- Legalism – Legalism would be seeking to Internalize the Word as a mere duty, void of love for Jesus and dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
- Ritualism – Ritualism is a customarily repeated, often formal act or series of acts (Webster’s) Thus ritualism is organized “legalism,” requiring no heart or love but mere adherence to a prescribed procedure.
- Meritorious Righteousness – Some may “Internalize the Word,” believing the more they do so, the more righteous they become in the eyes of God and man. Such activity only builds our pride rather than enhancing our relationship with God, it prevents it. Remember, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” – 1 Peter 5:6.
- Partial Internalization – There are four steps in “Internalizing the Word.” Satan would smile to see you memorize verses, but never really meditate on them, never applying them to one’s life, and never sharing them. James warns “Be not hearers of the Word but doers, deceiving yourself” – James 1:22.
How do you know if you are falling into one of these dangers? Simply this way: If you are finding no joy, but only constant struggle, dread, and desire to stop, in all probability it is because you are approaching Internalizing as a legalistic duty, a ritualistic habit without heart, an act to make you more righteous, or you are only partially meeting the four requirements for internalization.
How may we avoid these errors? By loving the Lord Jesus Christ and thus His Word with all our hearts and desiring to please Him and bring glory to His Name. David internalized the Word of God because he had such a heart, as shown in his testimony thereunto, “O how I love your law; it is my meditation day and night” – Psalm 119-97. “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”- Psalm 119-103. Jesus plainly said, If you love me, you will obey my commandments” – John 14:15. The apostle John wrote, “The proof that you love is that you keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome” – 1 John 5:3.
Thus the answer to Legalism, Ritualism, Meritorious Righteousness, and Partial Internalization is to obey our Lord Jesus Christ out of sheer love. If your motivation is anything else, you cannot succeed in internalizing the Word in a way that will bring glory to Jesus Christ and “joy and rejoicing” to your own soul – Jeremiah 15:16. The church at Ephesus performed many outward acts of righteousness, but having lost their “first love” for Jesus, they lost the reality of Jesus and He threatened to remove His light and mission from them – Revelation 2:1-4. Be a true “Internalizer of the Word,” and you will discover “life and discover it more abundantly”- John 10:10b.