Half and Half
“Spiritual Adultery”
James 4:1-12

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” – James 1:22

James
	Tame the tongue – “restless evil”
	Confront envy – “bitter envy”
	Undo unfaithfulness to God – “spiritual adultery”

James 4:1-12

Causes of spiritual adultery…
	Relational conflict

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” – James 4:1-2

		Doesn’t mean…
			You roll over and let people take advantage of you
			Admit you’re wrong when you’re right
			As far as it depends on what they say or do

		Does mean…
			Forgive over and over
			Love unconditionally; only God can change them
			You can control what you do and say

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” – Romans 12:18

Causes of spiritual adultery…
	Wanting to fit in

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the spirit He has caused to dwell in us? But He gives more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” – James 4:4-6, Proverbs 3:34

		Normal is broken!

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” – Matthew 7:13-14

		Normal is…

God doesn’t call us to fit in, but to stand out.

Causes of spiritual adultery…
	Criticizing people

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge your neighbor? – James 4:11-12

Why?
	You are assuming God’s place (James 4:12)
	You will rile up others who will give it back (James 4:1-4, Matthew 7:1)
	It never produces the desired change
	We tend to exaggerate the failings of others only to minimize our own (Matthew 7:3)

Criticism does not motivate others into right actions.

Undo Unfaithfulness
	Say “yes” to God where you are saying “no”
	Confess in full authenticity
	Wait for the Spirit of God to lift you up

“Almighty Father; we enter Your presence confessing the things we try to conceal from You and the things we try to conceal from others. We confess the heartbreak, worry, and sorrow we have caused that make it difficult for others to forgive us, the times we have made it easy for others to do wrong, the harm we have done that makes it hard for us to forgive ourselves. Lord have mercy and forgive us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”