THE GRACE OF SUBMISSION.
James 4:1-10.
James has been contrasting the ‘earthly, sensual, devilish’ wisdom that engenders ‘envying and strife’ (cf. James 3:14-16) with the ‘peaceable’ wisdom of God (cf. James 3:17-18).
JAMES 4:1. With a startling suddenness, James asks, “From whence come wars and fighting AMONG YOU?” James is writing to Christian brethren, and traces the root cause back to “the war within our members” (cf. Galatians 5:17; Romans 7:15-20). The harshness of the language makes us sit up.
JAMES 4:2. Jesus said that ‘to be angry with our brother without a cause’ amounts to a breach of the commandment against murder (cf. Matthew 5:21-22). We may not be literally “killing” one another, but there is such a thing as ‘character assassination.’ Then there is the problem of prayerlessness.
JAMES 4:3. And yet, even when ye do “ask,” says James, “ye receive not.” Why might this be, when Jesus has said, ‘Every one that asketh receiveth’ (cf. Matthew 7:8)? It is because “ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (cf. Luke 12:19).
JAMES 4:4. This is spiritual adultery – a theme that resonates throughout the Bible. There should be a clear line of demarcation between the Christian and the world: James goes so far as to say that whoever “will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” The world will love its own, but hates the Christian (cf. John 15:19). ‘Ye cannot serve God and mammon’ (cf. Matthew 6:24).
JAMES 4:5. The Greek reads, “Or think ye that in vain the scripture speaks?” No direct quotation of scripture follows, but rather, “with envy does long the Spirit which took up abode in us.” My interpretation of this difficult verse is, ‘Do you think that the Scripture speaks in this vain way: that it is the Spirit that took up abode in us (the Holy Spirit) who lusts to envy?’ Our God is a ‘jealous’ God (cf. Exodus 34:14), and our flirtations with the world are no doubt incompatible with the indwelling Holy Spirit (cf. Ephesians 4:30).
JAMES 4:6. “But He giveth more grace.” There is no end of sufficiency in God: there is ‘grace upon grace’ (cf. John 1:16). “Wherefore He saith, God resists the proud but giveth grace unto the humble” (cf. Proverbs 3:34; 1 Peter 5:5).
JAMES 4:7. Those who “submit” themselves to God, are also called upon to actively “resist” the devil. There is a very real devil to be resisted, and we are to man the defences, “and he shall flee from you.”
JAMES 4:8. “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to thee.” We do this in our private devotions, and in fellowship with like-minded believers. We also have a duty to cleanse our outer man, and to purify our hearts before God.
JAMES 4:9. There are times when we must mourn for our sins, and repent of them (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10). Coming into His presence highlights what wretched creatures we are outside of Him.
JAMES 4:10. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” (cf. Isaiah 57:15; Matthew 23:12; 1 Peter 5:6).
