Warning Against Worldliness

James 4

1 Where do 1 wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure a that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and 2 war. 3 Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 b You ask and do not receive, c because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that d friendship with the world is enmity with God? e Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, f "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
g "God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble." 5 7 Therefore submit to God. h Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 i Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. j Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and k purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 l Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 m Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

11 n Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother o 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. 12 There is one 6 Lawgiver, p who is able to save and to destroy. q Who 7 are you to judge 8 another?

  1. Cross References
    Romans 7:23
    But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
    Galatians 5:17
    For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
    1 Peter 2:11
    Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
  2. Cross References
    Job 27:8
    For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life?
    Job 27:9
    Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him?
  3. Cross References
    Psalms 66:18
    If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
  4. Cross References
    Romans 8:7
    Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
    1 John 2:15
    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.
  5. Cross References
    Galatians 1:4
    Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 6:5
    Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
  7. Cross References
    Job 22:29
    When they cast you down, and you say, 'Exaltation will come! ' Then He will save the humble person.
    Psalms 138:6
    Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.
    Proverbs 3:34
    Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.
    Matthew 23:12
    And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
    1 Peter 5:5
    Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.
  8. Cross References
    Ephesians 4:27
    Nor give place to the devil.
    Ephesians 6:11
    Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
    1 Peter 5:8
    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
  9. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 15:2
    And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
    Zechariah 1:3
    Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Return to Me," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts.
    Malachi 3:7
    Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?
    Hebrews 7:19
    For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
  10. Cross References
    Job 17:9
    Yet the righteous will hold to his way, And he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.
    Isaiah 1:16
    Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil.
    1 Timothy 2:8
    I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
  11. Cross References
    Jeremiah 4:14
    O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?
    James 3:17
    But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
    1 Peter 1:22
    Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.
    1 John 3:3
    And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
  12. Cross References
    Matthew 5:4
    Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
  13. Cross References
    Job 22:29
    When they cast you down, and you say, 'Exaltation will come! ' Then He will save the humble person.
    Luke 14:11
    "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
    Luke 18:14
    "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
    1 Peter 5:6
    Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.
  14. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 12:20
    For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults.
    Ephesians 4:31
    Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
    James 5:9
    Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
    1 Peter 2:1 - 3
    Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking.
  15. Cross References
    Matthew 7:1 - 5
    Judge not, that you be not judged.
    Romans 14:4
    Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
  16. Cross References
    Matthew 10:28
    And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
  17. Cross References
    Romans 14:4
    Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Next Book Next Book