James 4:7

Context

The Epistle of James is traditionally held to have been written by James the brother of the Lord to "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad" (James 1:1).

The opening of chapter 4 attributes the wars and fightings within the community to lusts. It also rebukes the readers, declaring that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Verse 6 quotes Proverbs 3:34: "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

Verse 7 takes up this statement with "therefore" and begins the series of commands in verses 7–10: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." The commands that follow are to draw nigh to God, to cleanse one's hands, and to humble oneself in the sight of the Lord. The passage as a whole is therefore read as a call to repentance addressed to a proud community.

Interpretation

• Contextual reading: Many commentators see "submission" as paired with the humility of verse 6. The Greek verb (hypotassō) means "to come under an order." On this reading, resisting the devil becomes the practice of repentance, which involves forsaking pride, lust, and strife. Many sermons also draw attention to the order of the commands: first submit to God, then resist.
• Spiritual warfare reading: In Pentecostal and charismatic circles, the verse is read as grounds for believers to withstand the devil's temptation and oppression through the authority they have received in Christ. It is also cited in support of so-called "resistance prayer," in which the devil is rebuked directly during prayer.
• Reading of the promise: The promise "he will flee from you" is interpreted as an assurance that the devil cannot overcome a believer who has submitted to God. However, Luke 4:13 records that the devil "departed from him for a season." On this basis, some add that a single act of resistance does not end the struggle.

Debates and Issues

The text and translation of this verse are not seriously disputed. The New Korean Revised Version replaced the Korean Revised Version's word sunbok ("submission") with bokjong ("obedience"). Debate concerns mainly the verse's application.

• Reformed concerns: Some, including those in the Reformed tradition, hold that narrowing "resisting" to the act of verbally commanding the devil creates problems, because it obscures the preceding call to submission and the subsequent demands for humility and repentance (vv. 8–10).
• Position emphasizing spiritual warfare: Proponents hold that submission and active resistance belong together.
• Common caution: Voices in various denominations urge caution against applications that blame every difficulty on the devil.

In the Korean Church

The verse is frequently quoted in sermons dealing with trials, temptation, and spiritual warfare. It is also cited as a proof text in prayer meetings when participants resist the devil through tongseong gido (praying aloud together).

Related Passages

• James 4:6
• 1 Peter 5:8-9
• Ephesians 6:10-18
• James 1:12-14