The Source of Conflict

James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

• How frequently are you personally involved in fights and quarrels? How do your desires contribute to conflict?

2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

• What does James tell us we should do instead of fight?
• Why would God not do something that we haven’t asked for?

3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

• What would be an example of something you could ask for with wrong motives?

4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

• What does it mean to be a friend of the world? What is wrong with it?

5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

• Verse 5 can be hard to understand. Here is how it is worded in the Amplified Bible, "Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?" This shows us that God’s attitude toward unfaithfulness toward him is somewhat like a man or woman whose spouse has been unfaithful. Why does God feel so strongly toward us?

6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

• Why would God oppose the proud?

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

• What two things do you need to do for the devil to flee?

8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

• How does a person come near to God? What do you need to do to come near to God?

9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

• Why does this verse teach us to grieve?

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

• What must you do to humble yourself before God?

Wisdom in Action

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

• What is wisdom? Why does it produce a good life and humility?

14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

• What is selfish ambition and why is it wrong?
• In what area of your life are you most tempted to have selfish ambition?
• Do you harbor envy toward anyone?

15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

• Why could something that is of the devil ever be mistaken for wisdom?
• The two kinds of wisdom; true wisdom and a false wisdom of the devil, come from two different ways of looking at life. How can you nurture a godly wisdom and a life that reflects it?

16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

• What are some examples of disorder and evil that come from envy and selfish ambition?

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

• Why does heaven’s wisdom produce healthy attitudes toward others?
• Who does God want us to be submissive toward?
• What does it mean to be impartial? Why is this important?

18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

• What do you have to do to be a peacemaker? Are you?

Taming the Tongue

James 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

• What does it mean to "presume" to be a teacher?
• When should you teach?
• Parents are commanded to teach (see Deuteronomy 4:7). What attitude should you have toward the things you teach your children?

2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

• Why does this passage put so much emphasis on what we say? What impact do your words have on others?

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

• James gives two examples of small things that have big importance. How have your words impacted others in a positive or negative way?

5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

• These verses describe the tongue as potentially destructive. What are some examples of damage that has been done by the tongue?

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

• If no man can tame the tongue, what hope is there for us to control our tongue? Has God helped you control your tongue? How?

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

• Why is it wrong to praise God and curse men? What should we be saying about other people?

11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

• James uses two examples (springs and trees) that can be counted on to produce the same thing all the time. What do you need to do to become a reliable source of words that are true, helpful, and God-honoring?

Faith and Works

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

• How would you answer the questions that James brings up here?

15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

• When have you been in a position where you needed to do something to help someone, not just wish them well?

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Why must faith be accompanied by action?

• How does this compare to the teaching of Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.?

18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

• How do your actions demonstrate what you believe?

19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

• Why does James use demons as an example?

20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

• How did Abraham’s actions demonstrate his faith?
• What does it mean for his faith to be credited to him as righteousness?

24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

• What does it mean to be justified? Why does James say we are justified by what we do?

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

• How does Rahab demonstrate faith, action, and God’s mercy?

26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

• What value is dead faith? What do you conclude from this passage?