Wars of Selfishness

James 4:1-10, “Wars of Selfishness”
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Wars and fights are not exactly uncommon things in our world – they are to be expected, though tragic. We saw two examples just this week: one was a disgruntled former employee in Orlando who opened fire on former co-workers, killing one & wounding 5 more. The other was the massacre at Fort Hood in Killeen, where it appears an act of domestic terrorism took place. 13 are dead, and 30 are still wounded. These are terrible events, and the families of the victims need our prayers. They are terrible & tragic, but not unexpected, because people in the world are at war with one another. What ought to be unexpected (but sadly isn’t) are wars inside the church among the people of God.

As we need to remind ourselves throughout this letter, James is writing to the very early church. These were people who were primarily Jewish in their upbringing & culture, but born-again believers in Jesus Christ. Time-wise, the records in the book of Acts have not yet ended, but already the church is having to deal with fights, wars, and quarrels among its members. (James written between 45-48; Acts written in 60-63) There were many great things about the early church – but they suffered some of the same exact problems we all do, and fights amongst themselves were one of them.

So what is a Christian to do when quarrels and fighting break out in their homes, among friends, etc? That’s exactly what James deals with in the 1st part of Ch 4. He starts off by defining the problem [“a problem well defined is half-solved…”], then he gives us the solution. The problem? Carnal selfishness… The solution? Godly humility…

James 4:1-10 (NKJV)
- Tackles the problem 1st: carnal selfishness…
1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

A. Do Christians war & fight amongst ourselves? Yes. Ought we to do so? No! Sometimes we fall into a trap of thinking that the love we ought to be displaying as born-again believers in Jesus Christ is only part-time. ‘I’ll be loving and kind when you’re nice to me & agree with me, but don’t you dare turn on me, or I’ll be on you like white on rice!’ … That’s not love at all; that’s convenience. … … True selfless agape love is patient & kind, it doesn’t behave rudely & isn’t easily provoked (1 Cor 13:4-5). Those aren’t qualities that can be tested when everything is peaches & roses; you can only test how easily you can’t be provoked when someone actually provokes you. … So many times we get provoked, and then we don’t respond in agape; we respond in anger, and language heats up, voices get louder, and before you know it, we’re fighting with someone we love. And when fights aren’t dealt with & forgiveness doesn’t take place, those fights turn into wars…
__a. This isn’t what our Lord Jesus desires for us! He obviously knew we would struggle here, which is why He prayed for unity. John 17:20-21 (20) “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (21) that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. [] This doesn’t sound like a people at war with one another! Jesus’ prayer for the church is that we would be one! Neither backbiting one another as individuals, nor breaking fellowship with other churches over non-essential doctrine. Jesus is the head over ONE Church – and every person who’s trusted Christ as Savior & Lord is part of it. When we fight & war with one another, we’re warring against someone for whom Christ died – and in a way, fighting against Christ Himself…it’s part of HIS body.

B. Where do these fights come from? Can we blame them on pressures from the world? Can we blame them solely upon the work of the devil? No. Just like our temptations, our fights come from our own sinful desires. In Ch 1:14, we’re told we’re led away by our own desires & tempted. Likewise here. Our fighting is a result of our own desires, our own covetousness that wants ‘my way & only my way.’
__a. Greek is interesting here. ἡδονή ~ “hedonism” = “that which tastes good”…it’s a reference to personal pleasure & preferred desires. Obviously pleasure is not necessarily a bad thing (we’re to taste & see that the Lord is good! Ps 34:8), but hedonists seek only what is pleasurable to them, regardless of its effects on others. It’s actually the opposite of agape love. Agape love thinks of others 1st; hedonism thinks of self 1st. Those who think of themselves 1st are easily provoked because “I” was offended, and “I” will feel better if “I” lash out in anger, and “I” will feel better if to hold grudges, etc.

C. Internal selfishness leads to external sinfulness…
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2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

A. Notice how this all goes back to selfishness. One person lusts for something & they can’t get it. They do whatever they think they need to do to get it (coveting, character assassination, whatever) and they still can’t get it. So they fight & war with other people until they do get it…but it still doesn’t come. But it all comes back to self. Selfish covetousness is the oldest sin in the book. Satan wasn’t happy with his place; he wanted more & so he rebelled against God. Adam & Eve were tempted in the garden because they wanted more. Cain murdered Abel because he wanted his offering to be the best offering – he wanted more. Selfishness is a gateway to all kinds of sin ranging from idolatry to murder.
__a. BTW – was James accusing the church of literally murdering & killing one another? No…this would have been a far different kind of letter! But we can murder people in our hearts far more easily & often. Whoever hates their brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15), and unrighteous anger is just as worthy of judgment as murder is (Matt 5:21-22). Hopefully none of us in this room have held a gun to someone’s head, but how many of us have shot it off in our hearts? This is where carnal selfishness leads…

B. Interestingly enough, the very thing that sets people on a selfish path of destruction could so very easily be solved through submitted prayer! Christians don’t have because we don’t ask. Jesus said to ask anything in His name, and He’d do it (John 14:13) – He said everyone who asks will receive & everyone who seeks will find (Matt 7:8) – He said that we are to ask in prayer, believe that we’ll receive, and we will receive them (Mark 11:24). Over & over through the gospels, Christ Jesus makes this same promise…you’d think we’d actually listen.  We do not have because we do not ask.
__a. ‘Ok, so why is it my prayers weren’t answered?! Why didn’t I get what I asked for?’ See vs. 3…
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3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

A. How to ensure your prayers are NOT answered? Ask in selfishness. Ask amiss. Ask because you want it for your hedonistic desires (same word as in vs. 1) because it’s what you want for you first, without regard of what God wants. [Sears Christmas catalog as a kid] Prayer is not taking a catalog of stuff to God & saying, “I want, I want”; prayer is about submitting ourselves to God & declaring “I want what You want.” We see it in the model prayer the Lord Jesus gave us, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread…” (Matt 6:10-11) Are we invited to ask for our needs? Absolutely! We are utterly dependent upon God for them. But we are 1st submitted to God Himself, and we are to ask for His will to be done 1st & foremost. Jesus personally exampled this in the garden before His crucifixion – Luke 22:41-42 (41) And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, (42) saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” [] Was Jesus asking in faith? Absolutely! But He didn’t ask in selfishness; He asked in submitted faith.

B. Sometimes we hear criticism from certain preachers along the lines of, “If you’re asking for God’s will to be done instead of yours, you’re not asking in faith; you’re invalidating your whole prayer!” How many ways can we say that’s wrong? Let’s be perfectly clear: there can be no more God-honoring prayer than to ask for God’s will to be done. Do we bring our heart’s desire before the Lord? Yes – absolutely. But are we omniscient? Do we know the end from the beginning? Worse yet, do we think we know better than God Almighty? Heaven forbid! God is God & we’re not. When we ask in the type of “faith” that demands God puts His will aside so that our personal request will be accomplished, that is pure carnality & selfish covetousness. And that’s exactly what James condemns.
__a. Although James may or may not have known it was coming, this is a direct hit on the modern “prosperity gospel” movement. We can not bribe God with our gifts, nor manipulate Him with our praise in order that God is forced to do anything for us. There is no magic formula we can work that will make God fatten up our bank accounts & give us luxury cars. If selfish hedonistic pleasures are the reason you’re praying, James (through the Holy Spirit) assures you that you won’t get what you’re asking for.
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4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

A. One aspect of selfishness? It’s an indicator of worldliness. When what goes through our mind is “I want, I want…”, then we can be assured that we have the exact same mindset of the world & thus the sin Christ died for. When we’re wanting the things of the world – and especially when we’re willing to step all over people to get them – then our minds are obviously set on worldly things. Never mind what Jesus wants (you know, the One you call Lord & King), you want what you want, and who cares what the consequences are? If that’s you, be careful! If you’re a born-again Christian (you turned away from your sin, believed Jesus is the Son of God risen from the dead, received Him as Lord), then you are part of the bride of Christ. As Christ’s bride, you’ve just committed adultery with the world.

B. The result? We’re making ourselves into an enemy of God. It may sound a bit extreme, but it’s perfectly logical when we think about it. The world hates Jesus, thus we can’t be friends with the world; the world is an enemy of God. If we’re friends with God’s enemy, that makes us God’s enemy as well…

C. Keep in mind there is a big difference between separation & isolation. Christians are to be different from the world, but we’re not to be completely cut off from it. Jesus specifically prayed that God would not take us out of the world, but that we’d be kept safe from the temptations (and tempter) of the world (John 17:15). Jesus does not call us to be hermits locked away in our own little Christian communes – how then could be salt & light? How could we fulfill the Great Commission? We are IN the world, but we are not OF the world, and thus we are not to commit adultery WITH the world.
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5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

A. If you do a word search in the OT to find this quote, you’re going to come up a bit short. Many scholars think that James isn’t attempting to quote Scripture here, but rather summarize the general thought of God’s holy jealousy for His people which is seen throughout the OT (Exo 20:5, 34:14, Deut 4:24, Josh 24:19, etc.)…
__a. God is jealous? Not like us. God is jealous for US…

B. BTW – Translations differ on this somewhat…scholars have a tough time translating this particular phrase. Some think this is a reference to the human spirit yearning to jealousy & envy, which would stir up pride & worldliness & quarrels. Others believe this is a reference to the 3rd Person of the Trinity as God the Holy Spirit yearns jealously for US to follow God alone & not the world. Personally, I side with those who believe this is a reference to the Holy Spirit – He “dwells in us.” Over & over the NT refers to the Holy Spirit dwelling in us (or looks at demon possessions with the spirits dwelling with the man in question); yet when referring to the spirit of man it almost never separates the man from the spirit. Our spirits don’t “dwell” in us; they’re simply a part of us. It’s by the grace of God that the Holy Spirit of God does dwell in us! And that Holy Spirit is jealous for us to be devoted only to Him.
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- What’s the solution to all this selfishness & worldliness? Godly humility! …
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

A. Quoting the LXX version of Proverbs 3:34. Original Hebrew, Proverbs 3:34 (34) Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. [] Greek word used for “scornful” is a compound word – seems to have root of “over-shining.” The idea is arrogance & haughtiness. [good pride vs. bad pride] Those who come to God with a haughty selfish spirit are going to find themselves resisted by God at every turn. But those who humble themselves & submit themselves to God are going to receive His grace in abundance. Look no further than the kings of Israel – Saul was proud & haughty & had the kingdom ripped away from him… David was humble at times he had opportunity for selfish revenge, and God blessed him…

B. This principle is absolutely key in our relationship with God! Contextually, if we want to avoid fighting & warring against other members in the body of Christ (and thus fighting against God Himself), what do we do? We humble ourselves. Instead of seeking ourselves 1st, we seek 1st the kingdom of God & His righteousness… Instead of showing ourselves proud & arrogant against our brother or sister in Christ, we humble ourselves before God & demonstrate His love & patience with one another.
__a. Humility before God ought to be the 1st step we take in addressing any problems we have with one another. Before we can take the speck out of our brother’s eye, we need to take the log out of our own (Matt 7:5); before we jump down someone’s back about how they offended us, we need to examine our own hearts before the Lord & humble ourselves before Him.
__b. Also a key principle to remember in evangelism… Those who are proud in their sin & self-righteousness will not understand their need for a Savior because they haven’t any idea of how sinful their sin actually is. But the person who is broken because they realize that they’ve sinned against a Holy Perfect Just & Loving God will welcome the gospel…

C. So we know we need to humble ourselves before God. Great spiritual truth, amen! But how do we do that, practically? James gives 3 steps…
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7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

A. Step #1: be submissive… The word has the idea of voluntary submission – a falling in-line – an assuming of duty. Different than mere obedience. A person can be obedient, but not submissive (ask your children!). Obedience may be part of humility, but without submission it’s not humility. If we want to deal with selfishness in our own hearts, we need to stop being selfish – which requires that we voluntarily get off our throne & allow the Lord Jesus to have His proper place in our lives. After all, it doesn’t matter what counsel we receive in the Scriptures if we’re not willing to do it in the 1st place…

B. Beyond humility, this is essential in spiritual warfare. The order here is divinely inspired. We cannot resist the devil if we are not submitted to God. Ever wonder why temptations & spiritual struggles run rampant in your life when you haven’t been spending time in the word & in prayer? It’s because you’re not submitted to God. When we don’t willingly place ourselves at His feet, it’s no wonder that our attitudes start growing arrogant & we begin to get susceptible to all kinds of temptations & are led away by our own desires.
__a. BTW – there’s a wonderful promise here. When we are submitted to God, then when we resist the devil (standing firm against him clothed in the armor of God, Eph 6), then he WILL flee from us! The devil is a very real enemy looking to take down as many people to Hell with him as possible. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But the devil is no match against the Lord Jesus Christ… When you’re submitted to Christ, the devil will run!
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8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

A. Step #2: be sanctified… Goes back to the idea in vs. 4 about being friends with the world… As Christians, we don’t want to draw near to the world, we want to draw near to God. This is the idea of sanctification. Two-fold:
__a. Sanctified towards God: Draw near to God – worship Him, learn of Him, grow close to Him. ‘But how do I draw near to God?’ How do you draw near to your spouse? How is it that your know more of your husband/wife today than you did back when you 1st met them? You spend time with them, talk with them, etc… … It’s the same idea with God. And the wonderful promise is that when we draw near to God, He will draw near to us! The more time you spend in the presence of God through worship & the word, the more you’ll recognize the work of God in your life…which only increases your worship… It’s wonderful!
__b. Sanctified away from the world: Sanctification has both the idea of being holy & being separate. If we are to no longer be friends with the world, then we need to be separate from the world – be cleansed from its enticements & desires & be purified away from it. Obviously this is only possible through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we draw near to God, our hearts will be changed to where we don’t desire the things of the world like we used to…and when our hearts change, then our actions need to follow.
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9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

A. Step #3: be sincere… At 1st glance, this verse might seem opposed to other parts of the Bible where we’re told change out our mourning for dancing (Ps 30:11) & letting the new covenant of Christ change our sorrow for joy (Jer 31:13), but keep the context in mind. When it comes to worldliness within the church, this IS something that should bring us sorrow! When are hands aren’t cleaned, and our hearts aren’t pure before God, we shouldn’t laugh it off, but we should rather mourn over it. IOW, we need to recognize our sin for what it is, and actually show contrition & remorse over it. [David’s repentance] Psalm 51:16-17 (16) For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. (17) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise. [] It’s no surprise when Christians slip up in sin; it is when they show no remorse over it. Remorse over sin is a sign that your heart is being changed into the heart God has…if you don’t have remorse, you need to get on your knees quick.
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10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

A. The result of our humility? God will exalt us in due time… 1 Peter 5:6-7 (6) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. [] God cares for you! God loves you! We don’t humble ourselves in order that we would be abased & wail in dust & ashes, putting on false shows of humility. We humble ourselves in order that we might come to our exalted King & God who invites us to come before Him, that we would enjoy His presence & live as His children. Whether it be now or in eternity, God will lift us up in His time. The 1st will be last & the last will be 1st, and God will be glorified in all things. And His desire is to be glorified in us now just as much as He will be glorified in us in heaven – so put away the selfish desires, and humble yourself before your God who loves you with an everlasting love!

Conclusion:
When there’s fighting among believers, we have a problem. When you war in your heart against another brother or sister in Christ, we have a problem. When you desire the things of the world more than God, we have a problem. The problem is selfishness – worldliness – covetousness, and it’s infected the church. The problem isn’t new, but it IS indeed a problem, and we need to deal with it.

The good news is that God has already dealt with it at the cross, and He calls us to a new way of living as a result. Not in selfishness, but in humility. As we submit ourselves to God, are sanctified by His grace, and are sincere in our contrition, we are coming to God in simple humility by which He gives us grace and lifts us up. And know this: God doesn’t ask us to do what He hasn’t demonstrated already through His Son, Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus is our very example of humility! He was eternally co-equal with God the Father, emptied Himself & came incarnate as a man of no reputation, took on the form of a bondslave, and was humble & obedient even to the death of the Cross – and as a result, God has highly exalted Him & given Him the name which is above every name! One day, every knee will bow & every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God! (Phil 2:5-11)

If the Son of God would humble Himself on our behalf to the glory of God, why would we do any less? A servant is not greater than His master, and our Master humbled Himself – thus we ought to humble ourselves. He will lift us up in due time…even to the point of being co-heirs for all of eternity with none other than the Lord Jesus Himself! So Christian, humble yourself now, and let God exalt you later.

Maybe you’re at war today. You’ve been led away by selfish desires, and it’s caused you to be at war with others, and fighting with the people you love. Let today be the day you make peace. It starts with submission…humble yourself before God today, confess your sin to him in sincerity – ask Him to do His will in you that He wants to do. That’s the starting point…then & only then will you be able to make peace with those around you.

Maybe the One you’re at war with is none other than God Himself. You’ve rebelled against His law, resisted His work in your life, refused to submit to Him as God. In short, you’ve been proud & had no fear of God whatsoever. Know this: you’re setting yourself up for a fall. Whether you want to believe it or not, it’s appointed to man to die once, and then face the judgment. You will stand before God one day and give an account for every thought, word, and deed you’ve ever had. Who can possibly stand in that day? When lust is seen as adultery, hatred is seen as murder, and selfishness is equal to idolatry? The law of God is our standard, and by the law of God, everyone is found guilty – there is none righteous, no not one. But it’s because of that that the gospel is indeed such good news! The punishment we deserved for breaking the law of God has already been poured out upon Jesus Christ… Whereas we are dead in our sin, Jesus through His love offers us life & life everlasting… But you cannot come to Him in your pride. God resists the proud. Humble yourself before Him today & receive His grace…