James
Summary
James identifies the root of conflicts and wars among believers as their own "lusts" and worldly desires. He rebukes those who seek friendship with the world, declaring it to be "enmity with God." Calling for repentance and humility, he exhorts his readers to "resist the devil, and he will flee from you," and to "draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James also addresses the sin of judging one another and warns against the presumption of planning for the future without acknowledging God's sovereignty, reminding the readers that their life is but a "vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."
From where come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not.
You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.
You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Do you think that the scripture says in vain, "The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy"?
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.
Speak not evil one of another, brothers. He who speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and judges the law: but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who are you that judge another?
Go to now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain":
Whereas you know not what shall be on the tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
For that you ought to say, "If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."
But now you rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.