What is the meaning of James 4?
James is talking about being humble before God, and being humble means avoiding presumptuous behavior. In his illustration, James portrays a traveling merchant planning out their travel for future markets. There is nothing wrong with planning, but James warns against presuming our futures.
What does the Bible say about James 4?
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
What is the 4th chapter of the Bible?
Bible Gateway Genesis 4 :: NIV. Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
What the Bible Says About quarreling?
Proverbs 20:3 3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
What is the background of James 4?
James 4 is the fourth chapter of the Epistle of James in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The author identifies himself as "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" and the epistle is traditionally attributed to James the brother of Jesus, written in Jerusalem between 48 and 61 CE.
Who is the audience in James 4?
The epistle is traditionally attributed to James the brother of Jesus (James the Just), and the audience is generally considered to be Jewish Christians, who were dispersed outside Israel.
What does Revelation 4 tell us?
Revelation chapter 4 begins John's vision of the future. John sees a door open in heaven and is invited to “come up hither” and glimpse God's plan from a divine perspective. There he sees the throne of God, the earth in its celestial glory, and the many exalted beings singing praises to God and the Lamb.
What do the four living creatures in Revelation 4 represent?
Its influence has been on art and sculpture and is still prevalent in Catholicism and Anglicanism. A view held by many modern commentators is that the four living creatures of Revelation are agents of God and heavenly representatives of the created order, who call every living thing to worship the Creator.
What does the Bible say about Revelation 4?
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
What does God say about arguing with spouse?
~ Ephesians 4:26 We should not let anger sit unresolved. Anger should be avoided by believers especially by married couples because it can lead to bitterness or a desire for vengeance, which can lead to more sinful thoughts and actions.
How did Jesus deal with arguments?
Throughout the gospels, Jesus defined himself by saying who he was and what his mission was. At the same time, he never controlled or manipulated others to agree; instead, he asked questions and invited others into conversation to help them see where they stood in relation to him.
What does the Bible say about resolving conflict?
Matthew chapter 18, verses 15 and 16 instructs members to settle their differences privately with each other. And, if this fails, they are to seek help in resolving the dispute. Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
Submit Yourselves to God
1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?
Boasting About Tomorrow
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
What is the book of James about?
The book of James is about specifically understanding what saving faith looks like. How does faith in Christ reveal itself in a believer's life? What choices does real trust in God lead us to make? Those are the questions James answers. Most scholars believe the writer was Jesus' half-brother, a son born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus' birth. James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem. This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50. James addresses his letter to Jewish Christians scattered around the known world.
When did James come to believe Jesus was the Messiah?
James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem. This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50.
What does chapter 4 mean?
Following this worldliness was the cause of fights among James's Christian readers. He called them to repent and, in humility, receive God's grace.
What does James seem to be bothered by?
i. “James seems to be bothered more by the selfish spirit and bitterness of the quarrels than by the rights and wrongs of the various viewpoints.” (Moo) ii. Almost all who have such a critical and contentious attitude claim they are prompted and supported by the Spirit of God.
Who said God resists the proud?
i. James used a powerful word in the phrase, resists the proud: “Sets himself in battle array against him.” (Clarke) “God resisteth the proud, ‘setteth himself in battle-array against such,’ above all other sorts of sinner, as invaders of his territories, and foragers or plunderers of his chief treasures.” (Trapp) c.
What is the word for "you boast in your arrogance"?
iii. You boast in your arrogance: “The word is alazoneia. Alazoneia was originally the characteristic of the wandering quack. He offered cures which were no cures and boasted to things that he was not able to do.” (Moffatt)
What does the Bible say about uncertainty?
The uncertainty of life should make us ready to recognize what is good and then do it. “This uncertainty of life is not a cause either for fear or inaction. It is always a reason for realizing our complete dependence on God.” (Moffatt) b. To him it is sin: Jesus told a story with much the same point in Luke 12:41-48.
Who said the whole history of mankind shows the failure of evil lustings to obtain their object?
i. “The whole history of mankind shows the failure of evil lustings to obtain their object.” (Spurgeon )
Where in the Bible does it say that life is a vapor?
i. The idea that our life was a vapor or shadow was a frequent figure of speech in the Old Testament ( Psalm 102:11; Job 8: 9; 1 Chronicles 29:15 ).
Who said the Devil can wrestle against the Christian but he cannot pin him?
v. A famous ancient Christian writer named Hermas wrote, “The devil can wrestle against the Christian, but he cannot pin him.” (Cited in Barclay)
Why is James 4 like Proverbs?
Part of the reason for this is that James is like Proverbs in that many of its verses really stand alone in their content. Many subjects are handled quickly and succinctly in the book. In James 4 there is a logical progression throughout the chapter, while still allowing some verses to cover individual topics.
How to humble yourself before God?
A practical way to humble yourself before God is to include Him in your future plans. These closing verses do not say it is wrong to make plans, but that those plans should include God’s will. Seek to know His will. There are times we don’t have any idea of what His will is.
What is the first step in the battle between the flesh and the spirit?
That is the first step in the battle between the flesh and the Spirit. You must have the Spirit of God in you to win this battle. Once you have Jesus Christ as your Savior, and therefore are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, it is time to yield to this Spirit’s leading. Yield daily to God’s will.
What is the war Paul wrote about in Romans 7?
This is the same war that Paul wrote about in Romans 7. Within the Christian is God’s Holy Spirit and man’s sinful nature. God tells us that we cannot serve two masters. We will always ignore one to attend to the other.
Is the book of James written for Christians?
As we look at this chapter, it is important to remember that the book of James is written to Christians. In the book there is an assumption that the reader has already yielded his life to Christ for salvation and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.
Who is David Peach?
He has started several deaf ministries in various countries and established a deaf church in Mexico. David now works as Director of Deaf Ministries for his mission board.
Does humility bring a closeness to God?
While it is easy to let the flesh control your desires and actions , God will draw close those who humble themselves and yield to the Spirit’s control. Not only does humility bring a closeness to God, but there is an accompanying grace with this action and attitude of yielding to Him. A grace that helps us look at our lusts, that were so consuming before, as being petty and selfish.