our hearts, in our minds, in our spirits — that is what will save us.
And that Word is fully equipped for the job: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
Look at the four things it does. It teaches us. It rebukes us — warning that if we do not change, this is what will happen. It corrects our mistakes and our wrong habits. And it trains us in righteousness — because from the very beginning we have not naturally thought rightly, so we have to be trained. If you used to get instantly angry when someone cut into the line or cut you off in traffic, you have to be trained to be patient.
A Living, Active Word
"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).
The Word of God is alive. What are examples of living things? We are. Animals. Trees.
Now — what about a mung bean seed? Is it a living thing? It does not move. It does not breathe. But it is alive — because if it were dead, you could plant it and nothing would ever grow. The seed is a living thing.
And that is exactly what we will study now.
The Parable of the Sower
"That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables" — and a parable is a story with a hidden meaning — "saying: 'A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up'" (Matthew 13:1–4).
"Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown" (Matthew 13:5–8).
If you were reading that for the first time, would you understand it? Probably not. So let us ask Jesus — and thankfully, He explains it Himself.
Remember the three pieces: the farmer is Jesus. The seed is the Word of Jesus. And the soil is the human heart.
The Path
"When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path" (Matthew 13:18–19).
Notice the failure point: does not understand it. This is why it is not enough to say "nagbasa ka ba ng Bible?" — "nabasa ko." The important thing is understanding it. Because when you read or listen without understanding, the evil one comes and snatches it away.
It happens right here. You are listening, and then you start thinking, "Ano kaya ang pagkain mamaya?" You do not grasp the message — and a little later Satan takes the Word that was sown in you. So there is no impact. Nothing grows.
And this is why the growth of Christians is not uniform. Some grow quickly. Others take so long they look like they are dying — parang bansot. It depends on the heart.
The Rocky Ground
"The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away" (Matthew 13:20–21).
This person hears the Word and genuinely understands. But then the persecution comes — usually from friends. "Ang KJ mo naman. Sama ka na, gimmick na tayo."
I lived this. When I was a new Christian, I had to tell my boss — and it is painful to admit, but I was almost like his bugaw; whenever he came, I had to find him a companion. So I said, "Boss, pasensya ka na, hindi na kita masasamahan. Nagbago na ako." And he said to me: "Hindi ka magtatagal niyan. Madedemonyo ka rin." That is the kind of mockery that comes.
So if the planting in your heart is not deep, you become ashamed, and what happens? The plant sprouts, then dries up and dies.
The Thorns
"The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful" (Matthew 13:22).
So many worries. Bills. Debts. We are consumed by the anxieties of life. And others are too preoccupied with earning money — which is why Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. You cannot make money your master and God your master at the same time. You will have to choose.
Believe it or not, money can become a god. That is exactly what happened with the rich young man. He asked what he must do to have eternal life, and Jesus told him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him. And he went away sad — because he loved his money more. His money was more his god than Jesus was.
This is why you will notice that sometimes a person becomes a member, gets baptized, is excited and joyful — and after a while, "Nasaan na si brother? Hindi ko na nakikita. Nasaan na si sister?" Because the Word was planted in rocky ground, or among thorns.
The Good Soil
"But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown" (Matthew 13:23).
May all our hearts be good soil.
And what is the fruit? It is two things. First, the fruit of a changed life — fruit of love, fruit of good character, a person genuinely transformed. Second, the fruit of disciples. When you reach out to someone and they come to Christ, you can say: that is my fruit.
Sister Chicks has much fruit. Sister Jen is diligent in this. Sister Karol keeps bringing visitors. And notice how simple your part is — just invite them here. We will take care of the Bible study. Because if the heart is good and the Word is planted in it, it will bear fruit — maybe not here. Maybe the person is not from Parañaque; maybe they are from Cavite or somewhere far, and they will be born again in another church. That is still fine. What matters is that the Word was planted.
What Understanding the Word Actually Does
Understanding matters — because when you understand that you are a sinner with no hope, that if you died you would go to hell, and that someone loved you unconditionally, sending His one and only Son to live a sinless life so He could be the pure offering that paid for your sins — when you understand how much God loves you, your faith grows. But if you do not understand it, it means nothing to you.
I understand it. When I read the Bible, I weep — my tears fall on the pages. Lord, I do not deserve all this. I have so many debts against God. There are things I have shared with Normie and things I am too ashamed to share with anyone — those stay between me and God. And still He gave me the chance to be saved. All of us were given that chance. So what should we do? Love God with all our heart, all our strength, all our mind.
And do not forget: "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that, judgment." No more prayers afterward. In the old religion we grew up with, there were prayers for the dead — and the wealthier you were, the more people prayed for you, as if that improved your standing. No. There is no purgatory. There is no trial and error. You will be judged on how you lived in this world, how you served God, and how you loved Him. So let us count each day worthy to serve, worship, and love the Lord.
Jesus said, store up treasures in heaven — things of eternal value — not only the visible things here, which are all temporary. Everything we see under the sun will be burned, and He will replace it with a new Jerusalem, a new earth. Did you know we will not actually live in the sky? There will be a new heaven and a new earth, and in Revelation the city even has measurements. It is as if God is restoring what Adam and Eve began — paradise. No more sickness. No more scorching heat. And we will still know one another there. "Uy, akala ko hindi ka makakapasok dito — nandito ka rin pala."
Read with Action and Obedience
"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free'" (John 8:31–32).
Notice who He is speaking to — Jews who had already believed in Him. So is believing enough? It is not enough. Look at the word if — it is conditional. If you hold to my teaching, then you are really my disciples.
We must hold on to the Word of God as if our life depends on it. For those who have studied the Bible with me, you know the picture: imagine you are falling off a cliff and you grab hold of a tree root. That is how tightly you hold — because if you let go, you die. That is how we should grip the Word of God, because our spiritual life depends on it. And that is what sets us free from worldly influence and from sin.
Notice too how Jesus always spoke: truly I tell you. In the King James, verily, verily. He was emphasizing that what He says is truth, not something invented. And it is impossible for God to lie.
So we need a heart that, when we read, obeys. Not reading and forgetting — because what you forget, Satan takes. You must understand it. Remember it. Keep it in your heart.
Read with a Humble Attitude
"How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:9–11).
I have hidden your word in my heart. Hidden from whom? Perhaps from Satan — so it cannot be stolen.
Because when the Word is in your heart, you have something to draw from. That is exactly what Jesus did when Satan tempted Him — He drew out the Word of God and answered the enemy with it.
We can do the same. When you are struggling to forgive, you remember 1 Corinthians 13: love keeps no record of wrongs. So I should let go of what he did to me. When envy rises: love does not envy, love does not boast, it is not proud. These are what you pull out of your heart. You need provisions ready for wherever your weakness is.
Take purity. Jesus said that if you look at a woman lustfully, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart. And Job said: I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. He made an agreement with his own eyes. So when temptation comes to look, remember what Jesus said.
Action, obedience, and a humble heart — that is how we let ourselves be discipled by God's Word.
The Word Gives Wisdom to Handle Life
"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither — whatever they do prospers" (Psalm 1:1–3).
Do you want to be blessed? This is the way. Do not go along with sinners — because bad company corrupts good character.
Delight means you enjoy it. You delight in the law of the Lord and you meditate on it day and night. So if you read Scripture this morning, carry it with you — remember it through the day and turn it over in your mind.
And here is something to remember: in every promise of God there is a spiritual principle. If you do not go along with bad company, and you delight in His law, and you meditate on it day and night — then you become like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and whatever you do prospers.
The Bible is teaching us the way to prosperity. There is a promise available to us — but there are spiritual principles for how those promises come. Do you not want to be like that tree? Strong, not withering, not with leaves you could count one by one — but fruitful, even in a season of crisis. When God is with you, nothing is impossible.
Feed Your Spirit
"Jesus answered, 'It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4).
This pertains to our spirit. Our spirit needs to eat. Feed your spirit with the Word of God so that it grows strong. Because if you are not eating the Word, and you could actually see your spirit — it would be very thin.
We love a buffet of physical food. So let us sometimes have a buffet of the Word of God, so our spirit is well fed too. Then our spirit is happy. We grow. We bear fruit.
And here is the beautiful part: being a Christian will stop feeling like a struggle. It becomes a joy. Everything becomes easier, because you are doing it joyfully and with love. The more you read the Word of God, the more you fall in love with God — because God speaks to you through His Word, and through prayer you speak to Him.
Challenge
This week, work on your soil.
Ask honestly which soil you are. Is the Word bouncing off hard ground because you hear it but never actually understand it? Are you rocky — quick joy, no root, folding at the first mockery from friends? Or are you thorny, where the Word is growing but the worries of this life and the pull of money are slowly choking it?
Then clear one thing. James says get rid of before humbly accept. Name one thorn — one worry you keep feeding, one place where money is quietly becoming a god — and bring it to God.
And hide one verse in your heart. Not just read it — hide it, so that when temptation comes you have something to draw out, the way Jesus did in the wilderness. Make a covenant with your eyes, like Job did, if that is where your weakness is.
Feed your spirit this week the way you would feed your body at a buffet. The seed is already in you. What remains is the soil.
Humbly accept the word planted in you — it can save you.
