Living With Humility - James 4:1-17

By David Woods

Recently, I read the story of Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent, who was a spy for Russia for fifteen years. This man disclosed the identities of numerous Russians the United States was using as spies, most of whom were then eliminated.

In the spiritual realm, carnality is sort of like a spy for the devil. Actually, the problem is worse than that. For carnality is Self - it is who we are. As long as we are carnal, we are opposed to God.

Note in verse one that it says "your lusts [or desires] … that war in your members." As a patriotic citizen, I can argue that Hanssen's traitorous activities are not representative of my desires and beliefs. But I could not say that about carnality before I was entirely sanctified. Carnality was me.

James' words in our text are very strong. For instance, in verse two he accuses the Christians of murder.

Discussion: How do Christians "kill" one another?
(Destroy others' reputations, discourage others from serving God, provide a bad example that destroys the faith of others, and fighting religious wars are a few of the ways Christians can kill others - figuratively and literally.)

Verses two and three answer some of our problems with praying. James suggests that you may not receive anything because you do not pray for it and that you pray but do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives.

Discussion: How can James say that a prayer with wrong motives is not truly prayer?

In verse four James uses extremely strong language, addressing the reader as an adulterer or an adulteress. This reminds of the recurrent description of the Church (made up of all true believers) as being the Bride of Christ.

Discussion: Since we are the Bride of Christ, what are the implications for our relationship to Christ?

I would like us to skip over verses six through ten momentarily. Verses eleven through seventeen illustrate how self - carnality - tends to act out.

Discussion: I find at least three ways carnality tends to reveal itself in us.
(Critical judgmentalism of others, disregard for God's will for our future, doing that which is wrong even though we know it is wrong.)

In verses six through ten, James instructs us of the need for humility.

Discussion: What does it mean to be humble?

Discussion: How do you typically show your humility? Please don't be too humble to answer this question! ;)

Discussion: According to these verses, to whom are we to show humility?

In verse eight, James speaks of two cures for sin. The first cure is for committed acts of sin. He commands us, "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners." The second cure is for inbred sin - carnality. He commands us, "Purify your hearts, ye double minded."

The problem which James is addressing in this scripture is carnality - the inbred sin. However, before we address that inclination to sin, we first need to be forgiven of committed sins. If we have unconfessed sins in our lives, we need to ask for forgiveness of that, then we should start immediately seeking for the second work - the purification of carnality from our nature.

Read James 4:9-10

Have we lost the … art … of repentance? I have read of the camp meeting days and of great revivals in the past. People spent much time in repentance and confession of sin. Some agonized for days over their spiritual condition.

We do not want to go to an extreme of repenting for repentance's sake - that would quickly just become a show. Yet, should we emphasis the need for "godly sorrow" more?

Discussion: How can we encourage in others (and experience ourselves) a great sorrow for sinfulness?

The main point I hope has been hammered into your mind through this lesson is that:

Big Idea: Carnality sabotages our efforts to live for God.

In the unbeliever, carnality is a taskmaster. The person may know what is right - and even desire to do it, to some degree - but carnality has such a great hold on him that he is unable to carry it out.

In the carnal Christian, carnality acts as a saboteur. This person has a new nature (in addition to the old nature of carnal self). He has the power to live victorious over sin. But often he will live below his potential because of carnality.

Would you live for God and be ever true to Him? If you have unconfessed sins in your life, ask Christ for forgiveness. If your nature is still corrupted by carnality, ask Christ for cleansing.

1 John 1:9 promises us, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (ESV)