THE BOOK OF JAMES
(“James’ Ten Commandments”) (Part 1)
James 4:4-10 (NASU)
“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
(A) NOT I, BUT CHRIST
(1) The Bible is filled with commands from God – not just the Ten people are most familiar with (c.f. Exodus 20:1-17) – or the “two” Jesus said form the foundation upon which “the whole Law” is built (c.f. Matthew 22:36-40) – but also numerous other commands, like those found in this morning’s text (c.f. James 4:7).
(2) All God’s commands serve multiple purposes.
(a) For one thing, they show us what His will for us is (c.f. Romans 12:2) – or, to put it another way, they show us how we can please Him (c.f. Ephesians 5:10). Hence, the Ten Commandments tell us (for example) that it’s God’s will we “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”, in part by making corporate worship our first priority every Lord’s Day (c.f. Exodus 20:8; Hebrews 10:24-25) – and, that it’s also God’s will we “not commit adultery” in any of its various forms (c.f. Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:28). Elsewhere we’re told God is pleased when we love Him with “all our heart” (c.f. Matthew 22:37) – and, in today’s Scripture lesson, when we “submit” ourselves to Him, and “draw near” to Him, and “humble” ourselves in His “presence” (c.f. James 4:7-8, 10).
(b) So, God’s commandments reveal what His will for our lives is. At the same time, they also serve the purpose of driving us to Jesus Christ – not just for our salvation, as Paul explains in Galatians chapter three (c.f. Galatians 3:24) – but also for the grace we need to live moment by moment AFTER we’ve been saved.
(3) You see, whenever we come upon one of God’s commandments, or even a series of commands like those in this morning’s Scripture lesson (c.f. James 4:7-10), there are several ways we can respond.
(a) One is to say, “I’m not going to do that!” Nor is this act of rebellion always as blatant as I’ve made it sound – sometimes it’s simply a matter of quietly ignoring what God has told us to do – like the son in one of Jesus’ parables whose father told him to go work in the vineyard, and he said: “‘I will’ … but (then) he did not go” (c.f. Matthew 21:28-30).
(b) Another way to respond to God’s commands is to say to ourselves: “I can do this!” So, when we find that we’re not drawing near to God like we should, or not resisting the devil like we should (c.f. James 4:7-8), we say to ourselves: “I can do this! I just need to try harder.”
This response is typical of many Christians. I love America – but I do not love one of the basic doctrines of what I will call the “religion of Americanism”, that encourages people to believe they can accomplish anything they want if they just put their mind to it – that anyone can achieve their dreams if they’re just willing to work hard enough. Unfortunately this “doctrine” does not take into account God’s providence in such areas as a person’s circumstances, or their opportunities, or the presence or absence of certain natural abilities.
Nevertheless, this secular attitude has been assimilated into the culture of the American church, to such a degree that many Christians believe the right attitude toward any command found in Scripture is to tell themselves (and God): “I can do this!” Likewise, when they fail to keep His commands perfectly (which happens to all of us), many Christians believe the right response is to renew their efforts by telling themselves: “I’ve just got to try harder.”
This kind of thinking is wholly man-centered. It suggests Christians are essentially self-sufficient, rather than totally dependent upon God – that all we need from Christ is a little boost here and there, and we’ll be alright – that “having begun in the Spirit (to paraphrase Paul’s question in Galatians chapter three – c.f. Galatians 3:3), we can now PERFECT OURSELVES in the flesh” (meaning, we can perfect ourselves by our own efforts).
What Scripture actually teaches is something quite different – something that can be summed up by Paul’s words in First Corinthians chapter fifteen when he said: “by the grace of God I am what I am …” Paul said, “I worked hard – in fact, I worked harder than anyone else – BUT, whatever success I’ve had preaching the gospel and establishing churches is because of God’s grace, and NOT my hard work” (c.f. I Corinthians 15:10). A footnote in the New Geneva Study Bible says: “Divine grace did not make Paul lazy, (rather, it) caused him (or enabled him) to labor ‘more abundantly’ than anyone else.”5 In other words, even Paul’s hard work was due to – or dependent upon – God’s grace.
(c) And that leads us to a third way we can respond to any command from God – and that’s to take the attitude that says: “I cannot do this by myself! God has required perfection from me (c.f. Matthew 5:48) – but I can’t obey this command perfectly – I need help.” Whereupon, we then turn to Christ our Savior for that help – in keeping with the verse from Hebrews that says: “let us draw near with confidence to the THRONE OF GRACE, so that we may receive mercy and FIND GRACE TO HELP in time of need” (c.f. Hebrews 4:16) (which is really the only kind of “time” we have – i.e. we’re always in need).
To put it simply, the only way we can obey any command from God is by Christ’s enabling grace – what’s more, any time we obey a command from God, it’s only by Christ’s enabling grace – and when we fail to obey perfectly (as will most certainly happen to all of us, because none of us ever obeys our Savior perfectly), His forgiving grace covers our sin – so that in the end we deflect all credit away from ourselves, saying: “We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done” (c.f. Luke 17:10) – while at the same time proclaiming with the psalmist: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name (alone, be all the) glory …” (c.f. Psalm 115:1).
(B) PURSUE HUMILITY
(1) I bring all of this up because today’s Scripture lesson is saturated with commands – as many as ten by one count.1 What’s more, each command reflects an aspect of God’s will for our lives as His covenant people – each command tells us one way to please our Savior. Now REMEMBER, we are NOT saved by obeying these commands (c.f. Galatians 2:16) – but if we have been saved by God’s grace through the gift of faith in Jesus Christ (c.f. Ephesians 2:8-9), we should be seeing some evidence of these things in our life – i.e. some evidence of submission to God – some evidence of resistance to the schemes of the devil – some evidence of repentance and humility before our Savior (c.f. James 4:7-10) Furthermore, as long as we’re focused on obeying God’s commands, we won’t have to worry about committing spiritual adultery by trying to be friends with the world and friends with our Savior-Husband at the same time (c.f. James 4:4).
(2) So, with those things in mind, the first command in this morning’s text says: “Submit therefore to God …” (c.f. James 4:7).
(a) “Therefore” (c.f. James 4:7) is one of those words that ties a writer’s thoughts together. In this case, it connects what James just said in verse six with what he’s about to say in verses seven through ten – and, of course, what he said in the last part of verse six is that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (c.f. James 4:6). Essentially, that’s an exhortation to Christians to practice humility in all our personal relationships –but especially in our relationships with each other (c.f. Philippians 2:3). If we practice humility, chances are we won’t be “fighting and quarreling” with our brothers and sisters in Christ (c.f. James 4:1-2) – if we practice humility, chances are we won’t be “envious” of what God has chosen to give others that He hasn’t given to us (c.f. James 4:2) (which happens to be a violation of the tenth commandment regarding coveting – c.f. Exodus 20:17).
(b) Note, too, that the concept of “humility” comes up again in the last verse of our Scripture lesson (i.e. verse ten) (c.f. James 4:10) – and when combined with verse six (c.f. James 4:6) forms a kind of parenthesis. In between those parentheses James gives us a brief description of what Christian humility looks like.
(c) And the first thing he says (in verse seven) is that Christian humility is characterized by “submi(ssion) … to God …” (c.f. James 4:7). No one is truly humble until they have submitted their will to the will of God (c.f. Luke 22:42) – their life to His laws – their way of think to His word – their natural (and often selfish) desires to His holy purposes.
(d) The concept of submission described in Scripture is about as popular in today’s world as a traffic jam on the interstate. One writer notes that today people are taught to “assert themselves”, rather than “submit themselves”2 – that people are encouraged to stand up for their rights, rather than put the needs of others ahead of their own (c.f. Philippians 2:4). And yet, a much different attitude is required of God’s people in Scripture.2
(e) The Greek word for “submit” (“hupotasso”) was a military term that literally meant “to rank oneself under”3 for the purpose of obedience.4 Note, then, that there is a volunteer aspect to this word3 – however, we shouldn’t press the metaphor too far. Nor should we press it in every instance where the word is used in Scripture – like the passage that says the demons were “subject” to the disciples in Jesus’ name (c.f. Luke 10:17). It’s hard to image their submission was voluntary. It’s interesting to observe, however, that this same word is used of Jesus’ submission to His parents when He was a boy (c.f. Luke 2:51) – of a wife’s submission to her husband (c.f. Ephesians 5:24) – of a slave’s submission to his master (c.f. Titus 2:9) – of a Christian’s submission to civil authorities (c.f. Romans 13:1)3 – and even of a Christian’s submission to the elders of his church (c.f. I Peter 5:5).2
(f) Above all, however, we Christians are to live every moment of every day in an attitude of “submi(ssion) … to God” (c.f. James 4:7). Nor are we to submit in word only – but also in practice (c.f. I John 3:18) – as well as from the heart (c.f. Ephesians 6:6).
(g) Submission to God requires the death of self – and that’s not something we’re going to do readily (or voluntarily). It also requires us to subdue our pride – which is not something we can do on our own either. Hence, our great need for Christ’s enabling grace.
(h) If we want to see what submission to God looks like, we have Jesus’ example in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the night before He went to the cross He prayed: “not My will, but Yours be done” (c.f. Luke 22:42) – but then, we also need to realize that’s not something you and I are likely to pray on our own. Usually we want our will to be done first – and then, if God can work His will in, that’s okay with us. To understand submission we have to look to Jesus’ example when He told His disciples: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and … accomplish His work” (c.f. John 4:34) – but then we need to be ready to admit that’s not something we’re going to want to do apart from a work of God’s grace in our life (seeing as how the “food” of the old man is to do our own will before anything else).
(i) The primary way we “submit to God” (c.f. James 4:7) is by obeying His word – indeed, without obedience to His commands there is no submission, no matter how good a life we think we’re living. Before we can obey God’s word we have to read God’s word – BUT remember, reading should never be mistaken for obeying. Before we can obey God’s word we have to know what His word says – BUT remember, knowledge should never be mistaken for obedience. Before we can obey God’s word we have to sit under the faithful teaching and accurate preaching of God’s word – BUT, hearing God’s word from the pulpit should never be confused with obeying it. As James said earlier: “prove yourselves DOERS of the word (i.e. obeyers), and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (c.f. James 1:22).
(j) So, the question we need to ask ourselves is this: Is your life (is my life) characterized by submission to God? Does obedience to His will, as He has expressed it through the commands found in Scripture, typify your life? I’m not asking if your submission is perfect, because we both know that’s not the case – nor am I asking if your obedience is flawless, because we both know it isn’t (nor is mine). I’m simply asking if submission to God is a genuine desire of your heart – I’m asking if it ever grieves you when you don’t obey Him like you should – I’m asking if you care even a little about whether you are doing God’s will or not. And I ask these questions because one evidence that God’s grace is at work in our life is if we can answer “yes” – and really mean it.
(3) So, the first characteristic of genuine humility before God is submission (c.f. James 4:7) – but, that’s not the whole story. As most of you know by now, when it comes to biblical truth, there’s often another side to the proverbial coin – and in this instance, that other side is “resisting the devil” (c.f. James 4:7). Hence, the second command in verse seven says: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (c.f. James 4:7).
(a) These two commands go together like thunder and lightening. In other words, “submitting to God” AND “resisting the devil” (c.f. James 4:7) compliment one another – they complete each other. It’s not enough to do one – or the other – we must be striving to do both. It’s not enough to “submit to God” – or “resist the devil” in some area of our life – we must learn to do both. Otherwise, we will not be doing either the way God intends.
(b) We also need to remember that “the devil” (c.f. James 4:7) is NOT a mythical, cartoon character – dressed in red, with a pointed tail, horns on his head, and a pitchfork in his hands – NOR should he be thought of as being the one who’s in charge of hell, and who enjoys making people suffer in the eternal flames (as a matter of fact, Satan hates hell – and has no desire to spend eternity there, in part, because he’ll be suffering a worse fate than anyone else! – c.f. Matthew 8:29).
Satan is actually an angelic being of incredible beauty – a created being who was originally blameless, but later fell into sin because he wanted to be like God (c.f. Ezekiel 28:13-15; Isaiah 14:12-15). Ever since his fall, he and his angelic followers (c.f. Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:4) (known as demons) have been doing everything they can (without success, I might add) to thwart God’s redemptive plans (c.f. Matthew 4:1-11; John 13:27) – not only by tempting people to sin (c.f. Job 1-2; Acts 5:3), but also by hindering the proclamation of the gospel (c.f. I Thessalonians 2:18) – by distorting the message of the gospel so it’s no longer the gospel (c.f. II Corinthians 11:13-15) – and by encouraging people to reject the true gospel of salvation whenever they hear it (c.f. Matthew 13:19).
(c) So, “the devil” (c.f. James 4:7) is not to be taken lightly. Scripture calls him our “adversary” – and says he “prowls around (the earth) like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (c.f. I Peter 5:8) – an image that’s meant to convey a sense of his strength and destructive power.6 Hence, that same passage tells Christians to “be on the alert” – just like we would if we knew a grizzly bear was roaming around in woods near our house.
(d) “The devil” (c.f. James 4:7) is powerful – but he’s not as powerful as God! In fact, Scripture tells us all his actions are always subject to God’s sovereign control (c.f. Job 1-2). What’s more, Jesus (who was God come in human flesh – c.f. Matthew 1:23) was able to “destroy the works of the devil” (c.f. I John 3:8), in part, by exorcising demons from their human hosts (c.f. Mark 1:39).
(e) James says we Christians are to “resist the devil”. The Greek word for “resist” (“anthisetmi”) is another military term that literally means “to stand against, or to oppose.”3 The contrast, then, could not be more striking – on the one hand, we’re to be in “submission to God” like a private submits to his general – while on the other hand, we’re to “stand in opposition” to the devil like a soldier who’s been ordered to hold his position at all costs.
Ideally, then, we shouldn’t give him a foothold in any area of our life (c.f. Ephesians 4:27) – ideally, we should stand firm against all his schemes (c.f. Ephesians 6:11) – ideally, we should be wearing the full armor of God at all times so we can repulse him whenever he attacks (c.f. Ephesians 6:13-17) – ideally, we should be prepared to follow the example of our Savior and fight him back with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (c.f. Matthew 4:3-11) (hence, the need for reading and studying and memorizing the word or God!).
All this tells us we should NEVER try to “resist the devil” (c.f. James 4:7) in our own strength – because by ourselves we’re no match for him, either individually or collectively. Rather, we must learn to “resist” him using the strength and “equipment” God supplies (c.f. I Peter 4:11). We’re no match for Satan – BUT, Satan is no match for our Savior. Hence, Scripture says elsewhere: “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (c.f. I John 4:4) – and again: “in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer (not through our own strength, but) through Him who loved us” (c.f. Romans 8:37).
(f) Finally, then, James promises that if we “resist the devil (in the strength God supplies) … he will flee from (us)” (c.f. James 4:7). It sounds so easy, doesn’t it? Just resist, and Satan will turn tail and run – just stand firm, and the devil will give ground – just hold your position, and our adversary will “leave us” just like he “left” Jesus after three attempts (c.f. Matthew 4:11). This interpretation of James’ promise is probably somewhat naïve – because practical experience suggests Satan doesn’t usually give up so easily.
John Calvin had an interesting take on this – he said, “the promise … respecting the fleeing of Satan, seems to be refuted by daily experience; for it is certain, that the more strenuously any one resists, the more fiercely he is urged”7 (i.e. the harder we resist, the more Satan steps up his attacks) – Calvin then continued: “For Satan, in a manner, acts playfully when he is not in earnest repelled; but against those who really resist him, he employs all the strength he possesses. And further, he is never wearied with fighting; but when conquered in one battle, he immediately engages in another”7 – whereupon, Calvin then offered this explanation: “To this I reply that fleeing is to be taken here for putting to flight or routing. And doubtless, though he repeats his attacks continually, he yet always departs vanquished.”7
(g) Calvin’s point is this – the devil may flee, but he never goes very far. Hence, in Luke’s version of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness he says that “when the devil had finished every temptation, he left (Jesus) until an opportune time” (c.f. Luke 4:13) – or as a paraphrased version says: “he went away to wait until a better time” (ICB), or a “more opportune time”.
Hence, the promise that Satan will “flee” when we “resist” him (c.f. James 4:7) doesn’t mean he won’t be back – it doesn’t mean we won’t have to “resist” him again – it doesn’t mean he won’t attack us in a new area of our life, or intensify his attack in the same area as before. We see, then, that the battle is continuous – he will continue to attack, and we must continue to “resist” (c.f. James 4:7) – he will “flee” (c.f. James 4:7), but he won’t go away – like a vulture on the road that flies off when a car approaches, he will circle back and try again. So, God’s promise is not that “the devil” won’t be back – but that he will “flee” as many times as we “resist” him (c.f. James 4:7).
(h) Remember, though, that we can’t resist him in our own strength – at least not for very long. Because even if we are initially successful, he will quickly wear us down. Hence, the need for that “greater grace” God “gives … to the humble” (c.f. James 4:6) – i.e. to those who “submit (themselves) to God” (c.f. James 4:7).
May our Savior enable us to do both – i.e. “submit to God”, AND “resist the devil” (c.f. James 4:7).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1MacArthur: The MacArthur New Testament; James; p.
201.
2Blanchard: Truth For Life; p. 274.
3MacArthur: Ibid; p. 204.
4BCS: Strong’s Concordance; Word #5293.
5The New Geneva Study Bible: Footnote on I Corinthians
15:10; p. 1821.
6IBID: Footnote on I Peter 5:8; p. 1977.
7Calvin’s Commentaries: Vol. XXII; Commentaries on the
Catholic Epistles; The Epistle of James; p. 334.