James Chapter 4
James 4:1–3 (NKJV) states, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
James now moves from the theme of heavenly wisdom to a rebuke of the carnality and strife that can exist even within Christian communities. His language is sharp and direct, pointing to inner corruption rather than outward persecution as the root cause of division among believers. It is not the external enemies that are the issue, but the internal passions—the “desires for pleasure”—that produce conflict.
James begins with a rhetorical question: “Where do wars and fights come from among you?” These terms are not used lightly. “Wars” (Greek: polemoi) suggests long-standing hostilities, while “fights” (Greek: machai) points to outbursts and quarrels. This is strong language for what may seem like minor disputes among believers, but James sees these as battles born out of spiritual failure and moral compromise. These are not occasional flare-ups—they are symptomatic of something deeper and ongoing.
He continues, “Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” The word translated “desires for pleasure” is hedonōn, from which we derive the term hedonism—a devotion to self-gratification. These desires do not merely exist; they “war” within the individual, waging a campaign that leads to external conflict. The Apostle Paul described the same internal struggle in Galatians 5:17 (NKJV): “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another.”
James then describes the result of these inward wars: “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.” This sequence mirrors the progression of unchecked sin—first desire, then frustration, then destructive action. The word “murder” shocks the reader, but James likely uses it in the same way Christ did in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:21–22 (NKJV), Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder…’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” The hatred and bitterness that lead to character assassination, division, and spiritual death are tantamount to murder in God’s eyes.
Despite all this striving, James points out the futility of it: “Yet you do not have.” The pursuit of pleasure, apart from the will of God, leaves a person empty. It is the tragedy of a life chasing fulfillment in temporal things. Ecclesiastes 1:8 (NKJV) reflects this same principle: “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.” Lust promises much but delivers nothing. Spurgeon rightly noted that all of human history confirms that evil lusts fail to satisfy.
James then addresses the deeper spiritual problem: “You do not have because you do not ask.” Here is the indictment—not only are believers filled with selfish ambition, but they have also neglected the essential practice of prayer. They try to attain satisfaction through striving, rather than through submission and supplication before God. James reminds his readers that God is a generous Giver, but He honors the principle of asking in humility. Matthew 7:7 (NKJV) says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Yet the issue does not stop at prayerlessness. James continues, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Not all prayer is accepted. God is not a vending machine for selfish desires. He does not respond to prayers rooted in fleshly lusts. To ask “amiss” (Greek: kakōs) means to ask wrongly, with corrupt motives. When our prayers are driven by worldly lusts, we essentially attempt to recruit God in service of our own sin.
James uses the same Greek verb for “spend” that appears in Luke 15:14 (NKJV) describing the Prodigal Son: “But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.” The imagery is sobering. Prayers centered on personal gratification are akin to the reckless waste of the prodigal—emptying one’s inheritance on things that can never satisfy.
Furthermore, this passage illustrates the principle that even spiritual disciplines like prayer can be perverted when divorced from humility and holiness. As 1 John 5:14 (NKJV) affirms, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” The purpose of prayer is not to coerce God into our will but to align ourselves with His.
In sum, James 4:1–3 delivers a convicting diagnosis of both personal and communal spiritual failure. The wars and fights among believers do not originate from theological disagreements or doctrinal differences, but from unchecked lusts, internal strife, and prayerlessness. Worse still, even when prayer is attempted, it is often selfish and disconnected from the purposes of God. The remedy lies in repentance, renewed submission to God’s authority, and a return to humble, Spirit-led prayer that seeks the will of God above all else.
James 4:4–5 (NKJV) says, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’?”
James now turns from a diagnostic of inward lusts and prayerlessness to a direct rebuke of spiritual infidelity. The use of the phrase “Adulterers and adulteresses!” is striking and deliberately offensive to the carnal Christian who might have grown comfortable with compromise. The language invokes the prophetic pattern found throughout the Old Testament where Israel, as the covenant bride of Yahweh, is rebuked for her spiritual adultery through idolatry and alliance with pagan nations (see Jeremiah 3:8–9; Ezekiel 16:30–32; Hosea 3:1). James intentionally draws from this covenantal backdrop to address Christians who are flirting with the world system that is in active rebellion against God.
Notably, better ancient Greek manuscripts use the feminine form only—“adulteresses”—which underscores the spiritual analogy, not literal sexual sin. James is not concerned here with physical unfaithfulness, but with the unfaithfulness of God’s people who, while betrothed to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2), have begun to live like the world. The believer, as the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25–27), owes Him undivided allegiance. To love the world is to break covenant with Him.
James then asks rhetorically, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” The word “friendship” (Greek: philia) denotes not mere association, but a warm affection and partnership. The world here is not referring to creation or humanity, but the fallen world system (kosmos) that is opposed to God. This includes the value systems, ideologies, and pleasures that seek to elevate man and marginalize God. According to 1 John 2:15–16 (NKJV), “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”
The second clause, “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God,” eliminates neutrality. James does not speak of someone who has openly turned against God, but of someone who wants—who intends or desires—to align with the world. Even the longing to be aligned with worldly priorities renders a person at odds with the holy nature of God. Jesus declared in Matthew 6:24 (NKJV), “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The implication is that worldliness is not a passive drift but an active declaration of rebellion, even if unspoken.
James next appeals to Scripture, stating, “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’?” This verse is notoriously difficult to translate due to ambiguity in syntax. Is it referring to God’s Spirit longing for our affection? Or to the human spirit, corrupted by sin, yearning enviously? The context strongly favors the former: that the Holy Spirit, who indwells the believer at salvation (Romans 8:9–11), is grieved when we turn toward the world. Ephesians 4:30 (NKJV) warns, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” The Spirit is not indifferent to our compromises—He yearns with godly jealousy (Exodus 34:14).
This is not jealousy in the petty, human sense, but in the divine sense of covenant loyalty and rightful possession. The Spirit of God is zealous for our full devotion. He will not share our hearts with the world. Deuteronomy 32:16 (NKJV) states, “They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger.” Likewise, Zechariah 8:2 (NKJV) says, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; with great fervor I am zealous for her.’”
James’ reference to “Scripture” here should not be seen as a citation of a specific verse, but as a summary statement of the entire tenor of the Word of God. Numerous Old Testament passages affirm the jealousy of God for His people’s fidelity (Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24). Thus, James is not quoting a singular verse but expressing a theological truth undergirded by multiple passages.
In sum, James 4:4–5 is a theological uppercut to carnal Christianity. It reminds believers that worldliness is not just unwise—it is spiritual adultery. God is not satisfied with partial loyalty. The Spirit within us does not sit idly by while we entangle ourselves with secularism, sensuality, or self-exaltation. He yearns for exclusive fellowship with the heart fully devoted to God. To compromise with the world is to declare war on Heaven.
James 4:6-10 – The Solution for Strife: In Humility, Get Right with God
"But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:6–10, NKJV)
James outlines the divine remedy for spiritual strife, rebellion, and compromise—God gives grace, but only to the humble. The call is urgent and deliberate: bow the knee, submit to God, and receive what pride will never know—His empowering grace.
“But He gives more grace” stands in glorious contrast to the previous verses' conviction. The same Holy Spirit who convicts us of compromise also supplies supernatural grace for restoration and obedience. Grace is the power to overcome sin, not merely to escape its penalty. As Charles Spurgeon declared, our sins may rise like floodwaters, but grace soars higher still, like the ark riding above judgment. God's answer to the stubbornness of the flesh is not despair—but more grace.
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The proud are not merely tolerated—they are opposed by God Himself. The language of resistance is militaristic: God "sets Himself in battle array" against the arrogant. Pride is not a minor fault; it is cosmic treason. It challenges the sovereignty of God by assuming one's own sufficiency. On the contrary, humility is the channel by which grace flows. It is not meritorious in itself but places us in a posture to receive what we cannot earn.
“Therefore submit to God.” If God gives grace to the humble, then the proper response is submission. Submission here does not imply passive defeat—it means to intentionally align oneself under God's authority. The imagery is that of a soldier placing himself under his commander’s authority, surrendering not in defeat, but in loyalty and obedience. Every rebellious impulse must yield. Every ambition, every plan, and every hidden love for the world must bow before the Lord.
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Spiritual victory is not obtained by ignoring the adversary, nor is it found in mystical incantations. It comes through direct resistance, standing firm in truth. This is active warfare. The word "resist" (Greek: ἀνθίστημι, anthistēmi) implies standing against an advancing enemy. But note the order: first submit to God, then resist the devil. A believer out of submission is a believer out of position—vulnerable and compromised. But a man or woman submitted to God carries the authority of Christ, and the devil must flee.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” This is both command and promise. It is not enough to simply resist the enemy; we must also actively pursue intimacy with God. The command to draw near is rooted in the priestly imagery of the Old Testament, where access to God was limited and guarded. But now, by the blood of Jesus, the veil is torn, and the way is open (Hebrews 10:19-22). Drawing near means daily communion, worship, prayer, and dependence. It is a heart turning to its Source. And God's response is immediate and personal—He draws near. Not reluctantly, not from a distance, but with fatherly affection.
“Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Drawing near to God cannot occur without repentance. James calls his readers sinners—not in general terms, but as those needing specific moral and spiritual cleansing. The hands represent outward actions, and the heart, inward motives. The double-minded man is one who claims loyalty to God but still courts the world. That kind of unstable mind must be purified, made whole, and undivided.
“Lament and mourn and weep!” These are the natural expressions of genuine repentance. In an age obsessed with positivity and self-esteem, these commands sound harsh—but they are biblical. The joy of rebellion must be exchanged for the sorrow of conviction. The laughter of arrogance must be swallowed up by mourning over sin. Not all weeping is weakness—sometimes it is the strongest step toward restoration.
“Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.” James is not condemning joy itself, but false, worldly laughter that masks rebellion and pride. He calls for the emotional expression that fits the spiritual reality. When a man is truly broken over his sin, there is no room for superficial happiness. It is not until mourning over sin that the joy of salvation can be truly restored (Psalm 51:12).
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” This entire section climaxes in this promise. God opposes the proud, but He will raise up the humble. To be lifted up by God is far greater than any self-promotion man could ever engineer. It is the Lord who exalts in due time (1 Peter 5:6). But the path is always downward first—into humility, confession, and surrender.
James's pastoral heart bleeds through this section. He exposes sin with severity, but he offers the way of return with gentleness and certainty. There is more grace. The hand that wounds also heals. The One who convicts also invites. The same Spirit who yearns jealously for our affection also supplies the grace to restore it. Let every believer who finds himself far from God hear these words afresh: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
James 4:11–12 – The Solution for Strife: Get Right with Other People
"Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" (James 4:11–12, NKJV)
The previous verses call the believer to humble repentance before God. Now James turns to the outworking of that humility in how we treat others. A right heart before God must bear visible fruit in our words and attitudes toward our brethren. If we claim to be submitted to God, it will be evident in how we speak of our fellow believers.
“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren.” This command strikes at the root of the divisive spirit that fosters strife. The Greek word katalaleite carries the idea of slandering, backbiting, or speaking disparagingly of someone in their absence. It is not merely stating facts; it is the malicious intent to diminish another’s character or reputation. These are the whispered words passed in secret, the insinuations made without proof, the subtle criticisms cloaked in “concern.”
This kind of speech violates both the law of love and the unity of the Body. The believer is called to be a peacemaker, not an accuser. As Proverbs 6:19 reminds us, God hates “one who sows discord among brethren.” Such divisive speech is not a small matter—it is rebellion against the command to love one another fervently with a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22).
“He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law.” James exposes the deeper spiritual problem: slander is not only an offense against a person—it is rebellion against God’s law. Specifically, the royal law: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (James 2:8; Leviticus 19:18). When someone takes it upon themselves to slander a brother or pass judgment in a condemning way, they assume a position of superiority to God’s law, essentially declaring, “This law does not apply to me.”
The result is not just disobedience—it is judgment of the law itself. One ceases to be a doer of the law and becomes a critic of it, arrogantly putting oneself above the law rather than under it.
“But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” The essence of true obedience is submission, not commentary. A doer of the law lives it out; a judge of the law critiques it, overrules it, or bypasses it. The believer has no authority to do so. The law is not subject to our evaluation—it is God’s unchanging standard. Jesus emphasized this same principle in Matthew 7:1–2 when He said, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged.”
“There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.” James now reminds his readers of the divine prerogative. There is only one Lawgiver, and it is not us. God alone has the authority to establish moral law, to evaluate human hearts, and to render final judgment. He alone possesses the knowledge, righteousness, and power to “save and to destroy” (cf. Matthew 10:28). This declaration should strike reverence and caution into any who are tempted to take God’s place as judge.
To assume the role of judge over our brothers is to usurp the throne of the Sovereign Lawgiver. It is not just arrogance—it is a form of blasphemy. In Romans 14:4, Paul echoes the same rebuke: “Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.”
“Who are you to judge another?” This rhetorical question is a rebuke that silences self-righteousness. It reminds us of our own low estate. We are not qualified to pass judgment in the way James condemns—namely, hypocritical, condemning, and malicious judgment. This does not mean all evaluation or discernment is wrong (Matthew 7:15–20), but that our judgment must be in humility, righteousness, and with the aim of restoration (Galatians 6:1). What James is confronting is the critical spirit that tears down others to elevate oneself.
As Matthew Henry put it, “We are often more severe upon others than we are upon ourselves, and this is hypocrisy and injustice.” Genuine humility before God breeds compassion, not condemnation. Those who have tasted of grace should be the first to extend it to others.
In summary, these verses emphasize that strife among believers is not only caused by selfish desires (James 4:1–5) or pride before God (James 4:6–10), but also by ungodly speech and judgment toward fellow believers. The solution is not found in silence alone, but in reverent recognition of God’s authority, humble obedience to His law, and the pursuit of edifying speech. As Ephesians 4:29 commands: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
James 4:13–16 – A Humble Dependence on God
"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.' But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil." (James 4:13–16, NKJV)
In this section, James confronts the presumptuous mindset that often accompanies success, planning, or ambition. He does not rebuke the act of planning itself but condemns the attitude of practical atheism—living and strategizing without any acknowledgment of God's sovereignty.
"Come now, you who say…" James directs this warning to a specific mindset—those who map out their future as if they control it. This is not a condemnation of legitimate business or personal goal-setting. Rather, James targets the person who plans independently of God's will, acting as though life is theirs to command.
The example he gives—a merchant planning travel, profit, and a timetable—was common in the ancient world. Trade routes across the Roman Empire made it possible for entrepreneurs to travel from city to city engaging in commerce. These types of plans are not condemned; what is condemned is the presumption: "We will go… we will spend… we will buy… we will profit." There is no thought of God, no submission to divine providence.
This attitude is one of self-sufficiency and entitlement. It reflects the heart of fallen man who says in his pride, "My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:17). It is exactly what the fool did in Luke 12:19–20: “‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you.’”
"Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow." James draws attention to the unpredictability of life. Man’s ignorance about even the next day proves the folly of living without a continual dependence on God. Solomon warned similarly: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).
"For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." The imagery here is potent. A vapor—like a morning mist or a breath in cold air—exists only momentarily before it dissipates. Human life is brief, fragile, and uncertain. David expressed it well: “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor” (Psalm 39:5). This reality should instill humility and a sober-minded view of our dependence on God.
"Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’" This is not merely a catchphrase or a religious slogan. It is a declaration of submission and trust in God’s sovereign will. Paul exemplified this spirit when he said, “I will return again to you, God willing” (Acts 18:21), and “I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits” (1 Corinthians 16:7).
This “if the Lord wills” mindset is not meant to paralyze believers into inaction but to guard against arrogant self-reliance. It is not a call to abandon all planning but a call to submit our plans under the lordship of Christ (Proverbs 3:5–6). This principle reflects the same heart that Jesus displayed when He prayed, “Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).
"But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil." To presume that we control our future or hold power over life and death is not only foolish—it is arrogant and evil. The Greek term for arrogance here (alazoneia) was used for the swaggering boastfulness of a charlatan—a quack doctor or fraud who made grandiose claims without the ability to fulfill them. That’s how God views the boasting of men who leave Him out of their lives.
This passage reminds us that arrogance before God is not measured simply by open rebellion but by subtle independence. A heart that functions as if God does not exist is already guilty of the sin of pride. The essence of humility, then, is not self-hatred, but the daily recognition that all we are, all we do, and all we hope for is sustained by God's hand. This is what it means to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).
In closing, James is not condemning enterprise or vision, but the sin of leaving God out. The wise believer will rise each day with the prayer: “Lord, if You are willing, grant me the strength to serve You today.” Anything less is vanity.
James 4:17 – A Challenge to Live What We Know
“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17, NKJV)
This verse serves as a weighty conclusion to James’s teaching on humility, dependence on God, and righteous conduct. It moves the conversation from theoretical knowledge to practical obedience and accountability.
“To him who knows to do good and does not do it…” This principle targets the sin of omission—the failure to act upon known truth. Many often think of sin only in terms of what they do wrong. But James reminds us that failing to do what is right is equally sinful. It is not enough to avoid evil; we must also pursue righteousness. Jesus taught this plainly: “But I say to you, love your enemies… bless those who curse you… do good to those who hate you…” (Matthew 5:44). To ignore such commands is not neutrality—it is rebellion.
This connects directly to what James has been emphasizing throughout his letter: faith that does not result in action is dead (James 2:17). The one who claims to believe must live that belief in obedience. In this case, James had just rebuked the self-confident planner who acted without regard for God. If that person hears the rebuke and then fails to respond accordingly, that inaction becomes sin.
The point is not mere legalism. It is about the moral and spiritual obligation of those who have been given truth. Knowledge brings responsibility. Jesus said in Luke 12:47–48, “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes... For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required.”
“To him it is sin.” This is personal and direct. The sin of omission is not always universally visible. It is a sin “to him”—because the individual knew the good he ought to have done. This underlines the personal nature of obedience and accountability. God sees not only what we do, but also what we neglect to do. In this way, the conscience is involved, and we are held accountable not only to the written Word of God, but also to what we know in our hearts to be right, once the light of truth has come.
This also echoes the sobering words of Romans 14:23: “For whatever is not from faith is sin.” That is, if we act (or fail to act) outside of our clear conviction and dependence on the Lord, we are acting in sin. Once we see that something is right in God’s sight, the opportunity to delay obedience becomes the temptation to sin.
James is calling us to a courageous and active walk of faith. In a world of apathy, procrastination, and compromise, this verse calls the believer to decisive action. Don’t delay in doing what you know is right. Do not wait for the conditions to be perfect or the pressure to pass. If God has made the good clear, then obedience should be immediate.
Conclusion: This final verse in the chapter is not an afterthought—it is a spiritual gut check. James warns that knowing what God desires and refusing to act upon it is not harmless hesitation. It is sin. And God expects His people to act with the courage of their convictions. True humility before God is not passive; it actively seeks to obey. The believer must live with a constant awareness that life is short, God is sovereign, and the time to do good is now.
