TEXT: James 4:1-11

SUBJECT: Exposition of James #8: War: it Cause and Cure

We return this morning to our study of James. The subject of this chapter is introduced in Chapter 3. There is a lot of bickering among the believers to whom James is writing. The ostensible cause for it is a disagreement on who should teach. The true cause, however, lies deeper than this. The people are guilty of pride, envy, and selfishness. What's worse is this: they think they're doing God a favor. They fancy themselves men of wisdom. James is of another mind. He describes the righteous man--not as sowing discord among the brethren--but as spreading peace wherever he goes. Having made this point, he turns to chide the people who haven't gotten it.

In vv.1-3, he poses a rhetorical question, and proceeds to answer it with his customary bluntness: "Where do wars and fights come from? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 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. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures".

The Church was torn by strife. Wars and fights were its daily fare. Some of the quarrels became so nasty that violence was resorted to. Evidently a murder or two had occurred as a result of their arguing. How can this be explained? How does a church become a battlefield?

There's no great secret: Men prefer their own pleasure to the peace and prosperity of the Church. This was true of Diotrephes; of the factions in Corinth; of Euodia and Syntyche. It was true of the leaders in Israel, who were--at best--"sleeping dogs", and often, much worse, butchers of God's flock.

What was the "pleasure" these people sought? For what were they lusting? What were they fighting and warring to get? The context makes it clear: They wanted recognition, prestige, or an ego boost.

Was their desire fulfilled? No it wasn't. Why not? Because they preferred plotting to prayer. It's somewhat embarrassing to pray: "Heavenly Father, Make me Number One!" A few people, it seems, were willing to do just that: they fervently prayed for power and prestige in the Church. But they didn't get it. Why not? Because their requests did nothing but promote their egos! God promises to answer our prayers, only insofar as they are agreeable to His will. And self-promotion is not. The Gospel allows "No flesh to glory in His sight". To pray for eminence in the Church, therefore, is both vain and presumptuous.

To briefly apply: The desire for gifts and an opportunity to use them in the Church is good. But when the desire is self-centered, when it leads to resentment, when it resorts to underhanded methods to fulfill it, the desire has become a lust.

Having charged these men with egotism, James goes on to condemn them for it, vv.4-6: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be the friend of the world makes himself the enemy of God. Or do you think the Scripture says in vain, `The spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?' But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says,

"God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the

humble".

The first words of this rebuke evoke Hebrew imagery. Israel was married to God. When it bowed to idols, therefore, it was leaving its Husband for another man. James draws the parallel: When Christians befriend the world, they cheat on their Heavenly Bridegroom. And more, they provoke His wrath.

"World" must be understood in its context. What does it mean? Idolatry? Sexual uncleanness? Substance abuse? Atheism? No. The "world" looks back to the "envy and self-seeking" of 3:16. This agrees with I Corinthians 3:3 which equates divisiveness with "walking as mere men" or behaving as everyone else in the world does.

In other words, the man who puts himself or his party or his opinion over the welfare of the Church has committed spiritual adultery. And more: He's made himself God's enemy.

The temptation to put one's own interest above the peace of the Church is not unique to men of especially depraved minds. If only it were! No. This desire is in every one of us. The Scripture says `The spirit who is in us yearns jealously'. What's the reference? There is none; it is the general teaching of the Bible.

To what "spirit" does James refer? The NKJV capitalizes the word, meaning, "the Holy Spirit". So does the NASB. The NIV, however, takes the "spirit" to mean the inner man, still corrupted by sin. In the former view, the Holy Spirit jealously wants us for Himself. This is a true doctrine (cf. Exodus 20:5). The problem, however, is this: The Greek word translated "jealously" is, in fact, "envy". It is nowhere else applied to God; the New Testament attaches it to wicked men; the Apocrypha uses it of Satan.

I understand v.5, therefore, like this: The Bible teaches that the human spirit, still corrupted by sin, is apt to put its own interest above that of others. Many verses can be cited to this effect.

It would seem, therefore, that we're destined to strife. And so we would be, if God hadn't become involved in our lives. He abhors pride and vows to cut it down to size. But He's very favorable to humility; He blesses the humble with grace says Proverbs 3:34; He "looks upon the man of a contrite spirit, who trembles at His Word" Isaiah 66:2 has it.

By God's grace, therefore, we have an opportunity: We can live differently than the world. We can live in peace and brotherly love!

But only if we respond in deep humility, vv.7-10: "Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners; and purify your hearts you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up".

The only cure for division in the Church is humiliation before the Lord and a full confession of our sins. Finger-pointing is part of the problem, not part of the solution. What uncharitable thoughts have I entertained? What snide comments have I made? These are questions that must search us. Until they do, we'll remain in a state of shameful disarray. Satan is laughing! The world is sneering! It's high time we surrender to God: "Lord, What will you have us to do?"

It's time to put on sackcloth and ashes; to "Weep in secret places for our pride". But this isn't enough.

We must go beyond sorrow to repentance. Repentance is a change of mind which leads to a changed life. Most of our fighting is done with our tongues, therefore, repentance will show itself in a sanctified way of speaking, vv.11-12: "Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of 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, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?"

The prohibition is hard to misunderstand: "Do not speak evil of one another, brethren". "Stop gossiping and tearing others down" is the idea.

Why? Because the Law binds us no less than others. What Law? I take it to be the Law of Brotherly Love (cf. 2:8). By condemning others, you condemn yourself. For in tearing others down, you've violated the Law of Brotherly Love which, after all, "covers a multitude of sins". Therefore, instead of trying to find fault with everyone else's brotherly love, it would be better to assess your own. "Lord, is it I?" is a question worth asking.

You become a "doer of the Law" and not a "judge" if--and only if--you recall your place in God's Kingdom. He is the Lawgiver and Judge; we're but subjects. He has not commanded us to make laws for our brethren, to enforce them, or to punish their violation. Our hands are full trying to keep His Law. Who do we think we are looking down on others? As if we are somehow better than they.

We've come full-circle: Conflict in the Church is the product of pride. Pride is only subdued in remembering who we are and who the brethren are, too. The mightiest man in God's Kingdom is nothing but a subject of "The Blessed and only Potentate". The weakest man in the Kingdom is nothing less. Therefore, let us "Really fulfill the royal law according to Scripture"

"You shall love your neighbor

as yourself".

Is anyone willing to deplore his arrogance? To condemn his gossip? To abhor his bad attitude? God make us "willing in the day of His power" for Christ's sake. Amen.