JAMES CHAPTER FOUR-----
Things Christians Should Avoid (T)
Table of Contents
The accusations ……………………………………….. 1-4
Submit to God’s will …………………………………... 5-10
The law and you ………………………………………… 11-12
The Lord is my guide ………………………………….. 13-17
Things Christians Should Avoid (T)
Table of Contents
The accusations ……………………………………….. 1-4
Submit to God’s will …………………………………... 5-10
The law and you ………………………………………… 11-12
The Lord is my guide ………………………………….. 13-17
The accusations 1-4
1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. 3 You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
(1) James knew of the quarrels fights within the church and was attempting to persuade the church to look within themselves for the causes of strife. The tendency is to look outward for the cause of trouble, rarely looking within.
In past lessons, we learned how the false teachers were leading the church astray (II Timothy 4:3& 4 ). They did this by appealing to the church members carnal desires. They taught about the separation of body and soul, whereas the body could indulge in all manner of pleasures, and this would not affect their soul's salvation (I Timothy 1:10 ). Not all the church accepted this teaching, thereby causing a division within the church.
There could have been many reasons which led to internal strife in the church. However, I believe they practiced sexual perversions. These acts alone would cause mistrust, anger, and resentment, which in turn would cause a brother to rise up against brother and sister against sister.
James continues his admonishment in verse 2.
(2) James speaks of the lust of a man. A man’s desire to satisfy his own flesh. If this lust (setting one’s mind to…) is left unchecked, it will devour his soul. Envy spawns resentment, which in turn breeds anger and hatred; and sometimes leads even to murder. These desires are like eating cotton candy, pleasing to the taste but are not filling; leaving one to desire more. It would seem the more a person obtains the more he wants; begging the question, When is enough, enough?
The man was created to worship God and to have a close personal relationship with Him. Before the fall man had a close satisfying personal relationship with God. The man was created to be completed in God. When man fell from grace he became incomplete, and no longer felt satisfied (Genesis 3). This made man feel like there was an abyss within him. Sadly men and women travel their entire lives attempting to fill this chasm with things to make themselves feel complete. To this day, without a close personal relationship with Jesus, mankind cannot be completed. Therefore, for them, enough is never enough.
The man was created to worship God and to have a close personal relationship with Him. Before the fall man had a close satisfying personal relationship with God. The man was created to be completed in God. When man fell from grace he became incomplete, and no longer felt satisfied (Genesis 3). This made man feel like there was an abyss within him. Sadly men and women travel their entire lives attempting to fill this chasm with things to make themselves feel complete. To this day, without a close personal relationship with Jesus, mankind cannot be completed. Therefore, for them, enough is never enough.
(3) Every believer knows God answers prayers (I John 3:22 ). However, God listens to the heart of the person who prays. If God sees a repentant heart begging forgiveness on the shed blood of Jesus; His reply is “your forgiven”. People pray for what they consider to be needed, but God sees not needs, but rather desires. Is all desire wrong then? Of course not, it is what motivates our desires that are scrutinized by God. God wants us to pray for those things which fulfill His desires for us (I John 3:22 ). A person might pray for material wealth to satisfy his own personal lust for money (I Timothy 6:10 ). Will God answer this prayer? Yes, His answer will be No!
If I pray for good things; why does God not answer my prayers? He does, you just don’t want to hear the answer NO! or not now. What you pray for might seem to be good to you, but God knows better. Jesus said the following: Matthew 7:9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?
If I pray for good things; why does God not answer my prayers? He does, you just don’t want to hear the answer NO! or not now. What you pray for might seem to be good to you, but God knows better. Jesus said the following: Matthew 7:9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?
(4) Was James talking just to those in the church who were having sex with someone other than their wives or husband? By very definition, Adultery is having sex with someone other than your wife or husband. I believe James was saying more here. He was speaking to those who lusted after sexual perversions and were sinning against God and also to those who were giving themselves over to the desires of the worldly things. These desires were diverting their love of God. When a Christian places anything or anyone before God to him, it is an idol. We serve a jealous God (Exodus 20:4 & 5 ). People of the early church were turning away from God and worshiping self-appointed gods of pleasure and wealth. This type of idolatry can creep into one’s life gradually. Take care and do not fall into this trap.
Ian Mackervoy writes “The Old Testament speaks of God as being a husband and the Jews as his wife. Jews turned from God to other gods. Then it was like a wife who went to another man. The New Testament says that the church is like a bride. It is the bride of Christ. James is saying that they were not faithful to Christ”
Submit to God’s will 5-10
5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
(5) Had the church adhered to the scripture, there would have been no need for this letter. However, the false teachers were sowing seeds of doubt. They were misleading them to abandon scripture where it conflicted with their false teachings.
James, hearing of their corrupted behavior, pose the rhetorical question found in verse 5. The purpose of the scripture was to teach them the will of God for conducting their lives and to give them a path to eternal salvation. They had accepted the salvation scripture promised, they accepted the Holy Spirit as promised; but they were turning a deaf ear to the will of God in their lives. To heed only the part of scripture that supports our lifestyle and to deny the rest is to deny the purpose of the scripture. (Numbers 23:19)
God gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell within to comfort, to guide, to counsel, and to reveal God’s word to us. Our God having given us His Holy Spirit by grace, guards His gift Jealously. The word Jealous comes from a word meaning burning heat. (I Corinthians 6:19 & II Corinthians 6:16)
(6) The word ‘but’ can be replaced with “no rather”, which follows the second part of verse 5. When James says that God gives “greater grace” he is actually saying grace in abundance or as John Bengel writes “ever increasing grace” .
God scorns the haughty (Psalms 138:6 & Proverbs 18:12 ). We can take pride in what we accomplish, but must not boast of it and thereby elevate ourselves. God gives honor to the humble who do not exalt themselves (Matthew 23:12). We have all heard the phrase “pride comes before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18) why is this true? We can do nothing of value apart from God. This being true then all the credit for any success we have belongs to God. Therefore to boast that we did this or that, we are taking credit away from God. It’s not so much having pride in something you have done well that’s wrong. The problem arises when the haughty spirit of pride is demonstrated (Proverbs 18:12).
God scorns the haughty (Psalms 138:6 & Proverbs 18:12 ). We can take pride in what we accomplish, but must not boast of it and thereby elevate ourselves. God gives honor to the humble who do not exalt themselves (Matthew 23:12). We have all heard the phrase “pride comes before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18) why is this true? We can do nothing of value apart from God. This being true then all the credit for any success we have belongs to God. Therefore to boast that we did this or that, we are taking credit away from God. It’s not so much having pride in something you have done well that’s wrong. The problem arises when the haughty spirit of pride is demonstrated (Proverbs 18:12).
(7) What does it mean to submit? The word “submit” was translated from the Greek word hupotasso hoop-ot-as'-so; to subordinate; reflexively, to obey:--be under obedience (obedient), put under, subdue unto, (be, make) subject (to, unto), be (put) in subjection (to, under), submit self unto. It is difficult for a person to submit to the will of another and yet we do it every day. We submit ourselves to the authority of our employer, to the law, and those that enforce the law.
Yet there are some who call themselves Christians, who do not fully submit to the authority of God (I Peter 5:6). God has given us the law to show us right from wrong. Failure to live by the law is a failure to submit to the law, and therefore failure to submit to God. In order to submit to God, we must be humble before Him. The haughty person displeases God because this attitude will prevent submitting to God (I Peter 5:8).
James goes on to say resist the devil and he will flee (Ephesians 6:11). Apart from God, we cannot resist the devil. But with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26 ).
Yet there are some who call themselves Christians, who do not fully submit to the authority of God (I Peter 5:6). God has given us the law to show us right from wrong. Failure to live by the law is a failure to submit to the law, and therefore failure to submit to God. In order to submit to God, we must be humble before Him. The haughty person displeases God because this attitude will prevent submitting to God (I Peter 5:8).
James goes on to say resist the devil and he will flee (Ephesians 6:11). Apart from God, we cannot resist the devil. But with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26 ).
(8) James is pleading with those in the church who were seeking to satisfy the pleasures of their flesh, to return to God. Man cannot serve the things of this world and God. As Jesus said, “Man cannot serve two masters…” (Matthew 6:24 & Luke 16:13 ). A choice must be made.
James was saying they must wash their hands (or turn away) from the allure of the world, and return to God. The washing of hands was used as a symbolic gesture of separation, and even today is performed by some faiths ritualistically. Pilot washed his hands symbolizing that he had no part in the death of Jesus (Matthew 27:24).
The cleansing of one's heart can only be accomplished through repentance and seeking forgiveness. A person who is double-minded, or in other words saying yes to two opposing things, is not committed to either. Such a person is like the grass of the field which blows in whatever direction the wind demands. You cannot draw close to God when your heart lusts for things other than God.
James was saying they must wash their hands (or turn away) from the allure of the world, and return to God. The washing of hands was used as a symbolic gesture of separation, and even today is performed by some faiths ritualistically. Pilot washed his hands symbolizing that he had no part in the death of Jesus (Matthew 27:24).
The cleansing of one's heart can only be accomplished through repentance and seeking forgiveness. A person who is double-minded, or in other words saying yes to two opposing things, is not committed to either. Such a person is like the grass of the field which blows in whatever direction the wind demands. You cannot draw close to God when your heart lusts for things other than God.
(9) James describes the depth of regret a person should feel when they repent. A person who truly regrets what they have done should be grieved so deeply, so as to weep unashamedly before God. True regret brings a person to a point of misery. Misery like this cannot be healed by time, only God does that. Once a person has repented, he will have no desire to return to his or her old ways; this allows us to once again be joyful in the Lord. Repenting without a repentant heart has no value. God knows a truly repentant heart.
(10) We are told to be humble. In fact the word humble is found 48 times in the NAS translation of the Bible. Stand before the Lord with a humble heart, and know that He is God, creator of the universe, and all that it contains.
God has promised that the person who is humble will be great, and whoever is first will be last, and whoever is last shall be first (Luke 1:52 & Luke 9:46 thru 48).
(10) We are told to be humble. In fact the word humble is found 48 times in the NAS translation of the Bible. Stand before the Lord with a humble heart, and know that He is God, creator of the universe, and all that it contains.
God has promised that the person who is humble will be great, and whoever is first will be last, and whoever is last shall be first (Luke 1:52 & Luke 9:46 thru 48).
The Law and You 11-12
11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?
(11) The law James speaks of here is the law Jesus gave to his disciples, that is to “…love one another even as I have loved you” (John 13:34). Can you have a love for your brother/sister when you spread malicious gossip about them? I think not; because when you spread such gossip, you are sitting in judgment of the object of your gossip. Scripture tells us not to judge lest we are judged (Matthew 7:1). We all know malicious gossip causes harm to the reputation of the subject person. How then, can we proclaim love when we spread hateful speech?
(12) The authority to judge can only be done by the one who gives the law. Jesus the Christ alone has earned the right and the authority to judge the sins of mankind (Romans 2:16; Isaiah 33:22 ). Since the fall from grace, mankind continually sins. Knowing that mankind sins, how can sin judge sin? Only the righteous One can judge sin (John 8:7 ).
The Lord is My Guide 13-17
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You’re just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
(13) James begins this sentence with using the words “Come now”. By using these words James is simply drawing attention to the importance of the message in this paragraph.
The Jews were merchants, and as such, were spread out over a large area around the Mediterranean. Many of these merchants became Christians. James was addressing mainly these Christians.
As merchants, they would make grand plans to expand their trade routes; saying we will do this, or that, go here, or there. They made these plans without considering what God’s plans for them might be.
There is a valuable lesson to be learned here. We all like to feel as those merchants did; in control of our own destiny. None can know what the future holds but God alone. How then, can we make good plans and leave God out of them? I am certain you all have made plans only to see them crumble because of circumstances beyond your control. (Proverbs 27:1)
Want to make God laugh? Just tell Him your plans.
(14) The merchants drew comfort believing they were in control and felt confident in the outcome of their plans. They could not know the future. God holds the future in His hands. Therefore they made their plans based on a false confidence in their own abilities, not knowing what lies ahead.
James continues to explain just how futile their plans are by comparing their lives to the morning mist, which dissipates quickly after sunrise. Our lives are infinitesimally short compared to eternity. Being that our lives are so short, how then do we make the most of them? We include God prior to planning. We do this by asking Him to reveal His plans for us, and then conform our plans to His. Therefore begin your day in thankful trusting prayer.
James writes the following in verse
James continues to explain just how futile their plans are by comparing their lives to the morning mist, which dissipates quickly after sunrise. Our lives are infinitesimally short compared to eternity. Being that our lives are so short, how then do we make the most of them? We include God prior to planning. We do this by asking Him to reveal His plans for us, and then conform our plans to His. Therefore begin your day in thankful trusting prayer.
James writes the following in verse
(15) Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
(16) How arrogant, to boast of your success, saying look at my accomplishments; it is because of my great plans this wonderful thing has happened. Why does James call this boasting evil? Is it wrong to take pride in one’s achievements?
This boastful spirit glorifies only themselves and leaves out God. It is God who paves the way for our success’s opening or closing doors of opportunity. We should, therefore, give God all the Glory in a spirit of thankfulness and humility.
(17) The right thing to do is to give God the credit for your success’s. James is telling the Christian; to know this and to not give God the credit, is a sin.
I like to classify sins into two categories:
1. Sins of commission (knowingly doing the wrong thing).
2. Sins of omission (knowingly not doing the right thing).
(16) How arrogant, to boast of your success, saying look at my accomplishments; it is because of my great plans this wonderful thing has happened. Why does James call this boasting evil? Is it wrong to take pride in one’s achievements?
This boastful spirit glorifies only themselves and leaves out God. It is God who paves the way for our success’s opening or closing doors of opportunity. We should, therefore, give God all the Glory in a spirit of thankfulness and humility.
(17) The right thing to do is to give God the credit for your success’s. James is telling the Christian; to know this and to not give God the credit, is a sin.
I like to classify sins into two categories:
1. Sins of commission (knowingly doing the wrong thing).
2. Sins of omission (knowingly not doing the right thing).
