JAMES 3:13-4:10
An Honourable Life
James is
writing to the
Jews.
What we
believe needs
to be seen in
our lives.
YES
Are you are wise and do you
understand God’s ways?
prove it by
Live an honourable life
Do good works
Leads to
In humility
with wisdom
Covered up by
Boasting
Lying
NO
test
Jealousy
Selfishness
Leads to
Purity
Peace loving
Disorder
Evil
Gentleness
Yielding to others
Showing Mercy
Earthly values
Good deeds
Unspiritual
No favouritism
Demonic
Sincerity
(This is how Satan lives)
How can I tell if I’m like this?
test
Do you compare yourself to others?
Do you use the words
• I deserve ….
• If only I had …
• It is my right …
• I will do what I like when I like.
• It’s not fair.
Do you put others down to improve your image?
Do you exaggerate your stories?
Covered up by
Boasting
Lying
Jealousy
Selfishness
Leads to
Disorder
Evil
Does what you own define who you are?
Earthly values
Think about people you know.
Do you enjoy being around
people who try to impress you?
Unspiritual
Demonic
(This is how Satan lives)
What are the qualities that God suggests
bring honour to our lives?
prove it by
Live an honourable life
Do good works
Leads to
Purity
Peace loving
Gentleness
Yielding to others
Showing Mercy
Good deeds
No favouritism
Sincerity
In humility
with wisdom
Purity
Rob spoke about this a few weeks ago.
Is what you see what you get?
Are your actions consistent with faith?
Remember: What goes in comes out.
Peace Loving 1 Peter 3:11
“Search for peace and work to maintain it”
Sometimes this means taking a hit.
Do we niggle others to get a response?
Practical: How do you resolve problems
with people?
Gentle
Knowing how to forgive when strict justice
gives us a perfect right to condemn.
Knowing how to make allowances, when not
to stand upon our rights and how to temper
justice with mercy.
Practical: Mercy first followed by Justice.
What are the qualities that God suggests
bring honour to our lives?
prove it by
Live an honourable life
Do good works
Leads to
Purity
Peace loving
Gentleness
Yielding to others
Showing Mercy
In humility
with wisdom
Yielding We hate this word: SUBMISSION
But we actually do this everyday
Practical: Avoiding a car wreck
Mercy
Showing compassion to the one who is
suffering because of their own fault.
Practical: Putting the good of others first
Good Deeds Seeing someone in need and helping
them.
Practical: If I can help I will.
Favouritism Discrimination does not play politics with
the truth for personal advantage.
Practical: Value the truth
Good deeds
No favouritism
Sincerity
Sincere Without Hypocrisy.
Stable, trustworthy, transparent
Practical: Reliable – the real deal
JAMES 4:1-9
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil
desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to
get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage
war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t
ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all
wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an
enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make
yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say
that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to
him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners;
purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there
be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be
sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before
the Lord, and he will lift you up in honour.
TEST
Purity
Peace loving
Gentleness
Evil Desires:
 Hedonism
 a passion for self gratification,
pleasure or position at any cost.
 “I just want …”
Yielding to others
Showing Mercy
Good deeds
No favouritism
Sincerity
Friend of the world:
 human society, organised and functioning apart from God
 assimilating the values of the world into our lives.
 can we distinguish between the world and God’s values?
 Does happiness come in accomplishments, in recognition, in
material possessions, comfort, and the like?
Devil - Satan the Deceiver:
 ​Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. 1Ch 21:1
 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas
Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him Jn 13:2
 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy
Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? Act 5:3
• Do you quarrel & fight?
• Do you want what others have?
• You don’t get what you want?
• You may get the possession,
but do you get the satisfaction?
• What is it you really want?
• You are chasing the wrong thing?
Selfishness!!!
Jealousy!!!
Wrong Motives
Happiness?
Personal pleasure
Purity
Peace loving
Gentleness
• God is passionate that we should be faithful to him.
Isaiah 42:6
I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.
I will take you by the hand and guard you,
and I will give you to my people, Israel,
as a symbol of my covenant with them.
And you will be a light to guide the nations.
• Faithful to what?
Doing right by others.
This reflects God: We are indeed to be followers / imitators of Jesus
Yielding to others
Showing Mercy
Good deeds
No favouritism
Sincerity
Purity
Peace loving
• V6 God opposes the proud (Boasters / Liars)
God gives grace to the humble
• Why – Cause you’ll need it if you do this!!!
• God promises to give us grace to allow us to maintain
relationship.
• This is not natural to do this. We need God’s help.
Gentleness
Yielding to others
Showing Mercy
Good deeds
No favouritism
Sincerity
Resisting Temptation:
• Strategy 1: Resist and he will flee
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine
power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty
opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought
captive to obey Christ. 2Co 10:4-5
Test the thought that comes.
• Strategy 2: Come close to God and God will come close to you.
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11
• Strategy 3: Wash your hands (External)
The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. Psalm 18:20
Choose to act in a humble way.
• Strategy 4: Purify your hearts (Internal)
I.
Renew your heart
Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person
by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and
pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2
II. Test your heart
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out
anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23-24
III. When it goes wrong: Confess and Repent
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9