p. 934 | THE SEED OF THE WORD by G. D. Ballou

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 24, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 59.

THE SEED OF THE WORD.

By G. D. Ballou

BY ELDER G. D. BALLOU.

I HOLD in my fingers a grain of corn fresh from the stalk. This kernel contains life, but we cannot see the life within, yet we know the life is there, and we know it by a certain kind of faith born of experience in dealing with corn, or by the experience of others. So the word of God is called seed, and in it is eternal life. 1 Peter 1:23: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." This word "incorruptible" is the same word elsewhere rendered "immortal." This seed of the word is the product of that "eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (1 John 1:2),—the product of Christ's love and mercy manifested to a fallen world, through the hearts of those who had been redeemed by his grace.

By that faith which is the gift of the Holy Spirit we may discern this life in the word, and receive it into our hearts. As the grain of corn, when planted in good soil, watered with the rain, and warmed with the sunshine, will spring up and bear fruit after its kind, so the word of God received into the heart by a spirit of loving obedience, and watered with God's grace and warmed by his love, will produce after its kind. The character of Christ will spring up in the child of God as fast as the word is taken in by living faith. Thus we become partakers of the divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4. Thus, too, we put on the new man which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24)—the very essential principles of that "eternal life." It is the experimental knowledge of this life in the word which renews us in the image of God. Col. 3:10.

Blessed thought, that there is in the word of God the same living, creative power that ever was there—the same life that gave life to all nature. And more blessed the thought that our faith, born of the Spirit, can take this word in, and we be transformed by having the life and character of Jesus grow into our lives until we are all like him.

This word is immortal, and as we receive it we are taking in the immortal seed, which will, in the resurrection morning, spring forth into the full fruition of eternal life. How precious then is the word of God! Shall we not treasure it up in good and honest hearts, that we may bring forth fruit with patience? Luke 8:15.

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