In the world, but not of the world

Worldliness in the Church will produce conflicts (James 4:1-3)

Explanation: At the end of Chapter 3, James contrasted worldly wisdom vs. godly wisdom. He emphasized that godly wisdom will produce peace. He then talks about the lack of peace the Church was experiencing in its fellowship and points out the reasons.

That he is talking about what is taking place inside the Church fellowship is evidenced by his use of the phrase among you (v. 1). What James has been made aware of is not good: he refers to the proceedings as wars & fightings - not the language you would expect to be applied to Jesus people.

He tells the members that their conflict is the result of their ungodly passions and desires. There are some in their midst that want to control and dominate others, to get their way, and to be recognized and esteemed, regardless of the consequences.

James then calls them out for how they are relating to God in this mess. Some things they just do without even asking God (ye ask not) and then he calls them out for praying and asking God to bless their sin ( ye ask amiss).

Illustrate: Many church members treat God like the genie in the lamp. They go along with life without spending much time with God until they experience trouble - and then they expect Him to answer quickly and decisively in their favor.

Argument: God is the Sovereign ruler of the Universe. His is the Agenda to be discovered and obeyed, not ours. He is not our tool to be used when needed; He is our God who is worthy of our worship.

Too many of us get confused as to the difference between the Church and the world system. These two are diametrically opposed and they operate with totally different approaches. They are not to be mixed - like oil and water: they don’t go well together!

When lost church members bring the world’s way of doing business inside the Church, it will cause conflict. The Church is not a business, the pastor is not the CEO, and the purpose is not to create a profit or to gain market share.

Application: God does not desire that you be successful - He wants you to be obedient. God is not asking you to find out what works, He wants you to know Him. God is not concerned about you being recognized and publically rewarded, He is looking for you to cease striving and to know that He is God

Worldliness in the Church is actually spiritual adultery (James 4:4-6)

Explanation: James doesn’t pull any punches when he calls them adulterers. He isn’t worried about being politically correct, and he isn’t worried about offending anyone. He isn’t listening to a sounding board that cautions, “you can’t say that James! You may lose members!”

James is proclaiming the Truth. Jesus is the One who said “ye shall know the truth, and the Truth shall make you free (John 8:36). The full reality is that very often that Truth will hurt you before it sets you free! That’s OK - we need to know and hear the truth.

The present truth for these Church members was that the “way of doing business” they were bringing into the fellowship to “get things moving” was not just another way of doing church; rather it was a serious compromise with the sin of spiritual adultery. What these folks were actually doing was admitting that God wasn’t enough. They had discovered a lack in God and were going out into the world to borrow something from that godless system to “help God’s program.”

Illustrate: Smoke & light shows, snazzy dance routines, riding motorcycles in the sanctuary, jumping on trampolines - whatever it takes to get peoples attention and draw a crowd.

Argument: God is Holy and He is sufficient. He doesn’t need us to “help Him” out. God is the One who ordained the preaching of the Cross to reach the lost. Paul declared that “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21)

The essence of worldliness is when we admit that God is not sufficient and that we need to go to the world to receive satisfaction. Consider the husband who tells his wife, you just aren’t enough - I need to be with other women to be content. We cannot conceive of a godly wife who would be okay with such a crude and unwholesome arrangement. Nor should a wife ever be called on to accept such a thing.

Why then, do we think that God is okay with our spiritual adultery? Why do Church members think it’s no big deal to act and live in the world with the world’s values, and then to bring them into the Church. That’s similar to the husband bringing the other woman into the house while the wife is at home!

Just as the wife will view the other woman as her enemy, so God views the person who is friendly with the world system. Jesus left us in this world, but He very clearly told us we were not to be part of it.

King James Version Chapter 17

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, BUT that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world

Jesus is also the One who told His disciples that it is not possible to serve two masters (Matt 6:24). When we say YES to Jesus, we also say NO to the world system!

Application: God is not okay with His house being defiled by worldly practices. God is not okay with church members creating division and conflict. God is not okay with His people going and doing the same things lost people go and do.

The cure for worldliness is repentance (James 4:6-12)

Explanation: James has been asking rhetorical questions and discussing the problems. Now he begins to issue godly imperatives. In rapid fire order, James issues nine commands in the next few verses and all of them relate to repentance.

Before James throws out the commands in verses 7-12, we dare not overlook the importance of verse 6. James sets this in the form of a statement about the danger of pride. Admitting and turning from pride is a major step in repenting from worldliness. The wordly Church member is under the mistaken idea that he or she is smarter than God - a very prideful attitude.

Submit to God’s authority (v. 7a) Choose to follow God’s way and be content with Him. Cease your striving to get from another source

Resist the Devil (7b) Though satan is a supernatural creature who is stronger and smarter than we are, it is possible for us to resist his influence. Caution: the submission to God comes before we resist satan

Draw near to God (8a) Determine to find your satisfaction in God Himself. Develop your desire to spend time with Him just to be, not to get anything. Pray Scriptures of praise to Him

Cleanse your hands and heart (8b) get rid of whatever takes away from personal holiness. Drop bad habits, cease to gossip, commit to the truth and stop lying, quit trying to impress lost people by blending in - stand up for Jesus publically

Be sorrowful over sin (9) Do you grieve over those who celebrate sin? Does it bother you that innocent lives are being murdered daily? Are you impacted by the hatred & prejudice that surround us? Are you troubled by your own coziness with the world system? Ask God to give you a burden for these and other issues of sin.

Be a humble person (10) This character trait for Jesus people continues to be found in the pages of Scripture. God has an affinity for people who are broken and admit it. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt 5:3)

Don’t speak evil of others (11) Do not gossip or put down another Church member. We are called to encourage and build each other up, not to tear others down (cf., Eph 4:29) [This is a different issue than confronting a sinning church member for the issue of Church discipline for restoration] James is addressing those who put others down just to feel good about themselves.

Close: Some Bible scholars believe that this section of Scripture believe that this passage is directed at believing Church members who have compromised by allowing worldly values to invade God’s house. If so, the solution is for these errant church members to renounce their coziness with the world and return to personal and corporate holiness.

Other scholars consider this section to be an evangelical appeal to lost church members, to those who may think they are saved, but are not. In this case, the church members are acting in accordance with their nature which is creating conflict within the church. The answer to this also involves repentance: this person needs to renounce their pride in themselves and turn in faith to Jesus.

The message of Repentance is necessary for both groups. Allow the Holy Spirit to direct you in your personal response.