James 1:21

Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Putting away ... Paul also used this word in such passages as "putting away lying" (Ephesians 4:25), "when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Corinthians 13:11), etc.

Overflowing of wickedness ... "This is not to be understood as `more than is necessary'; because wickedness in the smallest measure is already excess."[51]

The implanted word ... able to save your souls ... As Gibson observed, "James' teaching here is almost like a reminiscence of the parable of the sower."[52] "The seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11). Inherent in this teaching is the fact of men being saved through the hearing and the obeying of the word of God.

Before the implanted word can bring salvation to the soul, wickedness must be laid aside; and, as Zerr put it: "`Laying aside wickedness' means that the man must himself do it and not wait for God to work some special influence on him."[53]

The implanted word in this place suggests the indwelling Spirit, the indwelling Christ, etc. Paul also commanded that the "word of Christ" should dwell in Christians (Colossians 3:16).

[51] A. F. Harper, op. cit., p. 205.

[52] E. C. S. Gibson, op. cit., p. 5.

[53] E. M. Zerr, op. cit., p. 243.