James 4
We continue our study of James with the fourth chapter.
Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions. (James 4:1-3)
James could have written this is the twenty-first rather than the first century. People have an insatiable hunger for more and more. Since our resources and opportunities won’t give us what we want, we are led into sin. It is not just what we do but why we do it.
Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy. Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says, “The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning”? But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. (James 4:4-10)
James starts this section by addressing “Adulterers” but then doesn’t say anything about adultery. In the Old Testament, the prophets often used adultery as an image to unfaithfulness to God. And that is what James is focusing on here.
What is the “world” that James speaks of? Some Christians have equated “worldly” with “secular.” So they would argue that we shouldn’t listen to worldly music but Christian music, we shouldn’t watch worldly movies but Christian movies. But the world that James (and other biblical writers) speaks of are the values that go against the kingdom of God. We need to make a conscious decision to submit to God and to flee the devil.
Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. He who speaks against a fellow believer or judges a fellow believer speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge. But there is only one who is lawgiver and judge—the one who is able to save and destroy. On the other hand, who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:11-12)
Judging people is a complicated topic. Jesus says “Judge not, lest you also be judged.” But there he is speaking of hypocritical people who have the same or worse sin. Paul seems to judge people within the church and calls us to keep each other accountable. No James tells us not to judge. James is saying that God is the final judge and we must not confuse ourselves with God. But both Jesus and Paul remind to call ourselves, and our brothers and sisters, to a high standard.
Discussion Questions
- How do you feel when you can’t get what you want?
- What does it look like to be the world’s friend?
- What does it mean to resist the devil? What does that look like?
- How can we know if we have crossed the line in judging a fellow believer?
- Do you think of God as a judge? Does that scare you?
