Foolproof – A Study of James February 4, 2007
CONFLICTING Faith – James 4:1-10
Recap: We’re in a study in James about having a foolproof faith so we won’t be fooled into embracing anything not of God if we’re saved, and so we won’t continue to fool ourselves into thinking we’re saved when we’re religious.
Setting: Through the first (3) chapters, James has approached his reader on the assumption they were believers. He is affirming their relationship w/ God based on the way they handle trials, temptation, God’s Word, and people who are different. This behavior serves to validate the reality of salvation. But in chapter 4, things change. James goes on the offensive to abruptly confront any person who is the source of conflict among the body. He confronts them b/c he says they’re lost despite the fact they regularly attend church and profess salvation. (describe setting)
Trans: You might ask, “How can you be so sure they’re lost?” Look at v. 8.
Word: sinner (harmartolos) used exclusively to in the Bible define an unbeliever.
Word: double-minded (dipsuchos) double-souled or divided in heart. It refers to a person who is hypocritical and lacks integrity by claiming to be one thing but living opposite of what they profess to believe – in this case, it is a lost man proclaiming to be saved.
Note: Don’t miss the point. These are people who think they’re saved, but aren’t. They can be pastors, deacons, S.S. teachers, and long time members, but they’re only religious. They’re generally nice people who often say and do the right things, but when things don’t go their way, they ignite conflict. James says b/c of this inclination, they’re lost b/c they’re willing to compromise God’s mission for their own will to be done.
Note: James is able to identify these unbelievers b/c of their need to create conflict w/in the church. No matter how crafty these people are at spiritualizing their actions and attitudes, they’re still a lightening rod for controversy and a match for a firestorm.
Insert: In every church I’ve served I have met people who want to control things at all cost. They’re not interested in God’s will being accomplished by solely in they’re will being protected. One of my best friends in ministry is currently undergoing such a stressful situation in his church that he might throw in the towel b/c he is tired of fighting church people to accomplish God’s mission. He’s in a firestorm b/c a few influential, religious lost people have challenged his God-centered leadership.
When I lived in Richmond, the church was governed by 5 laymen, 4 of which who couldn’t pick Jesus out of a line up. They were faithful churchgoers, but they could care less about God’s mission. Yet they had influence and power over the staff and congregation. One man took me to lunch and threatened to have me fired if I didn’t betray the staff and give him dirt on my senior pastor and worship pastor. He was an instigator of conflict empowered by the local church. They’re in every church.
Note: James says the reason these people create conflict is b/c they have conflict w/in; and the reason they have conflict w/in is b/c they are in conflict w/ God. This sermon isn’t focused on you who are genuinely saved, but on those who think they are.
Note: Here’s the point, this portion of the letter isn’t written to prove faith, but to reprove faithlessness. James has officially turned his attention to those unsaved individuals in the church, and in love, he’s going to shoot a spiritual missile across the bow of their lives. If this includes you today, don’t miss out should the H.S. knock on the door of your life. Be honest, drop your pride, and turn to God.
Trans: By the way, this doesn’t mean there isn’t a lesson to be learned by believers. In fact, there is a critical message on how to identify and address people who are lost in the church who proclaim and think they’re saved when they’re lost.
Trans: Let’s see what James says so we might understand the source of conflict.
I The SOURCE of Conflict v. 4:1-6
Text: What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the desire for pleasure that battles w/in you? 1You want something but don’t get it so you kill. 2You covet, but you can’t have what you want so you quarrel and fight. 3You don’t have b/c you don’t ask God. When you ask, you don’t receive b/c you ask w/ 4wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship w/ the world is 1hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend w/ the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think the 2Scripture says w/out reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 3God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Note: According to James in verses 1 and 4, the source of conflict is man’s innate desire for pleasure becoming best friends w/ the fallen and corrupt system of the world. It is a nightmare equation – desire for pleasure + fallen world = corrupt living
Word: pleasures (hedonon) hedonism – the pursuit of self-centered desire for the purpose of self-gratification and self-glory. Paul said this would be the case in the last days.
Verse: People will be selfish, greedy, boastful, and conceited; they’ll be insulting, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and irreligious; they will be unkind, merciless, slanderers, violent, and fierce; they will hate the good; they will be treacherous, reckless, and swollen w/ pride; they will love pleasure rather than God; they will hold to the outward form of our religion, but reject its real power. Keep away from such people. 2 Tm. 3:2-5
Insert: Satan has no greater joy than to introduce your innate desire for pleasure w/ the pleasures of this world. Such introduction leads to a friendship that will keep you so indulged in worldly things that you’ll never make time for God. But what it will lead to is conflict w/ other, w/ self, and w/ God.
A Conflict with OTHERS
Trans: If a man’s sole desire is to indulge in the ways of the world to obtain the highest position and amass the greatest wealth possible – it will lead to war w/ others.
Text: What causes fights and quarrels among you?
Word: conflict (mache) specific fights.
Word: quarrels (polemos) serious disputes.
Word: But notice where they’re fighting – in church! Among you – these ferocious disputes were among the church family. God never condones this kind of behavior.
Verse: A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Jn 13:34-35
Note: Conflict w/in the church isn’t and will never be God’s will or plan – it is a tactic used by the devil. Listen to God’s heart on the issue.
Verse: You are the God’s people; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves w/ compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant w/ one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you – to all these qualities add love which binds all things together in perfect unity. Col. 3:12-14
Note: God does not delight in chaos – He longs for unity w/in His family. This means that any behavior contrary to God’s will is sinful and of the devil. Thus, let no one who stirs up controversy w/ God’s family convince you God is behind it – HE ISN’T! Rather, follow Paul’s advice in Ephesians 4.
Verse: Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant w/ one another. Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together. There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; there is one God and Father of all people, who is Lord of all, works through all, and is in all. Eph. 4:2-6
Note: James says the reason we have conflict in the church is b/c too many unbelievers masquerading as believers are fighting for their will to be done over God’s will – and they are being allowed to behave badly.
Trans: We need to realize the reason these lost churchgoers create such conflict w/ others w/in God’s church is b/c of the conflict they have w/in themselves.
B Conflict with SELF
Text: Don’t they come from the desire for pleasure that battles w/in you? 1You want something but don’t get it so you kill. 2You covet, but you can’t have what you want so you quarrel and fight. 3You don’t have b/c you don’t ask God. When you ask, you don’t receive b/c you ask w/ 4wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Trans: We see in this text that their internal conflict is stirred but (4) selfish issue: self-gratification, self-centeredness, self-sufficiency, and self-indulgence.
1 Self - GRATIFICATION
Text: Don’t they come from the desires that battle w/in you? 1You want something but don’t get it so you kill.
Word: lust (epithuneo) the desire to possess at all cost what the flesh craves. In particular, the lust is for personal satisfaction and approval from men. Notice that this lust is so insatiable, a person is even willing to kill for it.
2 Self - CENTEREDNESS
Text: 2You covet, but you cannot have what you want so you quarrel and fight.
Word: covet (zelon) to want what someone else possesses; to envy what others have so that the focus will be on you instead of on them. This zealous jealousy is consumed w/ getting what it thinks it deserves.
Insert: This AM while on the news, they had a segment about this family in Brentwood who has spent $80k on a home entertainment system. The man stood their bragging on how much money he spent to watch the Super Bowl. Talk about self-centered.
3 Self - SUFFICIENCY
Text: 3You do not have b/c you do not ask God.
Word: do not ask – not only do they not ask, but they don’t even think of asking b/c they genuinely believe they can handle themselves w/out God’s assistance. God is no where on the radar screen.
Note: In our present American culture our sense of ability and competency is possibly the greatest stumbling block to knowing and following Christ – we think we can do it on our own. We think that we are all that and a bag of chips. Only God makes it so that we must have Him for this life and the life to come. But oh how we try to live w/out Him in our own human ingenuity. Despite Satan’s lie, real life requires God.
Verse: For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the free gift of God not of works so that no man may boast. Eph. 2:8-9
Note: We can’t get to heaven or live a God-honoring life w/ out God’s help.
4 Self - INDULGENCE
Text: When you ask, you do not receive b/c you ask w/ 4wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Word: wrong motives (kakos) w/ evil ambition. When these people finally get around to asking God, they only do so b/c they want God to bless them so they can indulge.
Word: spend (dupanao) meaning to use up complete by squandering. The same word was used to describe the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:13.
Insert: Do you remember him. This boy goes to his father and demands his inheritance which he swiftly goes out and squanders in wild living indulging his every pleasure. He thought he could become a friend to the world only to realize that the world will take all you have and leave you w/ nothing hanging out in a pig sty broke and busted. This is the exact behavior James is referring to in v. 3.
Trans: James says the reason they create conflict w/others is b/c they have conflict w/in; the reason they’ve conflict w/in is b/c they’re in conflict w/ God.
C Conflict with GOD
Text: You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship w/ the world is 1hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend w/ the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think the 2Scripture says w/out reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 3God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Note: The reason people are so self-centered is b/c they’ve never received Christ. They acknowledge His existence and even His conviction, but a transaction of faith has never occurred. As a result, these people have a cardboard Jesus – a one dimensional Savior. He looks good and feels good, but they don’t want Him to get in the way. They want a band aid Jesus to cover their booboos, but they have no interest in a Jesus who requires complete surrender. It doesn’t work that way.
Verse: Jesus said to them, "If you want to follow me, you must forget yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me. For if you want to save your life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it. Will you gain anything if you win the whole world but are yourself lost or defeated? Of course not! Lk. 9:23-25
Trans: As a result, b/c of their love for the world, they hate God, His Word, and His grace, b/c it demands surrender and they don’t want to forfeit anything.
1 Hatred towards God’s PERSON v. 4
Text: You adulterous people, don’t you know friendship w/ the world is 1hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend w/ the world becomes an enemy of God.
Word: adulterous – one who violates the marriage covenant by giving themselves to another outside of their relationship w/ their spouse. In this context, James is referring to spiritual infidelity, where a person claims to have an intimate relationship w/ God, but in actuality has a passion for the pleasures of this world.
Word: world (kosmos) not the physical created order, but the fallen spiritual order under the Satan’s influence, who is the prince of power of the air. In particular, the world refers to self-centered, godless system of fallen man whose only objective is self-glory, self-fulfillment, and self-satisfaction.
Note: People w/ affection for the values and systems of this world stand juxtaposed to the heart and will of God. To love the world’s ways is to hate God.
Verse: Don’t love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father isn’t in him. For all that’s in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life isn’t of the Father, but is from the world. 1 Jn. 2:15-16
Trans: Notice that these people choose friendship w/ the world instead of w/ God.
Word: chooses (boulomai) wishes or yearns for. The idea is that ones desires for the world supersedes his desire for God – not on occasion, but always.
Note: This is why I get so frustrated when I hear of people who make sports, or work, or anything else a higher priority than God – it is b/c I see that they are walking the tight rope of choosing friendship w/ the world which is tantamount to hating God.
Now I know that no one here today would say they hate God, yet when we make the Creator a bystander to our lives we are reducing Him to being our servant, instead of understanding that we are His servants. God will not be second to anyone or anything – we shall have no other gods before Him.
Now I’m not saying that going to a Titan’s game is a sin, nor am I saying that having your kids play soccer on Sunday is anti-God. What I am saying is that a greater desire for those things than for God is a huge alarm to the genuineness of faith. Likewise, it is a very slippery slope for others who perceive that God is less important to you then the activity you are engaged in (like your children). James says that a greater affection for the world’s activity than for God’s will is synonymous to loving the world and hating God.
Trans: But the conflict doesn’t end there. These conflict instigators also hate God’s Word.
2 Hatred towards God’s PRECEPTS
Text: Or do you think the 2Scripture says w/out reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But He gives us more grace.
Note: Note only does a person reject God’s person, they reject His precepts by not believing and obeying His commands. They refuse God’s instruction and wisdom for their own wisdom and opinions and for the ways of the world.
Insert: I think of the people who come to church but refuse to tithe. They say they believe in God, yet they disregard His Word b/c it is inconvenient to their way of life. James says if a person is going to disregard God’s truth, it is b/c they disregard God. They claim to be saved, but they are not b/c they refuse to obey God’s precepts.
3 Hatred towards God’s PROVISION
Text: The Bible says, 3God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Note: The root of this hatred stems from pride. The lost man is too proud to surrender to God’s provision of grace, much less surrender themselves to it on a daily basis. Such trust requires surrender and the lost man hates the notion of depending on anyone but himself, especially God.
II The SOLUTION of Conflict
Note: Now before you close up shop and leave in a tiff b/c God’s word has exposed you for who you really are, let me remind you that the reason James turned his attention in your direction was not to condemn you but to confront you. He wanted to shake you to wake you that you might realize your faith is bogus so that you could get the real thing and enter into a true relationship w/ God today. So if God is standing on your heart doing a dance, He is convicting you to turn you to Him today.
Trans: You might ask, “Where do I begin?” Follow James’ prescription.
A SUBMIT to God
Text: Submit yourselves, then, to God.
Word: submit (hupotasso) military term meaning to fall into proper rank. It means to come into to a relationship w/ God where you understand who you are in light of who He is. You must be willing to come under God’s sovereign rule. It means to realize that you are a sinner and that you need His help.
B RESISIT the Devil
Text: Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Word: resist (anthisetmai) to stand against in opposition w/ no middle ground or compromise. To move to the other side and not straddle the fence.
Note: To submit to your new Lord (God) requires you resist the will of your old lord (Satan). By birth we are born under the rule of Satan, but in coming to understand God’s grace and our need, we resist Satan’s plea and accept God’s grace.
C COME Near to God
Text: Come near to God and He will come near to you.
Word: draw near – to come into close fellowship w/ transparent dependence.
Note: Like the Prodigal Son – when he came to his senses, he got up and returned to his father, and while he was a long way off, the father saw him and ran to him to restore the relationship. So it is w/ God. When we turn to Him, he is already there waiting.
D WASH Your Hands
Text: Wash your hands, you sinners…
Note: wash – a reference to the ceremonial prescription for temple priest in preparation to offer a sacrifice – to make oneself outwardly clean.
Insert: It would be similar to a doctor preparing for surgery. He spends time washing his hands to rid any contaminate from his hands and forearms.
Note: Only in this instance we can’t make ourselves clean enough to receive God’s grace, therefore we must submit ourselves to God’s process of cleansing and purification – the blood of Jesus. His catharsis requires that we admit our sinful condition and inability to earn His grace and turn in faith to receive His satisfactory sacrifice on our behalf.
E PURIFY Your Heart
Text: and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Note: This command works hand-in-hand w/ the previous one. To cleanse refers to the exterior behavior and to purify your hearts refers to the cleansing of the interior sin.
F Be MISERABLE
Text: Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
• GRIEVE
Word: miserable (talaiporeo) meaning to experience brokenness and great sorrow for the actions and circumstances you find yourself in. This isn’t to feel sad or to seek penitence; it means to be utterly broken over the condition of your life due to sin.
• MOURN – to express grief and remorse over your sinful condition and actions. To be genuinely sorrowful.
• WAIL – to outwardly express your misery and conviction.
Note: Until we understand our sin and the consequences for our sin, we will not understand our need for a Savior. But in the moment we realize the power, penalty, and payment of sin and all of its devastation, we will grieve, mourn, and wail over its impact upon our lives and the lives of others causing us to embrace God’s grace and cherish a love that can forgive our sin through the shed blood of Jesus.
G HUMBLE Yourself
Text: Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Word: humble (tapeinoo) to make low. To realize how unworthy you are and how you deserve something far less than the grace of God that wipes the slate clean.
Note: When we realize our sinfulness and humble ourselves under the grace of God for the forgiveness of sin – throwing ourself on the mercy of God – he forgives. He lifts us up out of the miry clay and sets your feet upon the rock of Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
Note: As you evaluate your life is James speaking to you. Are you a pretender? Yes, you are good person most of the time, but you are not a godly person. Yes you faithfully attend church, but your faithless and a friend to the world. Yes you acknowledge God exist, but you’ve never truly trusted Him to be you Savior and Lord.
Note: How do we know – b/c when things don’t go as you want in the church, you create conflict. You are the instigator of divisiveness. You take it on yourself to mount the charge to right the ship. Only your not concerned that God’s will be done, only that your will be protected.
Note: James begs you to wake up and get right w/ God; your eternity hangs in the balance.
RESOURCES
Sermons: Joey Rodgers – Handling Conflict – 7.6.01
Books: John MacArthur – Commentary on James
John MacArthur – Bible Study – Guidelines for a Happy Christian Life
Harold Fickett – Faith that Works
