James 4:1-10
James 4:1-10
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 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. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy be gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
James 4:1-10
I. Introduction
A. Last time we had taught James, Scott spoke about wisdom.
B. Wisdom of earth vs. the wisdom of heaven.
C. We saw that wisdom from heaven (from above) is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits , unwavering and without hypocrisy (v. 3:17).
D. James concludes that righteousness is a product of peace.
E. And now, James begins ch 4 by speaking about quarrels and conflicts.
F. We see that the issue appears to be the source of these problems within us (men).
G. The passage we are about to study deals with the problem of being in the world: that we become like the rest of the world
H. James addesses the Problem, the Consequences of that Problem and Provides a Cure (Prevention)
II. Problem
A. James asks, “What causes conflicts?”
B. James answers: Conflicts amongst ourselves are result of our desires of the flesh.
C. Conflict with others is not s/t that just happens, but it has a source.
D. This source is stated in v. 1: “Our pleasures that wage war”
E. What are these pleasures? James illustrates in v. 2-3:
1. Lust for things that we do not possess.
2. We envy things that we cannot own.
3. We do not have things we cannot ask for.
4. Thus: The pleasures must be things of this world that we may lust for or envy.
5. What are some things that we may be lusting after?
6. What have we been envious over?
F. These things lead to very serious actions:
1. Desire for things that we don't have => Lust => Murder
a) Example
2. Envy for things (cannot obtain) => Fight/Quarrel
a) Example
3. Now, we must be sure not to be spirtually cocky, we may say, “This is only for the less mature”, but NO! May it never be. Read v. 1 again
4. V. 1 alludes that we are all struggling; it is a struggle! See Romans ch 7:7ff
5. Paul the Apostle relates to us the stuggle between flesh and spirit (that what I ought vs. that what I want).
6. Thus, we should also take note that this passage applies to us!
G. Now, we must ask, why are we (as men) susceptible to these things?
1. | We won’t ask |
We do not have because because we do not ask => (We do not ask for the right things)
2. We think that God cannot fulfill our needs => matter of faith
3. | It like not even asking. |
We have the wrong needs (wrong motives) => matter of perception
4. As a result, asking for the wrong things will not be answered.
5. So, we must see that we as men, because we do not have the heart of God, often do not ask for the right things.
6. So, if we ask for things that are not within the will of God, we are doing things for our own pleasures, that is, James says, friendship with the world. As we seek and want things of this world, it’s like we are seeking to make the world our friend, trying to get on the good side of this world.
7. That is, if we are not within God’s will, if we are not doing things in God’s name, then we are worldly. This means that we are of this world, in it and of it.
III. Consequences
A. The result of being worldly is, as James says, just like being an adulteresses. Why?
1. What is an adulteresses? One who is unfaithful. It is a married woman (or we can use the masculine) who has an unlawful relationship with a man (or woman), i.e. cheating on the spouse.
2. So, if we are worldly, James says that we have “cheated” on God.
B. So, what are we to do? If we believe this passage applies to us, then there must be some application. Otherwise, we would be condemned to be enemies of God.
C. God is a jealous God (see O.T.) What kind of jealously is this?
D. A protective jealously, one that is angry at those who attempt to take that which the protective jealously attempts to guard away.
E. This jealously for most of us in mankind results in anger, fustration, sorrow, etc. But for God, His protective jealously results in benefits.
F. God greater grace: God graces the humble.
IV. Prevention
A. What does James mean by, oppossing the proud and gracing the humble? What is this?
B. More importantly, how is this done?
C. Key of passage: Submit to God.
D. Small group exercise. . .James commands to submit.
E. There are several (about 10) commands in verses 7-10. Your task (if you choose to accept it) is to find and list these commands. Once they have been located, define the commands and explain how they may apply to us. Provide examples of how each of the commands may be applied today.
F. The result of doing these things is, in essence, to humble ourselves before God. It takes a very humble man to admit that he is wrong (e.g. we are sinners) and then it takes an even humblier man to go forward and correct his mistakes.
G. As we humble ourselves before God, God will exalt us. How does God exalt man?
H. Exalt: God will provide ways for us to overcome that which afflicts us.
V. Conclusion