In the previous post we examined the cause of worldliness. We turn now to the cure for worldliness. Before we do, it may be helpful to review what we have learned. To be “worldly” is to allow ourselves to love the things of this fallen world more than we love the things of the Lord. Worldliness according to James is friendship with the “non-Christian world” such that it makes one an “enemy of God (James 4:4).”
In the four verses of our study there are no fewer than ten commands, all imperatives in the original text. Ten! We have noted previously that James is fond of using the imperative mood likely because it fits his style. His letter is an alarming call to action and we are wise to heed its teachings. Here’s the text from James 4:7-10:
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
We may summarize the cure for worldly living by observing three necessary actions. First:
Allegiance to the Right Person (Faithfulness)
Allegiance to the right person means allegiance to God. It means we are faithful to Him, separating ourselves from the encroachments of the world. James says, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
To “submit” means “to arrange under,” as in “to arrange ourselves under the authority of another,” and the idea is that of enlistment. We enlist in God’s service. We do not enlist in the service of the enemy, namely the devil. Nor do we enlist in a half-committed way, giving some allegiance to God and some to the devil. We are to choose sides and remain faithful.
If we love the Lord then we will want to be faithful to Him. Love moves us to “arrange ourselves under” His authority.
The Apostle John teaches a similar idea in his first letter. He writes:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15-17).
Paul too states in a familiar verse: “Do not be conformed to this world…(Romans 12:2).” The JB Phillips paraphrases the verse memorably: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold…” How easy it is to become increasingly comfortable with the ways of the world, allowing the world to change us rather than our changing the world.
What are some signs that we may be allowing the world to squeeze us into its own mold?
We may show that we love the world more than we love the Lord by the way we think, speak, and live. Our idle thoughts may lead us into sinful thinking, lustful thoughts, thoughts of anger, resentment, and bitterness. Remember: what is inside the heart comes out. We’ve noted this the last few posts. If we have issues on the inside they’ll show up on the outside. Wrong thinking leads to wrong living.
How easy it is to become increasingly comfortable with the ways of the world, allowing the world to change us rather than our changing the world.
You may love the world more than the Lord if you find yourself too busy for Bible reading. You may love the world more than you love the Lord if you don’t tithe or give generously.
You may love the world more than you love the Lord if you are too tired for corporate worship when the church gathers together. Frequently, Christians miss corporate worship because of love of the world, because they have allowed the things of the world to choke out their first love.
You may love the world more than you love the Lord if it’s easier to gossip than it is to witness. You find it easier to talk to others about others than to talk to others about Jesus. You love the world more than you love the Lord if it’s easier to look at pornography than it is to look at the Bible.
Allegiance to the right person means to be faithful to the Lord and to “resist the devil.”
Interestingly, James’ call to “resist the devil” is sandwiched between two positive commands: “Submit to God” and “Draw near to God.” And right between those two commands is the command to “Resist the devil.”
The key to resisting Satan is not merely to rebuke him, though I do believe that to be fitting and proper. When Jesus sensed the work of the temper in His life He said, “Get thee behind me, Satan (Matthew 16:23).”
But consider why the work of resisting the devil is sandwiched between the two great commands of submitting to God and drawing near to God. It’s as though James is showing us the best way to resist the devil and ensure that he flees from us is by remaining especially close to God, submitting to Him and drawing near to Him. I love that promise in the first part of verse 8: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
Do you want to feel the power of God’s presence in your life? How much time did you spend last week drawing near to Him? Be honest. How much time did you spend last week just “hanging out” with friends, watching movies, or surfing the internet? How much time did you spend last week drawing near to God through prayer and the reading of His Word? How faithful have you been in worship?
So if you want the feel the power of God’s presence every day in your life, the answer is right here in this verse: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” And take care not to reverse the order. The promise of God’s drawing near to you does not come before your drawing near to Him.
The first cure for worldliness is allegiance to the right Person (faithfulness). We turn now to the second cure:
Applying the Right Practice (Holiness)
You may recall from our last study that verse 6 says, “God gives more grace.” God is faithful to give us whatever grace is necessary to practice holiness, growing in our faith and becoming more like Jesus. Grace is not only the source of the Christian’s salvation but the source of the Christian’s sanctification. Grace not only saves us from a life in hell, grace sanctifies us for a life of holiness.
To be sure, holiness does not always come easily. There is no holiness without effort. Growing in Christ requires discipline. So James commands: “Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
These terms “cleanse” and “purify” recall the Old Testament priests’ washing their hands before entering the tabernacle (Exodus 30:17-21). Used by James the terms convey the idea of having purity before God and others. It is a call for practical holiness and sanctified living.
To be “double-minded” is to have one’s loyalty divided between God and the world. You can’t have it both ways. As Jesus says: “You can’t serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).” You can’t love both the things of God and the things of the world.
Then James says, “Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”
I doubt this verse is anyone’s favorite Bible verse! Imagine someone asking, “What’s your favorite life verse?” And some guy replies dolorously, “Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”
Why is James saying this? Surely he is addressing those times in our lives when we are so in love with the world that we find ourselves laughing when we ought to be mourning.
Imagine attending a funeral where some man sitting on the front pew is laughing the entire time. You say, “That’s inappropriate behavior! He should be mourning, not laughing.” In essence, James is saying, “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. There are times in your life where your behavior is such you should be mourning rather than laughing.”
It’s easy to laugh at a sitcom on TV or a movie full of immoral innuendo. Someone tells an indecent joke at work and you laugh. James says, “Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”
Imagine attending a funeral where some man sitting on the front pew is laughing the entire time. You say, “That’s inappropriate behavior! He should be mourning, not laughing.” In essence, James is saying, “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. There are times in your life where your behavior is such you should be mourning rather than laughing.”
There are times in our lives where laughter is inappropriate. It is not that God never wants us to laugh or have joy. There is joy throughout the Bible! No one has more joy in life than a faithful Christian. But we cannot truly know the joy of the Lord if we are unfaithful. Until we learn to mourn for our sin we will we remain unchanged. If we persist in compromise and continue in worldliness, we will never grow in holiness and thus never know the true joy of the Lord.
The cure for worldly living is allegiance to the right person (faithfulness), applying the right practice (holiness), and thirdly:
Assuming the Right Posture (Lowliness)
James says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
This verse may be interpreted as a general principle, an echo of our Lord’s teachings in the Gospels: “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12).”
Given the context, however, it seems James would have us understand his call for humility as a necessary corollary to the command to “Lament and mourn and weep.” Repentance is no laughing matter. If we are turning our joy to gloom then we will assume the right posture. We will assume a posture of lowliness.
I think the JB Phillips paraphrase best captures the flow of James’ thought:
“As you come close to God you should be deeply sorry, you should be grieved, you should even be in tears. Your laughter will have to become mourning, your high spirits will have to become heartfelt dejection. You will have to feel very small in the sight of God before he will set you on your feet once more.”
Here is a picture of humility! The final cure for worldliness is a call to assume the right posture, a posture of lowliness before the Lord. We are honest with Him. We admit that we have allowed ourselves to become entangled with the things of the world and we have been awakened to the danger of continuing down this path. We confess, repent, and draw closer to God.
What About You?
- Can you identify some ways in which you are tempted to “allow the world to squeeze you into its own mold?”
- What can you do the next time you find yourself laughing when you ought to be mourning?
- Though certainly not Jesus’ main point, how does the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15, especially verses 17-20) illustrate James’ teaching about drawing near to God knowing He will draw near to us?
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