James Chapter 4 addresses the critical issue of worldliness in the church - a problem that was causing both internal struggles and external conflicts among believers. Worldliness manifests as looking like the world, acting like the world, and desiring everything the world offers while still claiming to follow Christ. At its core, it's wanting to live for Jesus without surrendering worldly attachments.James identifies that our conflicts stem from an internal war between our flesh and the Spirit. When we covet what others have but can't obtain it, we become angry and hostile. This is why James reminds us that we are 'sojourners and exiles' - citizens of heaven temporarily residing on earth. He also addresses unanswered prayers, noting that we either don't ask or ask with wrong motives, seeking to satisfy selfish desires.To overcome worldliness, James provides five practical steps: submit to God by yielding to His authority; resist the devil by standing firm against temptation; draw near to God through worship, prayer and obedience; cleanse your hands by confessing sin; and humble yourself by thinking less of yourself and more of God. While worldliness is a struggle we'll face until Christ returns, implementing these steps and remembering that God gives more grace than we need will help us battle the pull of the world effectively.
