What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions1 are yat war within you? James 4:2
Stark reality and biting words from James helps bring some urgent remedy to us as we consider the sad but all too common problem of Christians quarrelling, fighting and falling out of relationship. I shouldn’t be too surprised with this having had relational difficulties myself. 20 years of marriage haven’t been conflict free and I can read these words and see them reflect the sad reality of my failures. Why do I get upset? Why argue? Because I don’t get what I want!
My failures, James says, are essentially the loss in a war of passions. Lower, Christ dishonouring passions get the better of me. Selfishness, pride, stubbornness and other spiritual adultery producing passions drive us into the arms of the ‘god of this world’. We fail when we quarrel, fight and have conflicts in realising that we have been called to be friends of God, that we have been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus to be His own so that we can glorify God with our bodies (1 Cor 6:19-20). At root, sin is spiritual adultery, hence James’ charge to us as an ‘adulterous people’.
How tragic as well the painful ground reality of Christians who fight, leave churches and bring dishonour to the name of Christ. I understand why that happens but I still find it difficult to explain why. For the Christ we proclaim is so far superior but the life we live for Him at times so inferior that there is often little connection between the two. There is such a big disconnect at times between the Lord we worship and the lives we live. Isn’t that the reason sometimes people have turned away from the church saying, ‘I love your Christ but not His church’? How urgently we need to embody Christ’s expectation that the world may know we are His disciples by the love we have one for another. How poor our witness when we quarrel, fight and fall out of relationship.
What then should we do? James in his ever practical ways has these six instructions for life transformation:
1. Submit yourselves therefore to God.
2. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
3. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
4. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and ipurify your hearts, jyou double-minded.
5. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
6. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you
(James 4:7-10)
This is not a self help routine but one that can only be successful when empowered by the Spirit of God who helps us in our weaknesses (Romans 8:26). By His strength being applied in and through us in these ways we can win the war for the glory of Christ.
“James’s description of God in 4:5 demonstrated that God tolerated no rivals and wanted complete commitment from His followers. God could make heavy demands on His followers, but He could also provide the grace to meet those demands.” (Holman Concise Commentary)
“It is in the presence of the Holy Spirit that I begin to recognize what a sinful man I really am. The apostle Paul said, “Woe is me.” Isaiah the prophet cried, “Woe is me!” when he came into the presence of God. They were experiencing the mysterious wonder of that One who is incomprehensible.” ( A W Tozer, My Daily Pursuit)
“Heavenly Father forgive us for the many times we’ve been an embarassment and failed to honour your Name. Forgive me Lord for the times I’ve allowed my selfish desires to get the better of me and become a momentary friend of the world and its god. By your power today, in Jesus’ name I forsake these adulterous ways and turn completely to you. I resist the devil in my life in Jesus name and I submit to you asking you for help to live in Christ honouring ways, to live at peace and with love so that the world may know that you are Lord and Saviour of all. Help us as a church to glorify not dishonour you. Give us a fresh outpouring of your love by your Spirit as you promised in Romans 5:5 so that love will cover a multitude of sins, forgiveness and healing will flow amongst us and that we may together live for your fame. Amen’.
Life by the Word 