Why should we submit ourselves to God? (James 4:1-10)

"What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? 6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

In this passage of Scripture, James urges believers to submit themselves to God. Why should they submit themselves to God? They should submit themselves to God for four reasons:

1) Submitting to God reduces worldly passions (v.1-4)

a. These passions are at war with ourselves (v.1-3) – The reason believers fight with other believers is because of sin inside our hearts. Our sinful desires lead to quarrels and fights. Submitting to God in would help in disseminating these passions.

b. These passions are at war with God (v.4) – Loving the world means that one cannot love God. (1 John 2:15-17) Becoming a ‘friend’ with the world means we are not submitting ourselves to God, thus making us enemies with Him.


2) Submitting to God allows God’s grace (v.5-6)

a. God desires to give grace to believers (v.5) – God’s grace is available for us and His Spirit inside of us yearns for our allegiance and submission.

b. God decides to give grace to the humble (v.6) – It takes humility to bow down, worship, and submit to God. By doing this, He gives sanctifying grace to us and his grace does not flow as freely when proud people do not worship Him.


3) Submitting to God reduces Satan’s power (v.7) – By submitting to God, our allegiance is to Him and it will be easier for us to resist the Devil. By resisting him, he will flee from us.


4) Submitting to God allows proper worship (v.8-10)

a. We should come to Him (v.8a) – When we draw near to God, He is there waiting for us.

b. We should repent of our sins (v.8b) – We should clean our hands and purify our hearts when we come to worship our God.

c. We should understand our state (v.9) – We should understand our insignificance and our sinfulness when we come to God and weep because of our sinfulness.

d. We should humble ourselves (v.10) - Humble ourselves and God will exalt us. To be 'great' means to be a servant. (Mark 10:42-45)