The Fourth Chapter of James – Passion & Pride

Shared from: Suzi Visser

The need for *true humility* is an important theme throughout James writings.

James 4 serves as a scorecard.

Let’s discover what James has to say.

Misplaced Passions

“Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions.”

James 4:1-3 NET

Friendship with the world is enmity with God.

“Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.”

James 4:4 NET

God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.

So submit to God. But 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 make your hearts pure, you double-minded … Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you.”

James 4:6-10 NET

Speak No Evil

“Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters.”

James 4:11 NET

Do Not Boast About Tomorrow

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”

You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes. You ought to say instead, “If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.”

But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 4:13-16 NET