James 4:1-10 (Part 12) The Folly of Worldiness

The Folly of Worldliness

James 4

• The attitude of worldliness, 4:1-10

• The manifestation of worldliness, 4:11-12

• The self-sufficiency of worldliness, 4:13-17

The attitude of worldliness

• The source, v. 1

o “Lusts”—(hedone)—anything that gratifies you (pleasure-centered)—as related to . . .

• The results, v. 2-3

o You desire; you don’t have; the result is murder.

o A life of never-ending frustration

o A life of prayerlessness

o Selfish prayer (this is sin) is possible, v. 3

• The description of this attitude, vv. 4-5

o The metaphor, v. 4—violation of exclusiveness

o The position—worldliness is hostility toward God

o The choice—“whosoever will”—it is choice made to be hostile toward God with an attitude of worldliness

o The resister—v. 5—the Holy Spirit

• The remedy for worldliness, 4:6-10

o Divine—remedy always begins with God

o Grace

o More—relative to the sin nature—relative to the desire for self-gratification—“more grace"

Observations, vv. 1-3

• A believer can practice an hedonistic prayer life

• The pleasure-seeking life is a guarantee of frustration

• The pleasure-seeking life is a guarantee of conflict

• 4 concepts about grace

 We must realize its availability

 We must realize its superiority to the problem

 We need to realize that it can be hindered

 We must realize that grace is conditional

o God demands humility

 Divine solutions always entail human responsibility.

In light of the availability of the grace of God—“therefore” (v. 7)—commands:

• Submit to God

• Resist the devil—how? . . .

• Draw near to God

• Cleanse your hands

• Purify your heart

• Do not be flippant about sin. It is serious, v. 9.

• Humble yourself, v. 10