WMPC – Men’s Bible Study
James - Lesson 4
Read James 4
3 Questions:
Q1: Right out of the gate, Chapter 4, verse 1: “Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they
come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you?” What do you make of
this verse? Agree or disagree? In our time of heavy conflict, what might this verse be saying to our
church, our state, our nation?
Q2: Verse 9 is fascinating. You might want to read it several times. We certainly had to as we were
studying and preparing this week’s lesson. Isn’t verse 9 the opposite of so many scriptures? Can you
think of or list any scriptures which say the opposite (you might want to look at Isaiah, Psalms,
Revelation, Jesus, etc.)?
Q3: Verse 16. What is the difference between arrogance and confidence? As Christians, we should be
confident…but, how easy is it for Christians to become arrogant? Can you think of times when arrogance
has gotten the best of you, or someone you know well? Did this help or hinder your faith?
3 Insights:
I1: The word at James 4:1, usually translated as “cravings” or “desires” is the greek word hedonai. Look
familiar? We get the word hedonism from it. Hedonism has a devilish, profoundly negative connotation.
The question for us is whether our most basic cravings get in the way of our relationship with God, and
by proxy, to each other. You might remember that old country song, “Looking for love in all the wrong
places.” Chapter 4:2 - “You do not have, because you do not ask.” The lesson is pretty clear and very
direct. We ask the world for that which only God can provide. This reminds us of Isaiah 55:2 - “why
spend your labor on that which does not satisfy?” Or, why do we work for all the wrong things? Why do
we desire all the wrong things? James becomes emphatic at verse 4: “Adulterers!” he call us; or
“Unfaithful creatures!” It is good to resist 1:27 as this theme of James - loving the world more than God
is always incorrect and leads to unfaithfulness. And loving God more than the trappings and the comfort
of this world turns out to be the most difficult spiritual challenge of all.
I2: Our fascination with verse 9 cannot be overstated. We think that such verse are why so many have
been confused by James for so long. For example, James 4:9-10 seem to be running counter to Jesus at
John 15:11: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” Who
says this? Jesus says this. Further, a review of Galatians 5:22 is in order. What is the second fruit of the
Spirit? Joy. If joy is a gift, a fruit of God, which is the claim of Galatians, then how does James suggest
that joy should be rejected or denied? Welcome to the complexity of James. Many people often wonder
what the inspirations were for the life of asceticism. We have found one in James 4:9-10. How does the
denial of self, denial of pleasure and comfort bring people closer to God? Perhaps James is saying that
we find too much joy in the “world,” and only in rejecting the pure pursuit of self are we ever freed to
fully follow God. Jesus did say something similar. Do you remember it? “For all those who exalt
themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” — Luke 14:11. As
always, James swirls around the reader and interpreter. Thus, a very short book challenges with a life
time of lessons.
I3: As one reads James a feeling starts to creep over us. We can sympathize with Luther, who thought
James a very difficult chore and inconsistent with other parts of the New Testament. That feeling that
creeps over us? James is demanding that we be perfect. Can anyone be perfect? Perfect in prayer,
thought, word, and deed? The reformers of the church were wary of any claims to human perfection.
For them, only God was perfect. And yet, James doesn’t give us much wiggle room for striving to attain
perfection. Commentator Pheme Perkins adds some useful insight:
The ethic of perfection that runs throughout James depends on the power of God’s wisdom to
transform the double-minded, vacillating, pleasure-seeking drives of human beings into the
integrity of devotion to God’s will. Evidence of that transformation is to be founding concrete
actions such as loving the afflicted and peacemaking.
(Interpretation: James. John Knox Press, 1995. Page 125)
3 Links to further study:
L1: Here is a blog on submission. James 4:7 - “submit yourselves to God.” Most people think submission
and think weakness. On this website, curated by Christian author Donald Miller, the blogger looks at
submission from several angles.
http://storylineblog.com/2014/02/19/what-it-really-means-to-submit-yourself-to-god/
L2: Deborah Tannen wrote a book called The Argument Culture in 1998. We think about this book all the
time. Nearly 20 years old, Tannen’s thesis was a warning.
“We are approaching everything in our personal and private lives as if it were an argument or a debate.”
Remember, she said this in 1998. This dated video is 23 minutes of pure cultural analysis.
Remember, James at 4:1 warns us of nothing less than overvaluing conflicts and disputes.
https://archive.org/details/openmind_ep1373