Friendship with the World - James 4
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What is the source of wars and fights among you? Are they not from this source, your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. You desire, and yet you do not have, so you fight and quarrel. 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.
1. LUST, EVIL DESIRES: THE PASSION FOR PLEASURE AND GRATIFICATION THAT RAGES WITHIN THE BODY (v. 1)
What is the cause of temptation and wrongdoing?
Lust warring within our bodies (v.1)
What does ‘lust’ mean?
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 1937. ἐπιθυμέω epithuméō
1937. ἐπιθυμέω epithuméō; contracted epithumṓ, fut. epithumḗsō, from epí (1909), in, and thumós (2372), the mind. To have the affections directed toward something, to lust, desire, long after. Generally (Luke 17:22; Gal. 5:17; Rev. 9:6). To desire in a good sense (Matt. 13:17; Luke 22:15; 1 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 6:11; 1 Pet. 1:12); as a result of physical needs (Luke 15:16; 16:21); in a bad sense of coveting and lusting after (Matt. 5:28; Rom. 7:7; 13:9; 1 Cor. 10:6 [cf. James 4:2; Sept.: Ex. 20:17; Deut. 5:21; 14:26; 2 Sam. 3:21; Prov. 21:26]).
What does ‘to covet’ mean?
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (2206. ζηλόω zēlóō)
2206. ζηλόω zēlóō; contracted zēlṓ, fut. zēlṓsō, from zḗlos (2205), zeal. To be zealous, filled with zeal, zealously affected whether in a good or bad sense (Acts 17:5; Gal. 4:17, 18, to make a show of zeal, to profess affection in order to gain someone as a follower; Rev. 3:19 [TR]); to desire zealously (1 Cor. 12:31; 14:1, 39; Sept.: Prov. 3:31); to be jealous over someone in a good sense, to love (2 Cor. 11:2; Sept.: 2 Sam. 21:2; Prov. 24:1); to envy, be moved with envy (Acts 7:9; 1 Cor. 13:4; James 4:2).
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).
What is this a picture of?
A battlefield of wants and desires
“man is a walking civil war; lust after lust wages war within him, seeking gratification and pleasure. Man senses one desire after another and wants to lift the restraint, to cut loose and enjoy the pleasure of the lust.”
Leadership Ministries Worldwide, James, The Teacher’s Outline & Study Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996), 66.
What may we lust for and covet?
more food
more sex
more money
more treasure
more recognition
more power
more control
What is the result of our lust and covetness?
fightings and wars
What examples do we see and know of today?
What is man’s greatest need?
QUESTIONS:
1. Why is it so difficult to control our desires?
2. How do our desires make it difficult to have true peace within?
3. What makes a desire sinful? How does trusting God for your needs help you to avoid sinful desires?
2. DISTRUST: SEEKING SOMETHING AND NEVER TRUSTING GOD OR ASKING GOD FOR IT (v. 2)
Is the cause of temptation and wrongdoing because one does not trust in God?
Do we have a yearning desire for God? A yearning passion?
This is the meaning of lust.
What impact, or does this have an impact, on our understanding of the concept of lust or coveting?
Is there anything wrong with basic desires? What makes them right or wrong?
How is it possible to ask wrongly?
What is the picture of the world in this passage? Is it typical of all societies and cultures?
What does the Bible mean by: “5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose, “The spirit that dwells in us strongly desires to envy”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” -James 4:5-6
or
Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, “God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Is a person able to control his or her desires? What does it mean to “Submit yourselves therefore to God.” (v.7) What does that look like?
Therefore, submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
What bearing does Galatians 5:16-17 have on submition?
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do the things you want to do.
Is there such a thing as a wrong prayer?
What does it mean to ‘draw near to God’ (v.8)? What does that look like?
What does the word ‘sinners’ in v.8 mean?
How can being humble overcome lust and covetness?
James 4:10 (UASV)
Humble yourselves in the eyes of the Lord, and he will exalt you.