No one can tame the tongue, the tongue can only be tamed by the Holy Spirit, by the help of God, every thing is possible.
4:1-2, What cause our fight and quarrels? There is a reason for these fight and quarrels. It is not doctrinal issue involved, but VPP also involved the lust. VPP brings many into fight and quarrels, so what cause those quarrels and fights? Lust! The word would equally comprehend the spirit-which leads to a brawl in the street, and that which prompted to the conquests of Alexander, Caesar, or Napoleon. All this is the same spirit evinced on a larger or smaller scale.
Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Do not let our desire take control our spirit! Let fulfill the church’s desire, in using the KJV and CUV and continue in same heart and same mind, the church needs the unity, treasure this unity, it comes not easily. My friends!
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Justice, equity, the fear of God, the spirit of true religion, never originated any war, but the corrupt passions of men have made the earth one great battle-field. If true religion existed among all men, there would be no more war. War always supposes that wrong has been done on one side or the other, and that one party or the other, or both, is indisposed to do right. The spirit of justice, equity, and truth, which the religion of Christ would implant in the human heart, would put an end. to war for ever.
4:2, You kill! Murderer! Why you kill, why a Christian kill? Because you hate! Why you hate, because you say you have the “truth,” and you had misquoted many Bible verses to support the VPP, you said you had the perfect text, but that is wrong. And you say you have the perfect Bible! There is war and fighting for VPP? Why? We had neglect the prayer, showing the reason why we did not have the things which were necessary. If ye prayed, there would be no "wars and fightings."!
The Bible says, Spirit must control our desire. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Why we let our desire run wild? Are we not learned yet, we cannot tame our tongue, and now we cannot tame our desire, let use our desire to edify other and bring benefit to the congregation.
4:3, you asked for a perfect Bible, but with what motives! Where is that perfect underlying text, God may grant us that? Let clean our heart! God will answer us. Esteem other, God will esteem us, why boast for a perfect TR, even tomorrow you also do not know what will happened next, be content with the Bible version we had in our hands. It is not enough problems in out church and society?
James said, It is not enough to ask for good things, but we must ask with a good spirit and intention. "Ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it, your object of prayer, upon your lusts, not that ye may have the things you need for the service of God. Contrast Jas 1:5; Mt 6:31-32. If ye prayed aright, all your proper wants would be supplied; the improper cravings which produce "wars and fightings" would then cease. Even believers' prayers are often best answered when their desires are most opposed.
4:4, you adulterous people! Ask God for wisdom! Be a doer of the Word of God.
It is a deeper crime to be unfaithful to God than to any created being; and it will yet be seen that even the violation of the marriage contract, great as is the sin, is a slight offence compared with unfaithfulness towards God!
The sin of adultery stands here as the embodiment of all the fleshly lusts in which these unworthy professors of Christianity indulged. The same sin is charged by the apostles Peter and Jude upon the false teachers and their followers, 2Pe 2:10,14,18; Jude 1:25,25,25. The world; the men of the world, with all the worldly objects to which they devote themselves, "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." Compare 1 John 2:15-16.
4:7-11, James wrote a proverb for them, 8 sentences! Wisdom from above!
1.surrender to God.
2.resist the devils.
3.come near to God.
4.wash your hands.
5.purify your heart.
6.grieve, mourn and wail, you rich people.
7.Humble before God.
8.Do not slander one and another.
4:11, should we love one another? Should not we respect one and another? Should not we love our brothers? Are we called to hate our brother? Are we higher than the law? There is evil of VPP, referred to is that of talking against others---against their actions, their motives, their manner of living, their families, etc. Few things are more common in the world; nothing is more decidedly against the true spirit of religion.
Our business in religion is not to make laws, or to declare what they should have been, or to amend those that are made; it is simply to obey those which are appointed, and to allow others to do the same, as they understand them. It would be well for all individual Christians. and Christian denominations, to learn this, and to imbibe the spirit of charity to which it would prompt.
James 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
4:13-17, God do preserve His people, and he advice us do not be many master! We must tame our tongue! Children of God do not worry about life, do not worry for tomorrow, do not worry about what we eat, and what we wear, surely God will provide for us His daily food and providence, surely God will provide His Words for His children, we live on the every word that proceed from the mouth of God. Why you quarrel about word? Are God not giving His Word for his children?
What is your life? It is but a vapour! For he remembered that they were but flesh. A wind that passeth away and that cometh not again. (Ps 78:39.)
Received text has no old authority! Do not boast about the perfect Text! Boast about our future is a sin! We must do the good when we know it!
We better said, “If the Lord will!” This is proper, because we are wholly dependent on Him for life, and as dependent on Him for success, He alone can keep us, and He only can make our plans prosperous. In a thousand ways He can thwart our best-laid schemes, for all things are under His control. We need not travel far in life to see how completely all that we have is in the hands of God, or to learn how easily He can frustrate us if He pleases. There is nothing on which the success of our plans depends over which we have absolute control; there is nothing, therefore, on which we can base the assurance of success but His favour.
But now ye rejoice in your boastings in VPP. That is, probably, in your boastings of what you can do; your reliance on your own skill and sagacity. You form your plans for the future as if with consummate wisdom, and are confident of success. You do not anticipate a failure; you do not see how plans so skilfully formed can fail. You form them as if you were certain that you would live; as if secure from the numberless casualties which may defeat your schemes.
All such rejoicing is evil. It is founded on a wrong view of yourselves and of what may occur. It shows a spirit forgetful of our dependence on God; forgetful of the uncertainty of life; forgetful of the many ways by which the best-laid plans may be defeated. We should never boast of any wisdom or skill in regard to the future. A day, an hour may defeat our best-concerted plans, and show us that we have not the slightest power to control coming events.It is foolish, and it is hurtful, to boast of worldly things and aspiring projects; it will bring great disappointment, and will prove destruction in the end.
The conclusion of all the former treatise.James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. We are always to depend on the will of God. Our times are not in our own hands, but at the disposal of God. Our heads may be filled with cares and contrivances for ourselves, or our families, or our friends; but Providence often throws our plans into confusion. All we design, and all we do, should be with submissive dependence on God.
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