General Letters James

Our Will and God's Will

Discover Jesus as: Perfect Law James 4 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 669 of 730
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INTRO

These lessons in James are in the general epistle letters—the letters Paul did not write. Paul wrote most of the letters in the New Testament. James was written to believers, specifically a group of Jewish people who, because of persecution, were dispersed. James addressed the letter to the 12 tribes that were dispersed.

James encouraged his readers not to give in to the temptations and trials they would face. He told them to hold on and be patient. James was suggesting that maturity would come and that eventually they would begin to act like Christ, sound like Christ, and look like Christ. The concern was for possible forms of compromise. Wiersbe stated these Christians were “At War with Each Other.”1

TEACHING

James 4:1-17: Jesus was called the Perfect Law. When the believers kept their eye on Christ, they persevered in the law of Christ; when they did good works, they were blessed for what they had done. They were to keep their eyes on the Perfect Law of freedom and not wage war with one another. Christ was the One they were supposed to obey. James asked the question, what were they at war about or what was their disagreement about with each other? They waged war with themselves. The reason for the disagreement was because of the cravings within themselves. They focused mostly on themselves and not others. They fought because they wanted more.

The audience was Christian believers. Nelson’s Commentary used the term “carnal Christians” in describing the audience James was addressing.2 They were individuals who believed in Christ but did not reflect His nature. MacArthur stated the people were, “acting in an evil manner, motivated by personal gratification and selfish desire.”3 For James, the fighting, murder, and war were because of materialism. These believers wanted more. First John 2:15–16 stated that individuals should not love the world, because everything that belongs to the world was not from the Father. Fighting over more did not reflect Christ.

James said believers would ask and not receive because they asked with wrong motives (v. 3). They were at war with each other and within themselves because they asked out of a wrong purpose and a wrong desire. Nelson’s Commentary said, “James responds by suggesting that they were praying for the wrong things. Instead of praying for their sinful desires, they should have been praying for God’s good will for them. Often the reason God does not supply what a person desires is simply that He knows it would not benefit that person (Philippians 4:19).”4

James explained that sometimes God did not respond because their requests were out of wrong motives. If there was no benefit in the individual’s relationship with the Lord, then something requested might bring more comfort, but God knew it would not be beneficial in the long run. Nelson’s Commentary points out, “God is not obliged to answer our prayers in the affirmative.”5 God will not act in ways that are contrary to His will, even if we ask in prayer. Nelson’s Commentary also stated, “In prayer, God does not bow to our will; instead we submit to His good will for our lives.”6

The believers in the 12 tribes, whatever they were asking for, were asking for the wrong reasons. The prayers that were for personal benefit were not answered because they would take their eyes off the perfect law of freedom in Christ. Christ knew that about each person.

Wiersbe identifies verses 4–10 as the people being “At War with God.”7 Whatever becomes a driving force in believers’ lives that detracts from them focusing on the ways of Christ should be avoided. Any questioning of action or motive could be the Holy Spirit speaking in believers’ lives. The focus should be on the perfect lawof freedom. Doing the small things that would make the person become friends of the world could make them God’s enemy.

Verse 5 pointed out that the Holy Spirit was moving inside of believers. There was an image of the old nature and the new nature in believers’ lives. If they tended toward the old nature, they were turning away from God. God was jealous for His people. The Holy Spirit wanted to move in the lives of the believers, and the Holy Spirit was yearning for more in their lives.

James explained that God gave greater grace to the humble (v. 6). Proverbs 3:34 also points out that God gave grace to the humble. Proverbs 16:18 emphasizes that when mankind functions in pride, it is a guarantee for a fall. Pride comes before destruction. The Israelites took their eyes off God and tried to control their environment.

Verses 7–10 give a list of tangible commands. According to MacArthur, the ten commands include:

  1. Submit to God (v. 7).
  2. Resist evil (v. 7).
  3. Draw near to God (v. 8).
  4. Cleanse your hands (v. 8).
  5. Purify your hearts (v. 8).
  6. Lament (v. 9).
  7. Mourn (v. 9).
  8. Weep (v. 9).
  9. Grieve (because of your sin) without laughter or joy (v. 9).
  10. Humble yourself (v. 10).”8

James was about practicality in obeying the perfect law of freedom and keeping the believers’ eyes on Christ. This list was James’s effort to help the individuals live out their faith. According to Nelson’s Commentary, “This primarily refers to one’s spiritual relationship with God.”9 Verses 11–12 are concerning self-exaltation. Verse 13–16 are about a self-reliance. Verse 17 spoke of the sin of omission by stating it was a sin for persons that knew what to do but did not do it.10

CLOSING

In James there was a process for believers to move from receiving grace to living out their faith. God does not want people to live in the state of their old nature. God wanted these Jewish believers to draw near to Him.

  1. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament (Colorado Springs, David C. Cook, 1989), p. 366.

  2. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1999), p. 1669.

  3. John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005), p. 1892.

  4. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p. 1669.

  5. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p. 1669.

  6. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p. 1669.

  7. Wiersbe, p. 368.

  8. MacArthur, p. 1894.

  9. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p. 1670.

  10. Thomas Constable, Constable’s Expository Bible Study Notes: James, p. 88; available at https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/james.pdf.

Questions

  1. If you find yourself or others around you involved in conflicts and fighting with others, what does James 4:1–3 say is the source? What is the remedy (v. 6–7)?
  2. Read James 4:4: How did James describe those who choose to be a friend of the world? What do you think being a friend of the world means? (John 17:14; 1 John 2:15–16)
  3. James 4:7 tells us to submit to God. How should we do that? (Psalm 1:1–2; Matthew 11:29; Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:11–17; 5:5)
  4. Do you ever find yourself being double-minded (James 1:8; 4:8), which makes you unstable in all your ways? What can be done to correct this? (Matthew7:24–27; Luke 13:24–27; Romans 13:11–14; James 1:2–4)
  5. Another theme that keeps surfacing in James is speaking against and judging one another, as in James 4:11–12. Do you struggle with this? If so, how are you making yourself accountable to someone else about it? (James 5:16)
  6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in James 4 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin James 4:11–12

“Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

Who are you to judge others? You have never walked in their shoes. You don’t know their stories. So how can you be the judge? Critical comments made under your breath do not benefit anyone. Therefore, don’t judge the way others parent, purchase things, what they are wearing, or even why they have a bad attitude. Everyone has a story. You don’t need to judge others before hearing their story.

Ask the Lord to help you turn judgmental thoughts or comments into prayers. God says to submit to Him, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Therefore, draw near to God and resist the temptation to be critical and judgmental of your neighbors. The Lord says to love your neighbor as yourself. Ask yourself, how do I want to be loved as a neighbor? Express love the way you want to be shown love. And if you don’t have anything good to say—then you probably don’t need to say it! The person you are tempted to judge could most likely use prayer and kindness. Therefore, seek the Lord on how to show them love like Jesus.

“Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

— James 4:11–12

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Romans 2:1–3 — “Therefore, any one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. Do you really think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment?”
  • James 2:8 — “Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.”
  • James 4:7–8a — “Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”