James concluded chapter 3 by saying that false wisdom causes disorder and all kinds of evil (James 3:16), but genuine godly wisdom produces peace and righteousness (James 3:17-18). James now returns to practical application concerning godly wisdom. His readers need to understand what wisdom is, but they need far more to live wisely. Chapter 4 opens with a question to challenge their conduct. His questions are solid and determined, as though he knows that evil will persist. James wants his brothers and sisters to shun both wicked wisdom and its source. His strategy will require open opposition to the Devil and loyalty to God.

(James 4:1-12)

What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings that are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires. 4 Adulteresses! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy. 5 Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously? 6 But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 7 Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people! 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.11 Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? 

By using the word “wars” in verse one he is referring to quarrels within the church, not the world. Some members had abandoned peacemaking and were living in open hostility (James 3:18). The word "fights" refers to armed conflicts and battles. So, this is a figurative way of illustrating the struggle between earthly power and spiritual power.

The reality of this for us in the modern church is that disagreements are going to happen. But it should be our desire to possess the wisdom (the same wisdom we read about in chapter 1 and chapter 3) to understand why this happens. There is the possibility of maturing in godly wisdom through these conflicts, but some people and churches refuse to handle this with godly wisdom and therefore hurt not only the church but also innocent people who desperately need to hear the gospel. James says these “wars” and “fights” have their source in our own “evil desires.” The desire for selfish pleasure causes strife, hatred, and division. He even uses the word “murder” to describe the hatred that fuels the antagonism of not being able to “obtain.” His challenge: “You do not have because you do not ask.”

But as bad as that sounds, misunderstanding prayer can cause worse problems. It could cause one to not pray at all or try and manipulate God. James says they should not be surprised when their prayers go unanswered because they are asking with wrong “motives.” It sounds like these people’s selfish desires were so strong they were fighting and then praying with the motive of helping themselves and not others.

What really stands out in these verses is the word “adulteresses.” Not idolatry, but adultery. Adultery between a woman and a man. James uses this word to describe and illustrate the audacity of trying to love God and having an affair with the world. That is strong language. James is helping his reader understand how serious the importance of faithfulness to God is. Think about it. The world says we need to be tolerant and cooperative with sin. But James says, “friendship with the world is hostility toward God” (James 4:4). The “world” system is under the control of Satan. Being friendly with the world is adopting its values and desires (Romans 8:7-8) (2 Timothy 4:10) (1 John 2:15-17). Someone said it like this, “Believers may genuinely love God, but at the same time be infatuated with the world. They worship God but want the world’s influence and the freedom it seems to offer.

So, how should believers relate to the world? Withdraw from it? Absolutely not! We are called to be in the world, but to not belong to the world (John 7:14). We should love the world enough to bring the gospel to them. This means we must absolutely have care, compassion, and love for the people are in the world but not the things of the world that are opposed to God (1 John 3:15-17). His question in verse 5 affirms this friendship with God over their friendship with the world. The more and more we give ourselves to God, the stronger our bond with Him will be (Matthew 6:21). It takes wise choices to accomplish this and that is why in verse 6 James gives a word of hope.