Humble submission to God must be seen in our words. We give up speaking ill of other and boasting about tomorrow. We live in God’s world where He alone is Lawgiver and Judge and the only Sovereign ruler.

God’s grace is available to all who humble themselves before Him and repent. But to those who are obstinate and unwilling to draw near to God and turn away from sin, divine opposition. James warns us against a life of selfish pleasures. As Jesus said: “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me.”

Devotion to one’s own pleasures is a friendship with the world and hostility toward God. James points out that our souls belong to God, not to our own desires.

Worldly wisdom can be consistent with jealousy and selfish ambition, but not divine wisdom. James helps us to see that worldly wisdom leads to disorder and every evil thing, whereas heavenly wisdom leads to peace and genuine care for one another.

The true purpose of the tongue is to praise God. But a profane mouth cannot praise God, not without cleansing and repentance. Clean mouth is a prerequisite for worship.

The tongue can be a powerful instrument for good but, if left unchecked, it could lead to detrimental consequences. James wises us up to see both the power and the peril of our tongue.