21. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Remember James is talking to Christians here.  He’s talking to people who have already been born-again and whose spirits are saved.  Now he says the Word of God is able to save their souls.

It’s important to know there is a difference between your soul and spirit.  Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God can divide the soul and spirit.  Paul prayed that the Thessalonians’ spirit and soul and body would be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord (1 Thess. 5:23).  So we see the soul and spirit are two separate things.

Your spirit is the real you and that is what is born-again when you accept Jesus as Lord.  But your soul—your mind, emotions and will—needs to be renewed with the Word of God (see also Romans 12:2).  We are told here to receive with meekness, or to humbly receive, the engrafted or implanted Word which is able to save our souls.

We need to receive the Word of God into our lives in order for our souls to grow in the Lord.  We need to humbly receive it, which means we submit to the Word of God as the authority in our life.  As we do, not only is our spirit saved but our soul will be as well which will cause us to live as God desires us to in the earth!

Confession:

I humbly receive the Word of God into my life, knowing it will save my soul.  I accept God’s Word as the authority in my life.  I allow His Word to be implanted in my soul, in my thinking and I will live accordingly.