October 5th 2025 James ch 4 v 3 - 17
One reason their desires (In this case the legitimate ones) were not being realized was that they did not ask God, who alone can fully satisfy human desires.
V 3. A second reason is found in the unacceptable motive of those who do ask that ye may use it upon your lusts. The essential condition of all prayer is found in 1 Jn 5 V 14: "If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us."
V 4. Ye adulterers The fad that James addresses his readers as adulteresses, after the fashion of the OT prophets who spoke of Israel as the wife of Jehovah ( Isa 54 v 5; Jer 3 v 20; Ezk 16 v 23; Hos 9 v 1, etc.), is strong evidence for both a Jewish author and Jewish readers.
To maintain friendship with the world "is to be on good terms with people and forces and things that are at least indifferent toward God, … if not openly hostile to Him" and so to be at enmity with God.
V 5. A further reason why a Christian cannot be a friend of the world is offered from Scripture.
He yearns jealously over the spirit which He has made to dwell in us.
God is a jealous God ( Ex 20 v 5; and so He will not tolerate divided allegiance.
No specific OT passage contains the words of this verse, but many passages express a similar sentiment.
V 6. The difficulties of living wholly for God in a wicked world are many, but He giveth more grace, which here seems to mean "gracious help." And this gracious aid God makes available, as Prov 3 v 34 declares, not to proud, self-sufficient persons, but to humble, dependent men.
V 7. submit yourselves ... to God follows logically the promise of grace to the humble.
Calvin pointedly remarks: "Submission is more than obedience; it involves humility." The devil, the enemy of God, is to be resisted, and when he is, he will flee from you ( Mt 4 v 1-11). These are both important steps in avoiding the sin of worldliness.
V 8. Draw nigh to God. Close communion with God assures his friendship (and He will draw nigh to you), and alienates you from the world. That worldliness is sin is shown by the following requirements: …Cleanse your hands, a reference to outward conduct; …purify your hearts, a reference to inner motives. A double minded man is characterized by divided allegiance.
And according to this passage, worldliness is basically divided allegiance.
V 9. Here is a call to repentance in the face of serious sin.
Be afflicted, i.e., "make yourselves wretched" (cf. Rom 7 :21), mourn, and weep.
These attitudes are more fitting than laughter or joy in view of the circumstances.
Heaviness "is the downcast, subdued expression of those who are ashamed and sorry"
V 10. Humble yourselves. With this is coupled the promise, and He shall lift you up.
Judging others
V 11. James again returns to the subject of the abuse of speech. In this passage the interest of the brother and the interest of the law seem to be identified.
To speak evil against one's brother or to judge him is to speak evil against the law and to become a judge of the law.
V 12. Superiority to the law belongs only to God.
He is the one lawgiver and judge, and in His hands are the issues of life and death.
In view of this, James asks, Who art thou that judgest another?
Sinful Self-confidence.
V 13. The attitude of the merchants described here is another expression of the worldliness that brings separation from God. ..The itinerant merchants addressed were Jews who carried on a lucrative trade throughout the Mediterranean world. They are depicted as making careful plans for their business enterprises, declaring, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, etc.
V 14. There is nothing wrong with such planning in itself, However, the planners were ignoring two thoughts.
The first is the fragility of human beings, which limits their knowledge- ye know not what shall be on the morrow.
The second is the uncertainly of life, which James likens to a vapour, or a puff of smoke.
V 15. A Christian man, who in making his plans, ought to acknowledge his dependence upon God and say, Deo valente, if the Lord will.
V 16. But acknowledgement of dependence upon God was not the case among James' readers.
Rather, they boast[ed] in their arrogance This showoff talk James denounces as evil.
V 17. A concluding warning is sounded for the self-confident merchants. They are Christians. So they know that humility and dependence upon God are essential in Christian living.
To know this and not to do it, is sin.
News from the Church New dates
15th October…. Knit and natter is a time to finish old projects or learn new skills
if you just want to talk well that’s OK too
5th November..…..Friendship Group, (this covers all ages and the lonely people)
ANSWERS TO 28th September QUESTIONS
1) Exodus 2) Daniel 3) Judges 4) Psalms 5) Genesis 6) Ruth 7) 1 Samuel 8) Proverbs to Ecclesiastes 9) Joshua 10) Jeremiah 11) Revelation 12) Hebrews 13) Ezekiel 14) Michah
15) Ecclesiastes 16) Esther
Bible Quiz this week’s Quiz is Who am I
1 A goddess of the Ephesians?
2 The only woman Judge?
3 He married Ruth?
4 When Ruth and Naomi left, I stayed with my people?
5 My family and I were saved because of a scarlet cord from the window?
6 I told Paul he almost persuaded me to be a Christian?
7 My first child died but David and I had another son, Solomon ?
8 I dreamed of a ladder from earth and it reached to Heaven?
9 My father sacrificed a ram in my place?
10 My sister was Mary and my brother was Lazarus ?
11 I helped people escape leading them through the sea and a desert?
12 Early in my life I lost a rib to have a companion?
13 I placed Moses in an ark in the river Nile ?
14 I led the people in a march around Jericho?
15 I was stoned to death for preaching about Jesus?
16 I was a Pharisee who came to Jesus by night?
God Bless