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Summary

James 4:1–10 – Worldliness, conflict, and repentance

What happens: Fights come from desires at war within. People ask wrongly to spend on passions. Friendship with the world is enmity with God. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse hands, purify hearts, mourn sin, and He will lift you up.

What it means: God is jealous for our full devotion and gives grace to repentant hearts. The principle is humble surrender to God breaks the power of sinful desire and the devil.

James 4:11–12 – Do not slander or judge

What happens: Speaking evil of a brother and judging him puts one above the law. There is one Lawgiver and Judge who can save and destroy. Who are you to judge your neighbor?

What it means: God alone is the final Judge; His people must love and refrain from proud condemnation. The principle is humility under God’s authority.

James 4:13–17 – Boasting about tomorrow

What happens: Merchants boast about future plans, but life is a mist. They should say, If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that. To know the good and not do it is sin.

What it means: God is sovereign over time and plans; presumption ignores His rule. The principle is dependence on God’s will and prompt obedience.

Application

  • Submit specific desires to God and resist the devil today.
  • Refuse gossip and harsh judgment; practice restorative speech.
  • Plan with “Lord willing” and do the good you already know.

Bible

1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

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