God through his great grace provides a means of overcoming fleshly desire, the source of war and strife. He has promised to provide a way of escape from any temptation confronting his followers and will not allow them to face something they cannot bear (Romans 5:20-21; 1 Corinthians 10:13).
James quoted Proverbs 3:34 to show God works for those who live their lives according to the revelations of his Spirit. God is against those who would put themselves above others, but bestows his unmerited favor upon those who have a lowly spirit and place others above themselves. God has greater grace than any wrong desire we have and he will give us a reward far greater than all we give up (James 4:6; Mark 10:30).
We should make ourselves subject to God by obeying his will. A warrior fights for his leader and carefully avoids being turned aside by desires which might lead him contrary to that leader’s will (2 Timothy 2:3-4). We must stand in battle array (“resist”) against the devil. We must put on the Christian armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) and stand steadfastly for God in loving obedience to his will that the victory might be ours (1 Corinthians 15:58; Hebrews 10:39).
If we do stand against the devil, he will run from us (James 4:7; Compare Matthew 4:1-11).
We should draw nigh to God through purification and he will draw nigh to us. Jewish converts likely remembered the cleansing of the priests before they performed their duties (Exodus 30:17-21).
Sin will not allow us to get close to God (Isaiah 59:1-2). So, we must be cleansed from our sins (Acts 22:16).
The heart is critical in such cleansing because the issues of life flow out of it (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:19-29). Our cleansing comes from obeying the truth (James 4:8; 1 Peter 1:22).
Sorrow for sin is the first step toward cleansing. Repentance comes next (James 4:9).
Such is demonstrated by David after he acknowledged sinning with Bathsheba (Psalm 51:1-4). Paul saw his own miserable condition without Christ and thanked God for the deliverance he found in Jesus. Others heard the words of the Lord and his apostles as they stressed the importance of repentance (Romans 7:24a-25; Acts 2:37-38; Luke 13:1-5; Matthew 5:4).
Repentance is the beginning of our humbling ourselves before God. It is followed by putting the old man of sin to death in baptism so that God might exalt us, or raise us up, as a new man. Such yielding to God throughout our lives will lead to the final exaltation in heaven (James 4:10; Romans 6:3-18; Revelation 2:10; 2 Peter 1:2-11).
James told his readers to "stop speaking evil of one another.” Evidently, they had already been doing such speaking. Gossipers do not like to talk to empty rooms or dead telephone lines, so we should stop listening.
Harshly judging our brother’s motives is speaking contrary to the law of love, judging it unworthy. This displays a lack of love for our brother and thus for God (1 John 2:10-11; 4:20).
God gave Jesus authority. His words will be the standard in judgment (James 4:12; Matthew 28:18-20; Hebrews 1:1-2; John 12:48). God has authorized Jesus to execute judgment (John 5:26-27).
Realizing this truth, who are we to act as judge against our brother or the law Christ delivered?
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