James 4:1–10 – Drawing Near to God
James 4:1–10 (ESV) – “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Submit yourselves therefore 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. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
💥 Sin’s Source Is Within
James doesn’t begin this section by blaming the world, Satan, or circumstances. Instead, he identifies the battleground: “your passions are at war within you.” The Greek word for “passions” is hedonon, from which we get the word “hedonism”—a self-centered pursuit of pleasure.
Theology: This points to the doctrine of indwelling sin. Even redeemed believers wrestle with the flesh (Romans 7:18–25), and the evidence of that war often surfaces in our relationships.
Sinful desire unchecked produces destructive behavior. James uses the strong phrase: “you murder.” While he may be speaking figuratively of hatred and slander (as Jesus did in Matthew 5:21–22), it reminds us how far unchecked selfishness can go.
Application: Before blaming others for conflict, ask: What idol of my heart is not getting what it wants?
🙏 Why Our Prayers Fail
James exposes two primary reasons prayer doesn’t work:
- Neglect – “You do not have, because you do not ask.” We forget or refuse to ask, thinking we can manage life without divine help. This is spiritual pride.
- Corruption – “You ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” We treat prayer as a tool for self-gratification instead of God-glorification.
Sound doctrine teaches that prayer is not primarily for getting what we want—but aligning our will with God’s. (Matthew 6:10 – “Your will be done.”)
Application: Do my prayers reflect God’s desires or just my wants? Am I drawing near to God or just demanding things from Him?
⚠️ The Danger of Spiritual Adultery
James delivers one of the most piercing rebukes in the New Testament: “You adulterous people!” He likens divided loyalty to unfaithfulness in marriage. It echoes the Old Testament prophets who called Israel’s idolatry “adultery” (see Hosea 1–3).
To be friends with the world’s system—its values, priorities, and self-centeredness—is to oppose the God of holiness.
Theology: Friendship with the world is enmity with God. This exposes a dangerous theological compromise: trying to live with one foot in the kingdom and one foot in the culture.
1 John 2:15–16 (KJV) – “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world… the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.”
Application: Where has the world quietly gained your affection? In your entertainment, priorities, money, or relationships?
🔥 God’s Jealous Love and Greater Grace
Verse 5 reveals the depths of God’s desire for His people: “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us.” This is not petty human jealousy, but the loving jealousy of a faithful spouse. God wants your whole heart.
And yet—what mercy follows! “But he gives more grace.”
Theology: This is the doctrine of sanctifying grace. Even when believers fall into spiritual compromise, God pursues them—not with judgment, but with more grace, if they humble themselves.
Romans 5:20 (KJV) – “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”
Application: Don’t let guilt keep you from returning. His grace is greater than your sin.
🛡️ Submit, Resist, and Draw Near
James now gives one of the most practical and theological prescriptions in the entire Bible—three movements of spiritual realignment:
- Submit to God – Surrender your will fully. This is the root of revival.
- Resist the devil – Take an active stand. Spiritual warfare is real and winnable through the Spirit.
- Draw near to God – Pursue His presence, and He promises to meet you with intimacy and mercy.
All three commands are continual, not one-time actions. They form the basis of a vibrant, Spirit-filled walk with God.
Hebrews 10:22 (ESV) – “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean…”
Application: If God feels far, He hasn’t moved—you have. And He’s waiting for your return.
🧼 Repentance that Restores
True revival is not emotionalism—it is marked by repentance. James calls for:
- Clean hands – Outward purity (actions)
- Pure hearts – Inward sincerity (affections)
- Weeping – A broken response to sin’s grief
- Humility – The posture that invites God’s favor
Doctrine: This aligns with biblical repentance, a change of mind and direction fueled by godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10).
Psalm 51:17 (KJV) – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Application: When was the last time you mourned over sin—not just confessed it lightly, but wept over how it offended a holy God?
⬆️ From Humiliation to Exaltation
James ends this section with a glorious promise: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” God lifts the lowly. He honors the contrite. The way up is down.
1 Peter 5:6 (ESV) – “Humble yourselves… so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”
Application: Your story isn’t over. If you bow low in repentance today, God may raise you up in power and purpose tomorrow.
🛠️ Faith That Works – Returns to God
- We must diagnose the real problem—our hearts, not just our habits.
- We must reject worldly values and pursue God’s presence.
- We must repent deeply, not just superficially.
This is how revival begins—in brokenness, prayer, and surrender. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
💬 Questions for Reflection
- What battle inside me is causing conflict outside me?
- Am I more comfortable with the world or with God’s people?
- When is the last time I truly humbled myself before the Lord?
🔗 Series Navigation:
- Intro: Who Wrote James—and Why?
- … [Previous posts linked] …
- James 3:13–18 – Wisdom from Above
- You are here: James 4:1–10 – Drawing Near to God
- Next: Who Are You to Judge? (James 4:11–17)
