Sermon Tone Analysis

I. We Cannot Get Along Because of Inner War

Because of an inner war

In verse 1, James pinpoints the source of our conflict!

What causes quarrels (contention, war) and what causes fights (Contention, battle) among you?

Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

“within you” or “in your members” - Our physical bodies are not evil, nor the source of evil, but they are the battle ground of evil (cf.

).

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

This was a major ontological (the nature of being) difference between Greek philosophy and biblical Christianity.

It is just possible the “members” may refer to the body of Christ, the Church.

It is uncertain whether the warning is

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

It is just possible the “members” may refer to the body of Christ, the Church.

It is uncertain whether the warning is (1) internal (fallen nature); (2) external (problem in the church); or (3) both.

It is just possible the “members” may refer to the body of Christ, the Church.

It is uncertain whether the warning is (1) internal (fallen nature); (2) external (problem in the church); or (3) both.

“in your members” Our physical bodies are not evil, nor the source of evil, but they are the battle ground of evil (cf.

Rom.

6:12–23).

This was a major ontological difference between Greek philosophy and biblical Christianity.

It is just possible the “members” may refer to the body of Christ, the Church.

It is uncertain whether the warning is (1) internal (fallen nature); (2) external (problem in the church); or (3) both.

(1) internal (fallen nature)

(2) external (problem in the church); or

(3) both.

A. Inner war is a war of passions

Passion: ἡδονή (hay-don-ay') - where we get the word “hedonism.”

which is a passion for self gratification, pleasure, or position at any cost!

This term is only used three other times in the NT, ; ; and .

It is always used in a negative sense.

which is a passion for self gratification, pleasure, or position at any cost!

This term is only used three other times in the NT, Luke 8:14; Titus 3:3; and 2 Pet.

2:13.

It is always used in a negative sense.

A passion for self gratification, pleasure, or position at any cost!

This term is only used three other times in the NT (; ; )

It is always used in a negative sense.

You desire and do not have, so you murder (not in the literal sense, used in the sense of “hate”).

You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight (spar, argue) and quarrel (argue, wage war).

You do not have, because you do not ask.

You desire and do not have, so you murder.

You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight (spar, argue) and quarrel (argue, wage war).

You do not have, because you do not ask.

Original Word: ἡδονή, ῆς, ἡ

Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine

Transliteration: hédoné

Phonetic Spelling: (hay-don-ay')

Short Definition: pleasure, lust, strong desire

Definition: pleasure, a pleasure, especially sensuous pleasure; a strong desire, passion.

What causes quarrels (contention, war) and what causes fights (Contention, battle) among you?

Is it not this, that your passions (hay-don-ay' - where we get the word “hedonism”) are at war within you?

Inner war seeks to gain

B. The source of all relational conflict is a failure to please God

The source of all relational conflict is a failure to please God

In our inordinate desires (4:2)

In our lack of asking (4:2)

In our lack of asking (4:2)

In our asking with the wrong motives (4:3)

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

II.

We Cannot be Friends with the World without being Enemies of God.

The word “world” here refers to the “world system apart from God”

II.

The source of our conflict with God

In verse 4, James lays out our conflict with God.

Trans: The world and its system is in direct conflict with God

Conducting business

Fill out tax forms

Raising children

In 4:4 James quickly moves into our conflict with the Lord.

This helps us to see that the lines between conflict with God and man are often quite blurry.

showing hospitality

Counting money

Trans: The world and its system is in direct conflict with God

You adulterous people!

Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Spending money

Developing relationships

Obtaining success

A. The world system is in conflict with God

The way the world conducts business, fills out tax forms, raises children, shows hospitality, observes bank accounts, develops relationships, and obtains success, are not just a little off from God’s way (God-Lite), they are indirect contradiction to His ways.

There may be enough “truth” in them to give the appearance of righteousness, but they are contaminated with man’s desires and passions.

B. We are in conflict with God when we befriend the world’s system

We are in conflict with God when we befriend the world’s system

James calls it “adultery” (It is an OT metaphor for “spiritual adultery”)

He calls it adulteryGod is to be our lover and not the fallen world system

James calls it adultery

C. God is jealous for our affections

God’s people are indwelt by God’s Spirit and there is no way in which the living presence of that Spirit is compatible with those sinful yearnings and promptings to self-interest which are destructive of the peace of the church.

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

God’s people are indwelt by God’s Spirit and there is no way in which the living presence of that Spirit is compatible with those sinful yearnings and promptings to self-interest which are destructive of the peace of the church.

III.

There is a Way to Resolve Conflicts

James outlines a few heart attitudes that will lead to conflict resolution between us, our fellow man, and God.

These heart attitudes may not resolve every conflict but they will certainly put us in the favorable position to please God.

A. It all begins with grace

But he gives more grace.

Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Grace is never received by the proud