faith in action

James 4:1-10

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Read all of James Chapter 4 here

In the beginning of James Chapter 4, we can see that this almost seems like a continuation of the last part of James Chapter 3. We know from our previous studies that James had some thoughts on the sources of wisdom we can choose from; they were from above(God), or from the world. We saw that the results of our choice as to the source of our wisdom would produce particular results.

We can see this starting clearly in James 3:14. One thing to consider here is the usage of the word “if.” The meaning of it in the Bible sometimes means “if” and sometimes it means “since.” The context seems to indicate that James is saying here, “‘Since’ ye have bitter envying.”

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

So, since there IS bitter envying and strife, the results are almost guaranteed, as we see in James 3:16

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

When we first talked about confusion and every evil work. we were fairly vague and general. What, then, are confusion and every evil work?  Well, moving into Chapter 4, James is going to get more specific.!