He described this earthly, unspiritual, demonic philosophy as the source of disorder and all sorts of evil in the world (James 3:15–16). James has been writing to Jewish Christians of the first century (James 1:1). Here, in chapter 4, James says to these very readers that a worldly, unspiritual road is the very one they have been following. This is what causes fights and quarrels among them. When people follow this road, they try to get what they want for themselves, frustrated by the people standing in their way. Instead of trusting that they have a loving heavenly Father to provide in His perfect timing, worldly-minded people insist on fighting to get what they want. James elevates our awareness of how serious this problem is by putting a sharp label on it: adultery.
Are you following the wisdom of the world, while claiming to be a Christian believer? If so, you're cheating on God with this world system of serving yourself first and at all costs. If you make yourself a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God (James 4:1–5). James writes that if in your pride you stay on that path, God will oppose you, but He will not reject you. So, James's plea to those caught up in the wisdom of the world is simple: turn around. What grace! Cleanse yourself of sin, and be truly sad about it. Humble yourself by quitting your life's work of getting what you want, and trust God to exalt you far above anything you could have done for yourself (James 4:7–10).
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