James Chapter 4 Part 1

 

©lightwritingmatters 2015

Theme Scripture: --James 4:17 “Therefore, if one knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.”

Theme Scripture Chapter Four: “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”--James 4:6

*“Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.” – Pro 3:34

*NOTE: James quotes Proverbs 3:34 within his writing of James 4:6. We will cover this  in part 2.

People, one time, in the not so distant past, were obsessed with ‘self help’ or bettering themselves from internal monitoring. How to manage their time, how to evaluate their priorities, how to live their ‘best’ life. Even so far as to hire ‘life coaches’ as a means to that end. 

James is very direct! Notice his opening statements. An interrogation of sorts.

• “4 Where do wars and fights come from among you? 

• Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 

• 2 You lust and do not have. 

• You murder and covet and cannot obtain. 

• You fight and war. 

• Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 

• 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 

• 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? 

• Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 

As we begin to analyze the nature of each of the assessments by James please use your ‘Christian’ mind and spirit, prayerfully, to engage in the most inspired ‘self help’ from the ‘Creator’ of us. 

“4 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” 

Is James accusing them of actual battle/warring with one another or is he using exaggeration, hyperbole if you will, to make a point in the initial question? He does suggest there was strife, contention and quarrels by using the word ‘fights’. But later in the same verse he uses ‘war’ again and thus gives us a clue to the answer to the first question indicating the manner the person behaves as “desires for pleasure”. A meaning of the Greek for “war in your members” is ‘of passions that disquiet the soul’ according to Thayer's Greek Lexicon for STRONGS G4754.

We begin to understand how James develops a logical flow in his writings. From Chapter one which begins with self examination. Then James gives practical examples of what not to be like or do in Chapter 2. A shift happens in Chapter 3 by identifying our weapon of choice – the tongue – as a most powerful tool. He pulls no punches as he describes the fruitage of the tongue as ‘bitter and self seeking’…‘earthly, sensual and demonic’. While James does emphasizes positive behavior in chapter 3, he doesn’t leave his thoughts on ‘worldly behaviors’ there. In chapter 4 he now adds  ‘intent’ to the mix. He asks us to examine our intent. Is it not from our desires for ‘passions that disquiet the soul’? Or, warring of our ‘soul’? 

Ever an eye to detail, James leaves no question to the imagination of what he speaks. Instead, he lays out what may be various kinds of desires/or actions that may disquiet the soul. “2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.” Notice the words, lust, murder, covet? They are all stimuli for the soul. They are often used by filmmakers to portray humanity's age-old sin nature. We see/Lust, we want/Covet, we get/Murder. King David was the quintessential example. His gaze fell upon a beautiful woman for whom lust developed. He coveted her which led to the murder of her husband by direct order. Then he made her his wife. It doesn’t always have to be murder is immediate. It can basically be destruction of a relationship, or eventual self destruction, or it can be plotting the demise of another! Let’s pause a moment here and sense the gravity of what James has written. Remember, James refers to his readers as ‘my brethren’. In fact, he also identifies his audience as the '12 tribes scattered abroad' and this may be a clue to the use of such words as lust and murder so closely adjacent to each other. The Jews had strict laws, 10 commandments, Levitical and Deuteronomical body of law. They understood exactly what the penalty for adultery, or murder was: Stoned to death. Jesus took it a step further for Christians regarding adultery: “27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Let us not forget that the tongue when used for evil can lead to murder/death. The ‘religious’ among the Jews in the time of our LORD, as HE walked among us the last 3.5 years of HIS life, practiced willful slander. When they had the choice to repent and turn around they clamored ‘CRUCIFY HIM’ instead! Would you say it was a case for ‘passions that disquieted their souls’? Depends. It seemed their souls were already lost at least those Jesus called ‘Vipers’ and ‘white washed graves’. He told them what their eventuality would be. But not before they wreaked havoc by murder and mayhem upon Jesus’ followers. [For an accounting of Jesus' views of the Pharisees read Matt 23 -- the whole chapter. But verse 33 says this: “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?"

Continuing in James 4 vs 2 “...Yet you do not have because you do not ask.” Oddly James says the reason the ‘brethren’ do not have what they so intently seek is because they do not ask! What? Obviously, he was pointing out they were behaving in a manner disconnected from GOD as they pursued their various passions. Pay attention here. From here he builds out a whole thought. → “3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” In verse 3 James explains asking and not receiving in their case was ‘amiss’ or as the Greek Lexicon translates G2560 as having a ‘bad intent’, Apparently James felt there were some who misunderstood the character and attitude of a Christian who would pursue fleshly/worldly desires thinking that if they DID PRAY (ask but did not receive) they may somehow have GOD’s blessing? James then immediately identifies such a wrong thinking Christian as an adulterer/adultress. Asking if they understood their behavior of friendship with the world would constitute ‘enmity’ with GOD. Or ‘friendship with the world’ is hatred with GOD. Is that the place any Christian would occupy? No. In fact, verse 4 clearly states this profound and earth shaking fact: “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Pause here. Pray. Look at your life. Is there anything we do that would be deemed pursuing relationships with the ‘world’? Ask GOD to reveal them to you that you may enjoy seasons of refreshing by repenting and changing your course. It is not like we do not all somewhat participate in the world of our own will. Entertainment, conversation using worldly language, telling jokes that show disrespect of anyone, ‘borrowing’ something from our office that is not ours and not returning it? Lying as part of our first nature when asked to make an accounting for our actions, thoughts, speech, or merely to give an opinion on a controversial topic that may have adverse consequences if we answered as a Christian. Remember we are being watched. If we live a life that our neighbors, friends, family, coworkers, fellow students do not recognize as different from their own then it is likely you are living a ‘worldly’ life. If you seem to be at odds with them on all the things above then you will be noticed as NOT being part of their world. We want NOT to be part of their world because we want to be at peace with our GOD not an enemy. We are in the world to help them see their way out, by way of Jesus’ blood.

Look over James chapter 4 verses 1 through 4. Meditate, pray, study, ask for inspiration from the Holy Spirit in you that you may be right in your walk with GOD. Our High Priest, Jesus, has atoned for our sins, once, as a propitiatory sacrifice yet HE is always ready to plead your case by HIS blood to HIS Holy Father. 

There is much here to digest. We will pick up the next few verses in the next part in about 2 weeks. As always, remember our theme scripture: James 4:17 “Therefore, if one knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.” Do what is right.

Please return September  20, 2023 for Part 2!

Questions? lightwritingmatters@gmail.com

©lightwritingmatters 2015

©lightwritingmatters 2015

NOTICE: If you are feeling inclined or feeling led to want Jesus as your Savior, your leader, your King, your source of Peace and Joy but are feeling woefully inadequate, uninformed on how best to get to know HIM, or find yourself at wit’s end because you believe yourself trapped and in need of GOD, please know Jesus stands ready to welcome you with HIS Holy Spirit. Believe these words: “16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “—John 3:16

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” – Acts 3:19-20

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:3-8

If you need help, please feel free to leave a comment and I will respond.  †

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