1What causes fights and quarrels among
you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You
want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what
you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When
you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may
spend what you get on your pleasures.
Fights? Quarrels? Improper desires? Who me? Nah, it can’t be! But then, those who are the biggest offenders are the least likely to recognize, acknowledge, or admit it. James points out the fruits of such a lifestyle that we can easily recognize - as just the opposite of the submissive heart, - that is, a heart of rebellion! That’s right, he is actually describing a strong-willed, rebellious, uncompromising heart. Such ones are definitely not driven by the loving, caring spirit that God admonishes us to abide in. Rather, the spirit of selfishness, which is just the opposite of the selfless spirit, is what drives such a one and the results are often quite negative, even deadly at times.
James is specific and right to the point. We can’t afford to water down the truth here. We need to identify and describe the specific offenses that breed negative results, as such. Unspiritual wisdom, selfish fighting and unkind judging are all too common within our churches. Christians' experience of this is disheartening and disillusioning, undermining the health and vision of our churches. James teaching of man’s selfishness in the church is to enable us to recognize it for what it is, that is, selfishness and various impure motives. It brings serious harm to any church when it is left unchecked. So we need to confront specific sins, while also sharing the precious promises of the grace of God.
We desperately need the grace of God! As such, any mid-course corrections needed involve [1] self-examination, [2] evaluation of God’s standards, [3] Change of heart and lifestyle behaviors, and [4] reliance on God’s grace. As such, we can expect positive results and a more peaceful setting in any church, as such, instead of the negative behaviors as described here.
Questions For Reflection and Direction:
1.
Why is
James so adamant in his description of the rebellious heart?
2.
What
does he show are the fruits of such a lifestyle?
3.
What is
the root desire?
4You
adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred
toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of
God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit
he caused to live in us envies intensely? [a] 6But
he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but
gives grace to the humble.”[b]
Adulterous? Yep. James points out
that this is far apart from the healthy, wholesome heart that breeds the right
desires and resultant actions. As such,
it results in unfaithfulness of the Lord, as well as inappropriate and
unhealthy worldly friendships.
Now personally I would find it
downright scary to be known by God as His enemy! That is exactly what the Bible points out that happens to the
soul who is unfaithful toward God in favor of yielding to worldly
standards! That’s tragic. That’s foolish. That can only end in disaster for the unrepentant soul who goes
out into eternity that way! God clearly
shows in His Word in various passages that He is a jealous God. As such, He allows no competition. He insists on complete and total loyalty and
devotion. He has every right to do so
and rewards faithful souls in many precious ways.
So James addresses problems of
selfish ambition and fighting that have had negative effects and that separate
such ones from a right relationship with God, as well as with
fellow-believers. There is a definite
need for unselfish service in harmony with one another.
James goal is to help them learn to
live in love and at peace with each other. Therefore he has a prescription for
them, which is - repentance. A
definite, specific, forceful call to repentance as the requisite to love and
peace in the community. God is more
than willing to be graceful to anyone who would choose to humble him or
her-self in sincere, genuine repentance, so that He can work in and through
such a person or persons.
Questions For Reflection and Direction:
4.
What do
we see regarding lack of loyalty?
5.
What
does Scripture mean when it says that such a one is an enemy of God?
6.
What is
seen regarding grace and humility?
7Submit
yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come
near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and
purify your hearts, you doubleminded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail.
Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to
gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
11Brothers,
do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him
speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not
keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one
Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you–who are
you to judge your neighbor?
Uh-oh! There’s that submissive thingy again! To those controlled by the selfish, ungodly nature, those are
almost fighting words! Submission is
the last thing that such ones want to hear.
There is a clear and simple
command given here, “Submit
yourselves to God.” In Proverbs
3:34 we read, “He mocks
proud mockers but gives grace to the humble” As we truly submit to His Word and His will, His grace
is sufficient for all! As such,
submission becomes a real joy when properly directed.
We are also given the precious
promise in verse #8, “Come
near to God and he will come near to you.
Basically, as we
do our part, He will gladly do His! He
goes on to say, “Wash your
hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you doubleminded. 9Grieve,
mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the
Lord, and he will lift you up.” This speaks of total and complete
repentance that leads to cleansing and heart purity. James admonition emphasizes a willful rejection of and opposition to the devil, complemented
by a deliberate choosing of God instead of the devil. There can be no middle road on this one! It is a total and absolute commitment to the
Lord. As such, He will lift any such a
one up! He is more than willing to
redeem to the uttermost!
James draws back to the issue of not
slandering one-another. Once we have
committed ourselves to the Lord, there is no room for slander of one
another. The body needs to be one of
unity, not of slander, as there is no room for division or slander of any
type. The body is to be one of loving
unity. So, James points out,
12”There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to
save and destroy. But you–who are you to judge your neighbor?”
We simply need to keep our eyes on the Lord. He is the one that we are to fear (revere, respect). He can save or cast out. We have absolutely not right to judge one another, only to reach out in unity and redemption! Hallelujah!
Questions For Reflection and Direction:
7.
Describe
true submission as seen in Scripture.
8.
Describe
the precious promises as seen in verses 7 and 8.
9.
When we
practice biblical humility, what happens (verse 10) and what does that mean?
10.
Why is
there such emphasis on avoiding slander?
11.
What do
we see regarding a judgmental spirit?
12.
Sum up what
the biblical spirit of humility consists of and how we are to abide in it.
Please note:
You are welcome to share this Bible study in your local churches, but I suggest that you personalize it. You do not have permission to publicize it or to make money from it in any form. May God richly bless you as you minister for Him with rich spiritual rewards of seeing many souls saved and sanctified for all eternity! Please let me know whatever helpful results you may get from this!
With Warm Sincerity in Jesus’ Love,
Rev. Don Schink, Pastor-Evangelist
Sonlight Ministries
Tijeras, NM
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