The Test of Worldly Indulgence
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Refreshing our memories
Refreshing our memories
James wrote this epistle to challenge his readers to examine their faith to see if it was genuine saving faith.
We breakdown the whole book as a series of tests:
The Test of Perseverance in Suffering (1:2-12)
The Test of Blame in Temptation (1:13-18)
The Test of Response to the Word (1:19-27)
The Test of Impartial Love (2:1-13)
The Test of Righteous Works (2:14-26)
The Test of the Tongue (3:1-12)
The Test of Wisdom (3:13-18)
Our Study for Today:
Our Study for Today:
Another key indicator of true saving faith is one’s attitude toward the world. James introduced this subject in the first chapter, saying, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (1:27).
The central truth in the present passage is: “Friendship with the world is hostility toward God” (see 4:4). Genuine spiritual life and faithful Christian living involve separation from the world and all its countless contaminations. As James just noted, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make
Another key indicator of true saving faith is one’s attitude toward the world. James introduced this subject in the first chapter, saying, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (1:27).
The central truth in the present passage is: “Friendship with the world is hostility toward God” (see 4:4). Genuine spiritual life and faithful Christian living involve separation from the world and all its countless contaminations. As James just noted, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (3:17–18). Continuing, habitual friendship with the world, on the other hand, is grounded in human wisdom and is evidence of unbelief. Such ungodly friendship inevitably results in personal conflict—with others (4:1a), with oneself (vv. 1b–3), and, most important, with God (vv. 4–6).
I. Friendship with the World is going to cause conflicts
I. Friendship with the World is going to cause conflicts
John F. MacArthur Jr., James, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1998), 183–184.
a. With Others and with Ourselves
a. With Others and with Ourselves
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. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
(NASB95)
1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?
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. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
1 ¿De dónde vienen las guerras y los conflictos entre vosotros? ¿No vienen de vuestras pasiones que combaten en vuestros miembros? 2 Codiciáis y no tenéis, por eso cometéis homicidio. Sois envidiosos y no podéis obtener, por eso combatís y hacéis guerra. No tenéis, porque no pedís. 3 Pedís y no recibís, porque pedís con malos propósitos, para gastarlo en vuestros placeres. 4 ¡Oh almas adúlteras! ¿No sabéis que la amistad del mundo es enemistad hacia Dios? Por tanto, el que quiere ser amigo del mundo, se constituye enemigo de Dios. 5 ¿O pensáis que la Escritura dice en vano: El celosamente anhela el Espíritu que ha hecho morar en nosotros? 6 Pero El da mayor gracia. Por eso dice: Dios resiste a los soberbios pero da gracia a los humildes. 7 Por tanto, someteos a Dios. Resistid, pues, al diablo y huirá de vosotros. 8 Acercaos a Dios, y El se acercará a vosotros. Limpiad vuestras manos, pecadores; y vosotros de doble ánimo, purificad vuestros corazones. 9 Afligíos, lamentad y llorad; que vuestra risa se torne en llanto y vuestro gozo en tristeza. 10 Humillaos en la presencia del Señor y El os exaltará. 11 Hermanos, no habléis mal los unos de los otros. El que habla mal de un hermano o juzga a su hermano, habla mal de la ley y juzga a la ley; pero si tú juzgas a la ley, no eres cumplidor de la ley, sino juez de ella. 12 Sólo hay un dador de la ley y juez, que es poderoso para salvar y para destruir; pero tú, ¿quién eres que juzgas a tu prójimo? 13 Oíd ahora, los que decís: Hoy o mañana iremos a tal o cual ciudad y pasaremos allá un año, haremos negocio y tendremos ganancia.
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. You do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
b. With God
b. With God
(NASB95)
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.
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. 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.”
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.”
II. The Solution
II. The Solution
(NASB95)
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.
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. 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?
10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
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?
Ten Words to Consider
Ten Words to Consider
Submission
Resistance
Fellowship
Cleansing
Resistance
Purification
Misery
Sorrow
Fellowship
Tears
Cleansing
Seriousness
Purification
Humility
Misery
Sorrow
Tears
Seriousness
Humility
John F. MacArthur Jr., James, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1998), 183–184.