To Be One in Christ: We Have Treasure in the Jars of Clay -- the Series of Explanation and Analysis of Scripture (16) - 4
The Explanation and Analysis of the Verses in Chapter 4 of JAMES
It is edited and compiled under the guidance of Holy Spirit. All thanks, praises and glories be to God!
6. Rebukes and exhortations (4:1-5:6)
This section is the rebukes and exhortations to the believers who love the world. From the other side, it shows that the believers should live in peace, ask God, love God, overcome the temptations, do not slander one another, honor God as holy in everything, treat others with kindness, and do what is good; all of them are the virtues of faith, so that we will live a godly life and glorify the name of LORD.
(1) Do not indulge in the desires of sinful nature and ask with wrong motives (4:1-3)
JAMES 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?
(NOTES)
Here, it does not point out what they fight and quarrel for. But according to verse 3 in the following text: “that you may spend what you get on your pleasures”; what they fight and quarrel for should be the worldly profit, money or the matters on men and women. Thus, “you” here refer to those believers who love the world. Therefore, the words in this chapter are to rebuke the worldly believers.
This verse reminds us that in any dissension, we should know the essential reason that make us unable to live with others peacefully, is not up to the environmental factors outside the body, but is because of the selfish desires within the body. Therefore, if you pay attention to the environmental factors, they are only the apparent reasons which can only settle certain dispute and temporarily let the two parties obtain the fair profit, but can not really solve the dispute and obtain the real peace, unless we can completely deal with “ desires that battle within ” each of us. Therefore, although everyone on earth desires for the eternal peace of the world, however, could the world really have eternal peace apart from Christ? Without observing the development of the internationally political trend of events, it can be known from whether it is possible to have long-term peace among people or not in our daily environment.
At the same time, it tells us here that the essential reason that the believers lose the heavenly peace, is because we allow the sinful nature desires to be in conflict with Holy Spirit: “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” (Gal 5:17) Unless the believers let Christ be in charge in them completely, otherwise, they can not be at peace in this life. In the like manner, unless Christ comes again to truly be the King, the world won’t have truly eternal peace.
In a lot of cases, we often put the blame on others for the falling of one’s own spirituality, such as, there is dissension in the church; the church is unspiritual; the brothers and sisters do not have love; the pastors do not preach well and so on. However, the Bible here asks us to put the blames on ourselves, and points out the reason that our spirituality fall, the church is unspiritual, and the brothers are not at peace, is all because of the sinful nature desires that battle within us.
“your desires that battle within you”:
This is a special name in the Bible given to the selfish desires. This shows that the selfish “desires” include the character of battles. The “desires” refer to the “selfish desires” which are the improper and greedy desires from the old self of men. Since they have the desires for what they are unworthy of, they will certainly cause the disputes because of intruding into others’ profit. Therefore, whenever one lives according to the selfish desires (the worldly people have to live according to the selfish desires inevitably), he won’t be able to have proper relationship with others.
JAMES 4:2 You 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.
(NOTES)
Note that, it is not saying here that the believers at that time have committed the crime of “killing”. For “you kill”, it is in the present tense, but not the present continuous tense or past tense. It is translated as “ye kill” (K.J.V.), or “you commit murder” (N.A.S.B.). It is actually to show that one might commit such sins at any time, but does not mean that one has committed it already. Therefore, it indicates here that even if one has an insatiable desire, such that to kill to try to obtain it, he can not have what he wants. Here, the author rebukes those who live according to their sinful nature desires, but not Holy Spirit; they want to use the method and means of the flesh and body to reach the goal of the sinful nature, and can not succeed. It is because if God do not allow, one can’t get it even using the method of killing and coveting.
On the other hand, those who live according to the sinful nature certainly can not get the help from God, and they inevitable won’t live a life by relying on God. It is because God will absolutely not satisfy their requirements of the sinful nature. However, since men are not willing to give up their desires of the sinful nature, and they can not get the supports from God, then they will turn to the worldly method to reach the goal. On the contrary, if we live according to the Holy Spirit, we do not need to use the means of the blood and flesh to reach the goal. It is because God will support us and give us what we want.
JAMES 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
(NOTES)
What kinds of prayers won’t be answered by God? The reasons are:
a. Those who pray have their own sins which are the barriers: such as they don’t admit their sins and so on.
b. Those who pray ask without honoring God as holy: note that “do not ask” in the end of last verse; and “ask with wrong motives” in this verse: “do not ask”, indicates that they do not seek the will of God and do not rely on the bestow from God; “ask with wrong motives”, indicates that they ask according to their own preference.
c. Those who pray ask with impure motives and purposes. What they ask for are not for their basic “needs”, but they may spend what they get on their pleasures and indulge in the sinful nature.
To sum up these verses, it is obvious that a believer who loves world must have the following performances, such as, indulging in the sinful nature and gratifying the selfish desires, quarrelling and being envy, not asking God, or asking according to the selfish desires, liking pleasures, being luxurious, and desiring for the material interests and pleasures and so on.
(2) Do not love the world (4:4-5)
A. Loving the world is the spiritual adultery (4:4upper)
JAMES 4:4 You 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.
(NOTES)
This verse does not indicate that the believers of that time commit the sin of adultery, but indicates that they love the pleasure of the world, such as all kinds of performances of loving world which are rebuked above; the Bible calls them the “adulterous people” ( including the male and female believers). This is a sincere warning. It points out the pitifully spiritual situation of the believers who love the world, that is; they are as filthy and contemptible as the adulterous women. In 2 Corinthians, “I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. ” (2Co 11:2). These words tell us that the believers should love LORD wholeheartedly, and be completely loyal and faithful; otherwise, that will be the spiritual adultery.
The biggest sin of the unbelievers is unbelieving in LORD; the biggest sin of the Christians is not loving LORD (1Co 16:22). If we feel that these rebukes cut to the heart, that is because we have not seen how much those believers who do not love LORD are unworthy of the grace of LORD, and how close our spiritual relationship with Christ is. Otherwise, we won’t feel this rebuke is “cutting to hearts” .
B. Being a friend of the world will make one an enemy of God (4:4latter)
“don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?” The Bible uses such a rhetorical question to show that the believers should know very clearly that if they are friends of the world, they will become enemies of God. The position of “world” and the position of “God” are completely different and opposite. This is the indisputable fact obviously. Therefore, if the believers are the friends of the world, they are standing on the position opposite to God. Furthermore, any believer should not take “unknowing” as the excuse to cover his loving of the world instead of God. It is because this is what we should know; just as the battle between two nations. We should certainly know that if one colludes with the enemy, he will be the enemy of his own nation.
“Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ”:
It is also translated as “whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. ” (K.J.V.). In this verse, the word of “will” further addresses last verse. Since they know clearly that they should not love the world, but they still “will” love the world, they certainly become the enemies of God. Here, it tells us, if we do not want to be assimilated by the world, not only we should not love the world, but also we should not “will” love the world. If we can not be kept from willing, we can not be kept from loving. We must refuse in mind first, then we can refuse in actions the “bribe” of this world.
In this book, verse (1:27) has mentioned that the believers should keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Here, it explains further that the believers must be set apart from the world to serve God; there won’t be testimony without separation. The believers should set apart from the world and be sanctified, but not wallow in the mire with the world.
C. Loving world is because of lacking faith on the words of God (4:5upper)
JAMES 4:5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?
(NOTES)
This verse not only gives the reason that the believers love the world, but also tells the results of loving the world. The reason that the believers love the world is because they do not believe that the words of God will surely come true. At the same time, to the believers, loving the world results in lacking of faith on the words of God. Here, this manner of speaking with the rhetorical question, is to make the believers be aware of the biggest crisis in their spirituality; that is, losing the respects and faith in the words of God, and through their selfish desires they guess without authorization that it might not be as true as the servants of God proclaimed. As a result of the suspicion on the promise of God, it will make us feel that the blessings of this life are more “real” than the hope of future; even though knowing that this world will be judged by God, they always think it is in the remote future. Thus, one will gradually love the world more than LORD.
Many ignorant believers often have the same thought as the worldly people. They take it as the “reality” to seek the temporary pleasures of sin in this life, but do not understand the meaning of “reality” is not coveting what is before one’s eyes only. The worldly people do not know and do not believe the promise of God, and they certainly think it is more realistic and reliable to seek the material enjoyment in this life. However, since the believers surely know and believe the complete reliability of the words of God, and know that they will get the eternal and incomparable glories in the future (2Co 4:17-18), it is the true “reality” and foresight instead to give up the temporary and worldly vanity and enjoyment for the sake of Christ so that to get the imperishable possessions in heaven permanently.
D. Loving the world is the spiritual unfaithfulness and adultery (4:5latter)
“the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely”:
It is also translated as “The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?” (A.M.P.). Here, “a jealous love” is the same as “a godly jealousy” in (2Co 11:2) “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.” The reason is shown in verse (1Co 6:15-17): “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. ” We are created to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind (Mat 22:37). Whoever loves things other than God is idolater. Those who love the world are called adulterous people in the previous verse: “You 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. ”
The Spirit of God can only make us desire for the spiritual things, but absolutely not desire for the worldly things.
(3) Keep away from sins and do not be proud (4:6-10)
A. Being humble will receive the grace (4:6)
JAMES 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
(NOTES)
“But” : makes this verse be in contrast to the previous verses.
“more grace” : if the believers do not love the world, and give up the pleasures of the sinful nature and the fights for the worldly interests, although it seems to be a loss, it is actually the greater gain. It is because whenever for the sake of God we put down the worldly enjoyments and the pleasures of the sinful nature, God will give us “more” and “greater” grace.
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”:
If one wants to get the help from God, he must realize that he is weak and incompetent. It is because God can only help those who really need help; as to those who consider that they themselves do not need the help from God, God won’t help them. Therefore, as to those proud people who think themselves strong and powerful, they certainly can not get the grace of God. God opposes the proud; or in another word, God opposes men to show off “themselves”. This is one of the graces given by God, so that men will know their limitation. It is because “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ” (Jam 1:17). Whatever one receives is all from God. Apart from Him, we have no good thing; this is the objective truth. The humble are those who understand this fundamental and objective truth; God is willing to give more grace to them.
B. Submit to God; resist the devil (4:7)
JAMES 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(NOTES)
We can overcome the devil; that is by relying on the grace of God. If we are proud, we will surly be defeated. Since God gives more grace to the humble, we must resist all kinds of cunning schemes and temptations from the devil to let us be proud; so that we can receive more grace. This verse tells us several truth:
We must resist the devil so that to submit to God:
In this world, it is impossible to submit to God without refusing the temptations of the devil. Therefore, we must not take the temptations of the devil as an irrelevant matter to the will of God. In fact, not only the grace of God is different from the temptations of the devil, but also they are opposite to each other.
We must submit to God so that to resist the devil:
When we submit to God, the devil will fear us; when we resist it, it will flee away. The spiritual authority comes from the submission to God. When Adam submitted to God, he was in charge of all things; on the contrary, when he rebelled God, he lost this authority.
The devil is our defeated enemy; it has been defeated by LORD Jesus:
Therefore, if the believers resist the devil, the devil will flee away. The reason that the believers lost the battle to the devil, is not because they can not overcome, but because:
a. The believers themselves do not submit to God and give the chance to the devil to tempt them.
b. They do not have the faith to withdraw the power from Christ to overcome the devil.
c. They do not dare to resist the devil, and give themselves up as hopeless. Or they are lured by the selfish desires and let the devil enter their minds.
C. To come near to God, one needs to purify their heart (4:8-9)
JAMES 4:8-9 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
(NOTES)
This is a precious promise, and also an important principle to overcome the temptation. To “resist the devil” mentioned in the previous verse, is only the passive method to overcome the temptations; the active method is to come near to God. If we come near to God, we certainly can overcome the devil.
This verse also shows that God is willing to come near to us, just as the Father is willing to come near to the children. Note that, here, it is not to bring up the condition -- that we must come near to God first, then He is willing to come near to us. But it is saying that, from the side of God, there is no problem that He is willing to come near to us; the problem is from our side and is up to whether we have the mind towards God, but not toward the world. Therefore, whenever we are willing to come near to God, He will come near to us right away.
“double-minded”: refer to those who long for the sins; who are not willing to make decision to be away from the sins. Whoever wants to come near to God must have the decision to be away from sins. Here, it tells three things that we need to pay attention to come near to God:
a. we should pay attention to whether what we do in our hand is clean or not;
b. we should pay attention to whether we turn to God wholeheartedly or not.
c. we should have the decision to put the old self to death to get rid of sins; should grieve on our own poor spirituality, mourn on lacking the spiritual and holy life, and wail on overlooking the will of God and desiring for the worldly pleasures.
Some think that as long as they themselves feel joyful, that is good. But they do not know that the pleasures of sins and the sweet candies given by the devil are to let people live in sins at ease. The good medicines are usually bitter, but can save people from the illness. Those who are double-minded to God for the sake of sins, should grieve, mourn and wail to repent.
D. Those who are humble before the Lord will be lifted up (4:10)
JAMES 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
(NOTES)
To be humble is to know to rely on God, and treat others with gentleness and modest. It is not self-abasement, which makes one be skeptical, give oneself up as hopeless, also be proud and jealous. To be “humble” is a spiritual virtue; however, to be self-abased is a display of the sinful nature.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord”: one must humble himself before LORD; this shows the acknowledgement of the truth of God.
LORD can only exalt those who are truly humble. It is because those who are truly humble know God and the truth.
These verses pay careful attention to the truth of being humble, for only by being humble, one can:
a. receive the grace (6),
b. submit to God (7),
c. overcome the devil (7),
d. come near to God (8),
e. purify one’s heart (8),
f. grieve on sins (9),
g. be lifted up by LORD (10).
(4) Do not slander one another (4:11-12)
JAMES 4:11 Brothers, 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.
(NOTES)
To slander one another is the main reason of arousing the dissensions in the church. It often makes a small misunderstanding expand to a big dispute, and makes the dispute continue to be unsolvable. Here, it tells us that the reason that we should not slander the brothers is: if we speak against the brothers or judge them, we speak against the “law” and judge it; that is to intrude the position of “law” (the words of God). In fact, whether the brother is right or wrong will be judged by the words of God. LORD Jesus says: “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.” (Joh 12:47-48) Therefore, if we judge the brothers without authorization, we despise the authority of the words of God.
God only ask us to obey the law, but not ask us to execute the law. However, as a result of judging the brothers, it makes us ignore our responsibility to do the words of God, but becomes the judge to execute the law without authorization.
LORD Jesus Christ teaches us not to judge others (Mat 7:1-15).
JAMES 4:12 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?
(NOTES)
Here, “one” certainly refers to God; no more can be added -- you or me. It is because only God has this qualification, and has the power to save and destroy. To “destroy” includes the punishment on the spirit and body that God give to sinners, and is the power and authority of God shown to punish the sinners. Therefore, “the one who is able to save and destroy”, shows that God has supreme authority and power on men from all the aspects; only such a God can judge people. On the contrary , since we have no power to save or destroy , as a result of judging others, it can not change things at all, and can not turn around the mind of people; but it will only make oneself and others fall into the sins in vain and make the church at odds, also give a foothold for the devil.
“But you--who are you to judge your neighbor? ”:
It is obvious that the main reason to judge others is without estimating one’s own ability properly, and without asking who we are. If we can often ask ourselves with this question, we won’t dare to judge others. In fact, our viewpoints are often different from others; we can’t have complete recognition on anyone or anything, so that our judgment is often improper. For example, when you are paying attention to the love of God, some others might be looking at the righteousness of God. Thus, it will be possible that they will judge each other. However, the result that they judge each other might be that they are not judging each other, but are judging the “law” that they are thinking highly of -- the words of God. It is because when we are living in the body, it is often impossible for us at one time to completely look at and do every aspect of the words of God; therefore, it will always make people find certain point to criticize. Thus, we should know our own weakness and do not judge the brothers.
(5) Do not boasting about tomorrow (4:13-17)
Here, the Bible exhorts those believers who love the world not to boast about the worldly plan. There are two reasons:
JAMES 4:13-14 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
(NOTES)
These words are to imitate the manner of speaking of those who make worldly plans. It is for the purpose to rebuke their ignorance. Sometimes, we are not aware of the ignorant words we speak; however, when others imitate the same to tell it to us, we will feel it laughable. In these words, we see that the worldly believers often have many worldly plans and dreams. These plans are all completely self-centered, which are:
a. acting according to one’s own plan: “Today or tomorrow we will ”.
b. walking according to the direction determined by oneself: “go to this or that city”.
c. living according to one’s own plan: “spend a year there”.
d. choosing the work according to one’s own will: “carry on business and make money”.
e. unknowing completely the limitation of one’s own life: “do not even know what will happen tomorrow ”.
In this way, making plan completely according to one’s own plot and will without considering the will of God, is a boasting before God.
“carry on business and make money”: it is the representative of the worldly plot. Those who love the world must love the money. Therefore, the words here have the same teaching as “the parable of the rich fool” told by LORD Jesus in (Luk 12:16-21); both of them are to let people know the shortness of the life of the flesh, and to pursue the eternal things more eagerly. The high position and great wealth of this life both hang on the duration of the life. Since life is as a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes, no matter how reliable and desirable the blessings of this life look like, it won’t exceed the value of “a mist”.
B. We must honor God as holy in everything (4:15-17)
JAMES 4:15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
(NOTES)
This verse is in contrast to the previous two verses, and talks about the godly life we should live, also how different it is from our ordinary attitude. Here, it tells us what is the life of honoring God: do not dare to make the determination by oneself, but with reverence let LORD be in charge; know and understand that the reason that one’s life can continue to live is completely up to the grace of LORD; and confess that nothing that one does can exceed His permission.
JAMES 4:16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
(NOTES)
This verse shows that to plot by oneself is a evil boasting. If the believers act boldly at wills, ignoring the will of God, they are not the good believers. “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord” (1Co 1:30-31).
JAMES 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
(NOTES)
“who knows the good he ought to do ”:
That is, any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin (A.M.P). This verse is applicable to all the good work that one ought to do, showing that the standard of conviction of the Bible is far beyond men’s standard. In the concepts of people, they think that only when they do something that they should not do, that is sin; however, the Bible tells us, if we know what we ought to do but do not do it, that is sin. Just as in (Jam 2:15-16), he who knows that the brothers and sisters in urgent need, does not do good to help, that is sin.
Reference:
1. Zhongdao Chen: “The Lectures on the Bible Studying of the Letters in New Testament”.
