"Ye adulterers ..." The original does not have both "adulterers" and "adulteresses" in this verse. It is only in the feminine, "adulteresses." The translators of the Authorized Version perhaps thought it strange that it should be only in the feminine since the ones who were doing the brawling were mostly men. The Jewish Christians would have understood this immediately. Many times in the Old Testament Israel is called the adulteress wife of Jehovah. We read in Hosea 1:2, "For the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord." Especially when they worshipped idols did He accuse them of being adulteresses. In Ezekiel 23 we have the parable of Aholah and Aholibah. Aholah represents Samaria and Aholibah, Jerusalem. The Lord says, "Aholab played the harlot when she was mine" (Ex. 23:5). In verse 7 we read, "With all their idols she defiled herself." In verse 11, He accuses Aholibah of being even worse than Aholah. (Similar language in Ps. 73: 27, Is. 50:1 and 54:5 and Jer. 9:2 and 31:32)

Christ uses same language: The Lord Jesus uses similar language of the Jews of His time. He says, "A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign" (Matt. 16:4). Also, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me – in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38).

Other New Testament writers: In Revelation 2:20-22, we read of Jezebel who seduced some at Thyatira to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Jezebel, of course, is not a real prophetess, but is typical of corrupt religion causing the Lord's own to turn to idolatry and worldliness. No doubt, he is thinking of exactly the same thing when he speaks of Babylon, the mother of harlots, in Revelation 17:5, etc.

Christ and the Church: Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:2, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ". In Ephesians 5:22-23, he speaks of husband and wife, and likens this relationship to Christ and the church. When James calls his readers "adulteresses," he is thinking of this relationship of the Christians to Christ. He is not accusing them of committing adultery in the accepted sense, but of forsaking Christ and turning to the world. In the Old Testament adultery is applied mostly to idolatry, but James applies it to worldliness. The Christian who turns from Christ and follows the world is like a woman who leaves her lawful husband to follow another lover. To seek pleasure and satisfaction elsewhere – besides in Christ – is spiritual adultery. As a man expects his wife to be true to him, so the Lord expects us to be only His. He is jealous of any rival.

The world – the earth: The Scriptures look at the world in various ways. Sometimes it is the earth, our planet, and all that is on it. It is never wrong to love the things of nature, although we need to be careful, or even these things will woo our hearts from Christ. A young man said to his professor, “The study of biology is not helping me spiritually.” The professor answered, “Your scientific studies are not conducive to spirituality.”

The world – humanity: Sometimes the Scriptures, when speaking of the world, refer to humanity as a whole. This is so where it says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son" (John 3:16). God loves humanity, desiring to see them saved. We too, should love all men for the gospel's sake. It is not wrong to have friendly relationships with unsaved folks. Without this we never would be able to win them for Christ. The Lord did not hesitate to company with publicans and sinners. He did this so He might be able to lift them. "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men" (Gal. 6:10). We must rub shoulders with unsaved folks at work and in other ways. As much as possible, we should act friendly and pleasant toward them. This is not friendship with the world.

Friendship of the world: Most often the Scriptures, when speaking of the world, refer to the willful ways of unbelievers, whose hearts, minds and ways are contrary to God. To maintain friendship with such means to condone their ways and to be led astray by them. This is "enmity with God." You cannot maintain friendship with the world in this sense and be a friend of the Lord, too. It is this friendship with the world that constitutes one an adulteress.

The world's evils: The world is evil and loves it. It has no room for the Lord Jesus, principally because it loves evil. We see this evil on every side. To be a friend of the world means to condone evil, participating in it. Many things in the world have evil mixed with it—including its pleasures; pornographic movies and strip clubs, etc. To love such would surely mean being a friend of the world. Most of the world's ambitions and desires are mixed with evil, and to share with them indicates worldliness. "Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father" (Gal. 1:4).

His glory or ours: Worldliness is mainly a condition of the heart. Is our aim in life to bring glory to God or to receive applause from men? Is our ambition to please Him or to advance in the things of the world? Are we seeking to honor His name, or honor for ourselves? Are we content with the riches of Christ, or seeking the riches of the world? Are we living for eternity, or time? To be filled with earthly ambitions is to be unfaithful to God. "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord" (2 Cor. 6:17).

The world in the church: In some cases, the world has come into the church and some so-called religious organizations are little more than clubs or civic organizations. There is little of Christ or the Scriptures in some of them – they think mainly of world improvement and their sermons are not Bible expositions, but lectures on social reform and politics. Instead of convincing men of sin and their need of a Savior, they entertain. Their aims and ambitions seem to be of the earth, earthy (1 Cor. 15:47). Christians should not strive for world betterment, but for the salvation of the lost. Satan is pleased when a Christian wanders out into the world, but more pleased when the world moves into the church of Christ. If we are ready to compromise, the world will welcome us with outstretched arms. Let us be loyal to our Lord Jesus Christ. The world and Satan: Christ calls Satan, "The prince of this world" (John 14:30). Paul calls him, "The god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). "The whole world lieth in the evil one" (1 John 5:19 R.V.). Satan is the ruler of this present evil world. He is the bitter enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ. To be a friend of the world is to be a friend of Satan. No wonder James says, "The friendship of the world is enmity with God" (R.V.).

The world hates Christ: The Lord Jesus Christ, speaking to His brethren in the flesh, no doubt James among them, says, "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil" (John 7:7). They manifested that hatred often during His lifetime, especially when they condemned and crucified Him. Are we now to be friends of the betrayers and murderers of our Bridegroom? Should we make friends with those who still show themselves to be His enemies? We can only condemn them for their enmity, and, through Jesus Christ, offer them pardon if they repent.

The world hates separated Christians: The world not only hates Christ, but hates separated Christians. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:18, 19). If we live a Christ like life, separated from the world, they will hate us as they hated Christ; especially if we speak against their evil as He did. If the world does not hate us, but seems to love us, perhaps we are not as loyal to our Lord as we should be – perhaps we are too worldly.

"... is the enemy of God." (R.V. "maketh himself an enemy of God.") The last part of this verse in the Revised Version reads, "Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God." What a startling charge this is. Let us examine our hearts in the light of it. Are we on the Lord's side, or the side of His enemies? Remember, we cannot be on both sides. Balaam tried that. He wished to be on the Lord's side, yet for money he was willing to be against the Lord's people. He could not curse Israel, but he did counsel Balak whereby he caused Israel to sin, bringing down God's wrath upon them and him. Saul wanted to be on the Lord's side, but he spared Agag, a type of the world. Achan wanted to be on the Lord's side, but he coveted those Babylonish garments and the wedge of silver. Really they were on the side of the Lord's enemies. May we be completely for the Lord – not adulteresses.

Scripture Reading: James 4:5 (KJV)

This verse has been variously understood. As it reads in the Authorize Version, one might think the last half was a quotation from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). However, we can search the Hebrew Bible in vain for it. The original Scriptures have no punctuation and sometimes the translators did not do too well with this. They make this whole verse one question. The Revised Version makes it two separate questions, like this; "Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the Spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?" Other versions make the first part a question and the last part a statement. The Revised Version's alternative readings do this also. Probably, the verse should be all one question as in the Authorized Version.

"Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain ..." The Revised Version translates the word "saith" as "speaketh." The Greek word lego is often translated that way in the Authorized Version, so probably it is not wrong to so translate it here. "Speaketh" makes better sense when we put the first part of the verse by itself. For the time being, let us forget the last half of the verse, asking this question, "Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain?" In this way we do not need to apply it to any particular verse in the Old or New Testament, leaving it a general question, applying it to this whole portion of James.

"... in vain ..." The Scriptures never speak in vain. There is reason for every part of it, although we may not always see it. It always means what it says, and we should believe and obey it. All Scripture teaches that it is wrong to lust, fight, and strive, to murder one another spiritually. It also everywhere teaches that friendship with the world is enmity toward God. Also, that if we desire something we should not strive for it, but ask of God. Likewise, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." James is basically saying, "The Scriptures everywhere say that your actions are bad, but you seem to think they were written to no purpose. To hear you wrangle, and see your sensual, worldly, devilish actions, one would think the Bible was full of mere empty phrases."

"... the Scripture ..." This is the third time James uses the word "Scripture" (2:8 and 2:23). This is literally "the writings." James, like the rest of the New Testament writers, had a firm belief that all the Old Testament writings were inspired by the Spirit of God. Paul says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16).

"... the Spirit that dwelleth in us ..." The last half of our verse has also been variously understood. Some have taught that the spirit in this verse refers to our human spirits. They would make it read that our old sinful spirits, which are filled with lusts, cause us to envy. However, a careful rendering would make this the Holy Spirit. The Revised Version reads, "Doth the Spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envy?" Another version is similar, "Doth the Spirit which hath taken his abode in us, desire enviously?" Other translators also indicate that the Holy Spirit is meant.

Holy Spirit indwells us: The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is taught in several places. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16; see also John 14:17; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19). The true Christian has a heavenly visitor abiding in him all the time. When we have visitors, especially notable ones, we usually act better than normal – we are careful to have the house clean, cook, etc. The husband and wife may quarrel at times, but they are not apt to do so when company is present. When we sense the great truth that the third person of the Holy Trinity is indwelling us all the time, we are sure to live better lives. If these early Christians had realized this, they would not have been quarreling and fighting.

New Testament ground: Some have claimed that the book of James is not for this age. When he speaks of the Holy Spirit indwelling his readers, he must be speaking to those who were on New Testament ground. John 14:17 explains that before Pentecost the Spirit was with the saints, but afterwards would be in them. Some make the indwelling of the Spirit dependent on the consecration of the saint, but James makes no difference between the consecrated ones and those who were envious, quarrelsome, and striving. They were all indwelt by the Spirit.

The Spirit yearns jealously: Some translators do not make this last half of the verse a question – changing its sense. One has, "The Spirit which he caused to dwell in our hearts yearns jealously over us." The Revised Version gives two alternative readings. "The Spirit which he made to dwell in us he yearneth for even unto jealous envy." The other, "That Spirit which he made to dwell in us yearneth for us even unto jealous envy." Yet another translator puts it, "The Spirit which he implanted yearns tenderly over us." It is not clear which is the most accurate rendering, but the last way is not out of accord with other Scriptures. Certainly the Spirit does yearn for our full devotion to Christ.

"... lusteth ..." The word translated "lusteth" in the Authorized Version means to "intensely crave possession." It is often translated "long for" or "desire" and usually in a good sense. It is translated "long for" in Romans 1:11; Philippians 1:8; Philippians 2:26 and 2 Corinthians 9:14. The Spirit within us desires or longs for our wholehearted allegiance to Christ. In Ephesians 4:30, we read of grieving the Spirit. No doubt He is grieved when we are not wholly loyal to Christ. He wants us like true lovers to open up our hearts to Christ and to close them to things of the world. If we have been disloyal in any way, let us turn to Christ in true repentance. He is ready to forgive and to receive us back to His heart.

The Spirit's envy or jealousy: Some might think it strange that James should speak of the Spirit being envious or jealous. This is not foreign to Scripture. In the Ten Commandments the Lord says to Israel, in connection with idolatry, "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God" (Ex. 20:5). Then again in Deuteronomy 32:16, "They provoked Him to jealousy with strange Gods". Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:2, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband." There is nothing so painful as to have the love of a dear one stolen away by another. The Spirit is jealous that our affections be wholly for Christ, and unshared by the world. He would say to each of our hearts, "Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord; and worship thou Him" (Ps. 45:10, 11).

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