I heard Jackie Hill Perry admonish that we must expose ourselves to the Word of God daily, and this advice resonated with me as truth, but I didn’t have a scripture that I could point to – to specifically support this statement. Until now:
I was studying Luke chapter 8.
Just a little context on Luke. Luke begins his letter by saying that he was setting down an “orderly account” of the gospel, so that the reader, Theophilus, would have certainty about the things he had been taught. Luke’s history of the days of Jesus, over time, has proven to be one of the very best and most accurate historical accounts we have.
One of the things Luke does in his “orderly account,” is to give setting queues which let you have an idea of the context of the things that were said in his account. For example, at the beginning of chapter 8, he says, “Sometime afterward,” so we know that what comes next didn’t happen in the same setting as the details shared at the end of chapter 7. And then Luke doesn’t change the setting until verse 22.
This is helpful because while verses 1-21 may have been split into three different headings by the publisher of your Bible, they seem to be all in one setting, giving context to each other. So it’s important to read the whole section as one section, not as three. Here’s why:
Bible publishers often separate verses 16-18 into its own section, as though this was a completely separate conversation by Jesus. It says this:
No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.
Luke 8:16-18 NET2
This paragraph has bothered me my entire Bible-reading life. I remember asking about it as a child and not being satisfied with whatever answer I was given.
It bothered me because it sounded so mean, and it sounded so mean because I was reading it out of context. I thought that the “what has been given,” and the what that will be taken away,” was about things or blessings or money.
But let’s read all 21 verses together. Go ahead; I’ll wait…https://netbible.org/bible/Luke+8
Just before verse 16, Jesus tells the parable of the sower, which no one understands. BUT He explains it to the disciples, and He says that the seed is the Word of God, and in verse 15, He says,
But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.
Luke 8:15 NET2
So, if you read verses 16-18 again, bearing in mind that we are talking about hearing the word and clinging to it, does it give you a different perspective on the light?
If not, go with me to the paragraph of verses 19-21. When Jesus’ earthly mother and brothers come looking for Him, Jesus takes the opportunity to further make His point about the Word of God, and He says that His “mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
So again revisiting verse 16 –
no one lights a lamp and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed.
Luke 8:16a NET2
What light is He talking about? Wasn’t He just talking about clinging to the Word of God after hearing it? Yes! And He’s still talking about the same thing in verse 16; He just changed His metaphor. The light is the Word of God, but unlike the heading that is probably printed in your Bible, in this instance, it needs to be shining INTO us before it can shine OUT of us. He’s saying why would you hear the word of God and then do nothing with it? Why would you hear the gospel that will save your soul and then keep it in a box on the shelf where it cannot change you? The gospel is that Jesus gives us freedom from sin and the ability to be sanctified while still on this earth. But if we do not shine the light, we remain as we were, and then the light goes out.
Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
I’ve often thought of this Psalm as a flash light shined into my insides, revealing the details of what’s going on in there.
In Isaiah chapter 6, when Isaiah has a vision of the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God revealed to Isaiah his wicked ways. God didn’t have to tell him; it was the obvious comparison to holiness that made his non-holiness apparent. The Word of God does this also. When we expose ourselves daily to His word, with an honest heart, like Jesus says in verse 15, the shortcomings in us become obvious. The word shines a light on our hearts, on our inmost being. And when that happens, we can surrender those things to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to change us and make us more like our Savior, so that we can bear fruit.
For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is concealed that will not be made known and brought to light.
Luke 8:17 NET2
Now the troublesome verse, verse 18:
So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.
Luke 8:18 NET2
For the first time in my life, this verse now makes sense to me.
Whoever has the word of God, the light, shining into their hearts, revealing the hidden things, to that person more will be given, more insight, more sanctification, more understanding. But to the person who hears the word of God and puts it on a shelf, or covers it with a blanket, and does not allow it to shine on his inward being, for that person, even the light he thought he had will be snuffed out, because the word of God is to be shined our hearts with consistence. The hidden things must be revealed and surrendered to Jesus all the time.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-25 NET2
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 8:31-32 NASB
Crucifying the flesh and continuing in the word of Jesus is a daily affair.
If we do it, we will gain more wisdom, more understanding, greater faith and confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ. If we do not do it, we are in danger. The circumstances of this world, the world’s ungodly perspective, will be all we see, and we will forget the truth of God’s word, which saves us. . . “even what he thinks he has will be taken away.”
Based on everything we’ve just discussed, let’s try a slight paraphrase in the style of the Living Bible, but in my words.
No one turns on a light just to throw a blanket over it. If you flip the switch on the wall, it’s because you want to see. The light is the word of God, and when you turn the light of the word of God on, the only thing that makes sense is to expose your heart to it. Don’t hide your heart from it. When you shine the light on your inner most being, nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. So listen carefully, if you allow the word of God to shine on your heart and reveal what needs to be surrendered – and you continue in His word, you will be given more wisdom, more insight, more LIGHT that allow the Holy Spirit to work inside you and for the LIGHT of God to shine out from you. But whoever does not have the light shining in his heart because he sticks the light in the closet or throws a blanket over it, the light does him no good. It’s the same as if he had no light at all. Or if he once allowed the light to shine but got tired of the light and hid it in the closet, the light he thought he had will be diminished until it disappears, unless he again exposes himself the light of the word of God and turns his heart back to the Lordship of Christ.
Luke 8:16-18 extremely paraphrased from the NET2 version
Brothers and sisters, i plead with you, to foster a love for God’s word so that your heart can be sanctified by His gentle and lovely Word.
