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THE BOOK OF JAMES ‐ 4

4:1‐17 Worldliness and Its Fruit

The Challenge of Chapter Four

We must avoid being lured into involvement in factions and divisions resulting from
coveting after “things” to heap upon ourselves for our own selfish ambitions and pleasures.
We must have singleness of mind and drawing nearer to God and humbling ourselves
before Him, avoiding prideful dependence upon ourselves, and remembering always that
our lives are a brief moment in the realm of eternity.

1. Faith’s Reaction to Worldliness (1‐6)

James directly addresses his congregation concerning the factions and divisions existing
between them. He corrects them for lusting and coveting after things to heap upon
themselves for their own pleasure. The more the people covet, the less they obtain, which
causes frustration in their lives and an unwillingness to change their attitudes. James is
pointing out to his congregation that they are in a condition of total prayerlessness because
they are so driven too “obtain” in their own strength without turning to God or considering
others. James continues by explaining why the people in his congregation are not receiving
answers to their prayers. James also addresses the subject of pride and God's strong
reaction to it.

A. The Condition of the Church

Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of
your lusts that war in your members?

From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your
lusts (edonon: pleasures, hedonism) that war (something figured out in advance, strategic)
in our members?

James chapter 4 is a sudden change from the picture found in chapter 3 of the beauty of
the wisdom that comes from above. This chapter begins with the other side of the coin,
showing the life governed by the flesh and its effect on those around. The saints at
Jerusalem were being governed by a spirit of worldliness. They were brethren, but were
acting no differently than the world in their everyday lives. They were not showing the life
of the Holy Spirit to a world who needed it. God saw their worldliness as adultery (verse 4)
which made them “double‐minded” (verse 8).

In verse 1, James asks his congregation to isolate the source of their fightings and wars
between themselves. These “wars” were reactions and divisions that have broken down
the love and trust among them. The same problem had come to Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:1‐
3) and later broke out in serious moral problems for the people of the church (1 Corinthians
5:1‐5). These people were in the middle of a war within themselves between the spirit and
the flesh. The nature of the flesh is found in the body, in its members (Romans 6:6, 18‐19,
23‐24).