James 4:4-10

Intro:

Recap on last week

v. 3:13-4:3,

The destructive and evil nature of the tongue (a hellfire evil that is sourced in the heart, cf. ; the blessing and cursing tongue should not be a part of the Christian identity, how can we bless God and speak evil, slander, lie to, etc. His image bearers, saved or unsaved

Distinction between wisdom from God and the world; wisdom from above is marked by the fruits of the Spirit whereas wisdom from below is marked by the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Heart attitude manifesting itself in our actions; ill-motives hindering our prayers to God

Observations:

v. 14-15, bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are attributes of the heart that drive people in the way of worldly wisdom

Denying the truth will then designate the result of this unjustified boasting. nlt captures this idea: ‘don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.’ To boast about wisdom when one is displaying jealousy and selfish ambition is, in effect, to give the lie to the truth that wisdom must be associated with humility

Furthermore, James’ three adjectives to describe this wisdom are “earthly, natural, demonic

v. 4, Firstly, James calls his audience “adulteresses.” These Christians who are in covenant relationship to God through Christ Jesus are apparently embracing the way of the world as well (hence 3:13-4:3). This leads to the next point, Christians cannot be in friendship with the world and God.

The ‘wisdom’ that manifests itself in selfishness and envy has a quite different nature and origin than the “wisdom from above.” James describes it with three adjectives, each of which takes its meaning from its implied opposite. First, this wisdom is earthly instead of heavenly. Earthly (epigeios) can have a neutral significance (cf. ), but it easily takes on negative connotations, describing that which is transitory, weak and imperfect (see the contrast between ‘earthly’ and ‘heavenly’ bodies in ; cf. ). Its derogatory sense is obvious in , where Paul says that the ‘enemies of the cross of Christ’ have their minds ‘set on earthly things’. Second, this wisdom is unspiritual rather than spiritual. The word James uses, psychikos, is the adjective derived from psychē, ‘soul’, and always has a negative nuance in the New Testament. It has to do with that part of the person ‘where human feeling and human reason reign supreme’ (Knowling). In every other New Testament occurrence, the word is explicitly contrasted with ‘spiritual’ ( ; 15:44 , 46 ; ). Third, this wrong kind of wisdom is demonic (daimoniōdēs, lit. ‘pertaining to demons’). This word occurs only here in the Greek Bible and may mean that the wisdom is demonic either in nature or, more probably, in origin. The wisdom that does not produce a good lifestyle (v. 13) is, in sum, characterized by ‘the world, the flesh and the devil’.

v. 5-6, God’s Word is clear and makes no mistake when it demands our obedience and faithfulness; as the NLT translates, “[The Scriptures] say that God is passionate that the spirit He has placed within us should be faithful to Him.” James begins to turn this conversation up to this point into a call for humility. His audience is a people of favoritism with no love for the vulnerable in their midst, talking the talk with no walk, uncontrollable tongues, driven by the wisdom of the world, flesh and devil, filled with conflict and strife. Such sinfulness must be cut off at the head, by that sharp blade of greater grace, but it is only possible for the humble. What then is the solution for these proud, stiff-necked Christians?

v. 16, James gives clarity to the effects of jealousy and selfish ambition’s presence: disorder and “every evil thing.”

According to Moo, “a. ‘He jealously longs for the spirit/Spirit he has caused to dwell in us’… Ultimately, we therefore favour the first option. Contextually, the appropriateness of a reference to God’s jealousy for his people outweighs the undoubted linguistic difficulty posed by phthonos… If we adopt this general view, it remains unclear whether pneuma refers to the human spirit, put in us at creation, or the divine Spirit, given to us at conversion. In either case, the phrase reminds us that God has a claim on us by virtue of His work in our lives.

a. ‘He jealously longs for the spirit/Spirit he has caused to dwell in us’

If we adopt this general view, it remains unclear whether pneuma refers to the human spirit, put in us at creation, or the divine Spirit, given to us at conversion. In either case, the phrase reminds us that God has a claim on us by virtue of his work in our lives.

Ultimately, we therefore favour the first option. Contextually, the appropriateness of a reference to God’s jealousy for his people outweighs the undoubted linguistic difficulty posed by phthonos.

v. 17-18, True wisdom, that from God, is marked by the fruits of the Spirit ( )

Moo, D. J. (2015). James: An Introduction and Commentary. (E. J. Schnabel, Ed.) (Second edition, Vol. 16, p. 185). Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press.

Moo, D. J. (2015). James: An Introduction and Commentary. (E. J. Schnabel, Ed.) (Second edition, Vol. 16, p. 183). Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press.

Moo, D. J. (2015). James: An Introduction and Commentary. (E. J. Schnabel, Ed.) (Second edition, Vol. 16, p. 185). Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press.

v. 7-8a, Submission unto God and resistance to the devil. Belief and repentance. Enduring through the trial of satan, driven by submission to God, will cause the devil to flee. This is the remedy for Christians trapped in their sin, trapped in the snare of the deceiver and tempter who seeks to separate us from God: draw near to God! Come to Him! Seek His presence and His presence you shall have!

v. 4:1, James presents another question as he did in v. 3:13, to introduce his next topic: these conflicts and fights, are they not sourced in the pleasures in the members of your body, waging war against God’s way? (cf. 7:23)

According to Moo, “ Whatever power Satan may have, Christians can be absolutely certain that they have been given the ability to overcome that power.

Whatever power Satan may have, Christians can be absolutely certain that they have been given the ability to overcome that power.

v. 4:2-3, he presents the heart attitude and the resulting physical manifestation of the heart attitude. He asserts that there are those in his audience who rely on their own wisdom, rather than the wisdom of God (you do not have because you ask). Note, any reliance on the provisions of God are clearly defined by wrong motives (selfish pleasures), indicating why God does not give.

Instead of succumbing to the devil’s desire to separate us from God, we should come near to him. God, James promises, graciously responds by drawing near to us in turn. It should, of course, be obvious that James is not here talking about salvation, but about the repentance of those who are already Christians. Those who sincerely repent and return to God will find him, like the father of the prodigal son, eager to receive back his erring children.”

Instead of succumbing to the devil’s desire to separate us from God, we should come near to him. God, James promises, graciously responds by drawing near to us in turn. It should, of course, be obvious that James is not here talking about salvation, but about the repentance of those who are already Christians. Those who sincerely repent and return to God will find him, like the father of the prodigal son, eager to receive back his erring children.

He mentions murder; while it is possible that he is referring to a heart attitude, it is possible that he is referring to the physical act of murder, especially if in his Judaeo-Christian audience there were zealots, who advocated assassination of prominent Romans and their collaborators as a policy of terror. Perhaps James must warn them that such practices are totally incompatible with their new faith.

v. 8b-10, the state of worldly Christians should be met with mourning and grief over their sinfulness. James calls his audience to cleanse themselves, their hands and hearts, to be deeply grieved by their wicked ways, to replace their laughter with mourning, joy with gloom. Sin should devastate us. The only right response at this point is humility.

Moo, D. J. (2015). James: An Introduction and Commentary. (E. J. Schnabel, Ed.) (Second edition, Vol. 16, pp. 188–189). Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press.

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Head- What does it mean? (10-15 min.)

s clarity to the effects of jealousy and selfish ambition’s presence: disorder and “every evil thing.”

wisdom and understanding are associated by how one lives, not by what one knows. Wisdom demonstrated should be marked by the fruits of the Spirit ( )

bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are attributes of the heart that drive people in the way of worldly wisdom

Denying the truth will then designate the result of this unjustified boasting. nlt captures this idea: ‘don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.’ To boast about wisdom when one is displaying jealousy and selfish ambition is, in effect, to give the lie to the truth that wisdom must be associated with humility

Furthermore, James’ three adjectives to describe this wisdom are “earthly, natural, demonic,”

First, this wisdom is earthly instead of heavenly. Earthly (epigeios) can have a neutral significance (cf. ), but it easily takes on negative connotations, describing that which is transitory, weak and imperfect (see the contrast between ‘earthly’ and ‘heavenly’ bodies in ; cf. ).

Second, this wisdom is unspiritual rather than spiritual. The word James uses, psychikos, is the adjective derived from psychē, ‘soul’, and always has a negative nuance in the New Testament. It has to do with that part of the person ‘where human feeling and human reason reign supreme’ (Knowling). In every other New Testament occurrence, the word is explicitly contrasted with ‘spiritual’ ( ; 15:44 , 46 ; ).

Third, this wrong kind of wisdom is demonic (daimoniōdēs, lit. ‘pertaining to demons’). This word occurs only here in the Greek Bible and may mean that the wisdom is demonic either in nature or, more probably, in origin.

This means this wisdom is shaped by ‘the world, the flesh and the devil’.

v. 16-18,

James gives clarity to the effects of jealousy and selfish ambition’s presence: disorder and “every evil thing.”

True wisdom, that from God, is marked by the fruits of the Spirit ( )

v. 4:1-3,

James presents another question as he did in v. 3:13, to introduce his next topic: these conflicts and fights, are they not sourced in the pleasures in the members of your body, waging war against God’s way? (cf. 7:23)

He presents the heart attitude and the resulting physical manifestation of the heart attitude. He asserts that there are those in his audience who rely on their own wisdom, rather than the wisdom of God (you do not have because you ask). Note, any reliance on the provisions of God are clearly defined by wrong motives (selfish pleasures), indicating why God does not give.

He mentions murder; while it is possible that he is referring to a heart attitude, it is possible that he is referring to the physical act of murder, especially if in his Judaeo-Christian audience there were zealots, who advocated assassination of prominent Romans and their collaborators as a policy of terror. Perhaps James must warn them that such practices are totally incompatible with their new faith.

v. 4-6,

James calls his audience “adulteresses.” These Christians who are in covenant relationship to God through Christ Jesus are apparently embracing the way of the world as well (hence 3:13-4:3).

This leads to the next point, Christians cannot be in friendship with the world and God.

God’s Word is clear and makes no mistake when it demands our obedience and faithfulness; as the NLT translates, “[The Scriptures] say that God is passionate that the spirit He has placed within us should be faithful to Him.”

According to Moo, “a. ‘He jealously longs for the spirit/Spirit he has caused to dwell in us’… Ultimately, we therefore favour the first option. Contextually, the appropriateness of a reference to God’s jealousy for his people outweighs the undoubted linguistic difficulty posed by phthonos… If we adopt this general view, it remains unclear whether pneuma refers to the human spirit, put in us at creation, or the divine Spirit, given to us at conversion. In either case, the phrase reminds us that God has a claim on us by virtue of His work in our lives.

James begins to turn this conversation up to this point into a call for humility. His audience is a people of favoritism with no love for the vulnerable in their midst, talking the talk with no walk, uncontrollable tongues, driven by the wisdom of the world, flesh and devil, filled with conflict and strife. Such sinfulness must be cut off at the head, by that sharp blade of greater grace, but it is only possible for the humble. What then is the solution for these proud, stiff-necked Christians?

v. 7-8a, Submission unto God and resistance to the devil. Belief and repentance. Enduring through the trial of satan, driven by submission to God, will cause the devil to flee. This is the remedy for Christians trapped in their sin, trapped in the snare of the deceiver and tempter who seeks to separate us from God: draw near to God! Come to Him! Seek His presence and His presence you shall have!

v. 7-8a,

v. 7-8a, Submission unto God and resistance to the devil. Belief and repentance. Enduring through the trial of satan, driven by submission to God, will cause the devil to flee. This is the remedy for Christians trapped in their sin, trapped in the snare of the deceiver and tempter who seeks to separate us from God: draw near to God! Come to Him! Seek His presence and His presence you shall have!

Submission unto God and resistance to the devil. Belief and repentance. Enduring through the trial of satan, driven by submission to God, will cause the devil to flee. This is the remedy for Christians trapped in their sin, trapped in the snare of the deceiver and tempter who seeks to separate us from God: draw near to God! Come to Him! Seek His presence and His presence you shall have!

According to Moo, “ Whatever power Satan may have, Christians can be absolutely certain that they have been given the ability to overcome that power.

Instead of succumbing to the devil’s desire to separate us from God, we should come near to him. God, James promises, graciously responds by drawing near to us in turn. It should, of course, be obvious that James is not here talking about salvation, but about the repentance of those who are already Christians. Those who sincerely repent and return to God will find him, like the father of the prodigal son, eager to receive back his erring children.”

v. 8b-10,

the state of worldly Christians should be met with mourning and grief over their sinfulness. James calls his audience to cleanse themselves, their hands and hearts, to be deeply grieved by their wicked ways, to replace their laughter with mourning, joy with gloom. Sin should devastate us. The only right response at this point is humility.

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Heart- Do I buy it? (20-30 min)

Is there anything in this passage that challenges your worldview?

Is there sin in your life right now that you are currently unbothered by? Are you content-fully:

Honor, Courage, Commitment

Integrity

unloving to those in your community (apathetic to their needs and well-being)?

In what ways do you see your lives marked by a lifestyle of… (v. 17)?

nominal in your faith (talking the talk with no walk)?

What should understand about motives? Do motives matter to God?

a slanderer? a gossip? crude? contentious? a back-biter? against your peers or chain of command?

living your life without God’s wisdom? does God have the final word in how you are living your life right now? or are you sharing the throne of your heart?

What are you going to do tonight to change that? What does submitting to God look like in your life right now? What does it look like for you to resist the devil?

These are questions for Christians. If you are not a Christian, if you are not in a covenant relationship with God through Christ, what we are talking about is the least of your worries.

Hands- So What? How then should I live? (10-15 min)

Humbly Walk with God

Humbly Keep Christ first

Humbly Keep sin out of your life