James 4
James 4 addresses the root cause of conflicts among believers, which is selfish desire. It warns against worldliness, pride, and judging others, while encouraging submission to God, humility, and reliance on His grace. The chapter ends with a reminder about the uncertainty of life and the importance of doing good when the opportunity presents itself.
James 4:1 (NKJV)
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
The conflicts and arguments among believers originate from selfish desires that battle within them. James points to the fact that these internal desires for pleasure and personal gain cause external strife. Instead of living in peace, people are torn by cravings and ambitions, which lead to disputes.
James 4:2 (NKJV)
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
James highlights how people desire things they cannot obtain, leading to frustration, jealousy, and even acts of violence. The problem is that instead of turning to God in prayer, people seek to satisfy their desires through harmful means. The lack of asking God for what they need reflects a lack of trust and submission to Him.
James 4:3 (NKJV)
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
When people do pray, their motives are often wrong. They ask for things with selfish intentions, seeking to use them for personal gratification. This selfishness is a barrier to receiving answers from God, as prayers that are centered on indulgence are not aligned with His will.
James 4:4 (NKJV)
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James uses strong language to call out spiritual unfaithfulness, comparing it to adultery. He warns that aligning oneself with the world and its values is equivalent to becoming an enemy of God. The pursuit of worldly pleasures and approval stands in opposition to God’s will, making it impossible to serve both.
James 4:5-6 (NKJV)
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
James reminds believers of God’s jealousy for their loyalty, and His Spirit within them desires their full devotion. Despite human failings, God offers abundant grace to those who humbly seek Him. Pride, however, leads to resistance from God, as it opposes the spirit of submission required to receive His grace.
James 4:7 (NKJV)
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
The solution to the problem of sin and worldliness is submission to God. By aligning oneself with God’s authority, believers gain the strength to resist the devil. James promises that when the devil is resisted, he will flee, as he has no power over those who stand firm in their faith.
James 4:8 (NKJV)
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James encourages believers to take the initiative to approach God, with the assurance that God will respond by drawing near to them. Cleansing the hands and purifying the heart symbolizes repentance and a commitment to sincerity, leaving behind divided loyalties between God and the world.
James 4:9-10 (NKJV)
Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
James calls for deep repentance, urging believers to recognize the seriousness of their sin. Instead of rejoicing in sinful pleasures, they are to mourn over their wrongdoings. But with genuine humility and repentance, God will exalt them, lifting them up in His grace.
James 4:11-12 (NKJV)
Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
James warns against the sin of slander and judging others. When believers speak evil against one another, they set themselves above the law of God, acting as judges rather than obedient followers. There is only one Lawgiver—God Himself—and He alone has the authority to judge. Humans must not take on this role.
James 4:13-14 (NKJV)
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
James criticizes the arrogance of making future plans without considering the uncertainty of life. He reminds believers of the frailty of human life, which is brief and unpredictable. Instead of assuming control over their future, they should acknowledge their dependence on God.
James 4:15-16 (NKJV)
Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
James advises a humble approach to planning, one that acknowledges God’s sovereign will. Boasting about future plans without considering God’s control is an expression of pride and arrogance, which James condemns as evil. A life of faith submits all plans to God’s will.
James 4:17 (NKJV)
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James concludes by emphasizing the importance of acting on what one knows is right. Sin is not only doing wrong but also failing to do what is right when the opportunity arises. This underscores the responsibility believers have to actively live out their faith.