seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
but shows favor to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
I quoted real scripture in the title. Now I guess I better post the link to the commentary too.Your desires for pleasure that war in your members: The types of desires that lead to conflict are described. Covetousness leads to conflict (you lust and do not have). Anger and animosity lead to hatred and conflict (murder).
You ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures: After dealing with the problem of no prayer, now James addressed the problem of selfish prayer. These ones, when they did ask, they asked God with purely selfish motives.
But gives grace to the humble: It isn’t as if our humility earns the grace of God. Humility merely puts us in a position to receive the gift He freely gives.
Therefore submit to God: In light of the grace offered to the humble, there is only one thing to do: submit to God. This means to order yourself under God, to surrender to Him as a conquering King, and start receiving the benefits of His reign.
Who are you to judge another? This is an extension of the same humility that James writes about in this chapter. When we have proper humility before God, it just isn’t within us to arrogantly judge our brother.
It's not our job to "judge" others. The first Commandment of Jesus is to Love God with all our heart, mind, and soul.
The second Commandment of Jesus is to Love One Another as you love yourself.
I've always wondered why Jesus put the words "As you love yourself" into the Second Commandment.
We're not supposed to "judge" how another would choose to be loved.... or not. We're not "judges". We are supposed to treat everyone the same. But how are we supposed to know how to treat others if we aren't to "judge". Well, we know what makes us happy... so, we're supposed to try that. If nuggies make you happy.... give them nuggies. If seeing the smile on their faces makes you happy, try smiling. If offering a warm cup of tea makes you happy... offer them one.
You have no clue what's really going on in the mind or life of someone else. So, you are not qualified to "judge" them. God will "judge" them. We're just supposed to treat them as we would like to be treated.
War is caused by people "judging" in ignorance.
Who are you to "judge" your neighbor?
