James 4:1-12
-----What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? [2] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. [4] You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. [5] Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? [6] But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
-----[11] Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. [12] There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Adultery
-----Once James has argued that his audience’s sin was a direct result of idolatrously seeking satisfaction apart from God, he begins to scold them. It is worth noting that James never calls into question their confession of faith or their “decision to follow Christ,” but rebukes them under the assumption that they are united to Christ. He calls them adulterers for being unfaithful to that union.
-----James describes their unfaithfulness as “friendship with the world.” Those who are prone to doubt will use such a statement to inflame their doubts. “I choose the things of the world way too often; I must not really be saved.” Their problem wasn’t that they found themselves frustrated with how much they still loved the world and gave into its temptations. Their problem was that they wanted to make peace with the world. They only relied on God’s grace because they thought it allowed them to love the world with impunity. This was the reason that they found themselves enemies of God. What could possibly stir the fury of God more then one who uses His name to hide one’s disdain for Him, and who, in the process of their hypocrisy, causes much distress and much stumbling for those who take His name in genuine affection?
Push-over God or Harsh Taskmaster.
-----James understood from his audience’s hypocritical religion that they considered God to be a push-over. James, therefore, turns to the scripture to reiterate that He is a jealous God. Still assuming the genuineness of his audience’s profession he argues that the God who made His Spirit to dwell within them would not allow that Spirit to be mocked. This is precisely because He is faithful to Himself, even when we are faithless to Him. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13).”
-----The reason that they considered Him to be a push-over was because of His grace (Jude 1:4), but James quickly guards against another error. James didn’t want them to then serve God was a harsh taskmaster because of His jealousy. Trying to please such a God would inevitably lead to a reliance on strenuous law keeping and a denial of faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).”
-----Understanding that faith seeks to receive from God, James encourages them to consider the abundance of God’s grace in verse 6. They were not sacrificing great reward by turning from their worldly pursuits, but they were gaining it. Yes, it was necessary that they sacrifice, not to prove that they could in some noble way put aside happiness, but only in faith that He would give great grace.
What is this grace?
-----James’ audience was led into sundry sins because they envied (2:6) the rich and desired earthly gain. James wanted them to consider such gain as worthless in comparison to knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8). And so he uses the word “grace” to signify the riches of being a friend of God. A careful look at verses 6 through 10 will make it clear that this is James intent.
-----First, the God opposes the proud. He is their adversary. This is placed in contrast with God giving grace to the humble, which would then have to refer to the opposite reality. Therefore when He gives grace to the humble He becomes their friend, and the power that upholds the universe is for them and no longer against them.
-----Second, the reader is told that if they draw near to God then God will draw near to them. Seeking close communion with God is one of the ways that James tells his readers to act in light of the abounding grace of God. They are also told to do this in light of the fact that He will draw close in love. And so God's abounding grace must be or be related to His affection.
-----Finally, they are told that if they humble themselves before the Lord they will be exalted. This exaltation is parallel with the grace given to the humble in verse 6. Consider this command in place of that proverb, “But He gives more grace. Therefore humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” So the grace that God gives seems to be this exaltation. This isn't a worldly exaltation or it would defeat James' entire argument. This is the exaltation that ultimately exalts God's excellence. He said the poor should boast in in this exaltation in chapter 1 (see commentary on verses 9-11). From verse 5 of chapter 2 we can see that it at least includes God's favor granted (not because of what we have done, of course), being able to trust God, and being part of His kingdom.
-----All these together demonstrate that James appeals to the richness of knowing God to turn his readers from idolatry. Whereas he first used threats he now uses treasure to entice his readers. His audience was to serve God because there is none more desirable to have working for your good. Or to say it another way, his audience was to serve God because His intimate affection is promised. Or to say it another way, his audience was to serve God because He is gracious to grant faith and entrance into His kingdom.
Review
-----You adulterous people [who are unfaithful to your union with Christ]! Do you not know that [affection for] the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world [as you do under the pretense of fidelity] makes himself an enemy of God [for He, as a jealous husband, demands that you be satisfied in Him]. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose [as when the weak and effeminate speak] that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the [Holy] spirit that He has made to dwell in us [, His covenant people]"? But He gives more grace [in that He is not only Jealous, but to know Him is fantastically satisfying]. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace [as He befriends] the humble." [He isn't going to humble you just to make you miserable.] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. [Oh! What precious reward.] . Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [For all these are part of being humble before the Lord.] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you [to riches in Him that will make sin unappealing].
