Articles
The "Heart" of the Problem
James 4 opens with startling language. Writing to Christians, James uses the terms quarrel, conflict, war, fight, and even murder to describe their interaction with each other!
Actually, the preceding paragraph set the stage. James had noted that two kinds of wisdom were at work: heavenly wisdom, which yields peace, and earthly wisdom, which is often characterized by jealousy and selfish ambition, resulting in every evil thing (3:16).
Commentators often dismiss a literal or physical application of James’s language, assuming that groups of Christians would surely not be so out of control. But the first century was a turbulent era. Violent uprisings in Jewish communities were not uncommon (Mark 15:7; Acts 21:38). In such an environment it is not unthinkable that immature Christians might see such conduct as far less egregious than it is.
That said, James’s language is certainly capable of a broad application, an extension into conflicts of all kinds, especially church fusses. A. T. Robertson rightly observed, “Basically, ecclesiastical strife does not differ in origin and spirit from wars between nations.” James does not detail the specifics of the conflict; instead, he focuses on the real issue, the “heart” of the problem. “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel” (4:1-2b).
According to James, the reason that we have conflicts with others is that we have not properly resolved the conflict within. Paul described that conflict this way: “For the flesh sets its desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to each other, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Galatians 5:17). Peter wrote, “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).
James bluntly says the problem occurs when we do not get what we want . . . and what we want is dictated by our own pleasure or envy toward another. Experience confirms James’s analysis. Most church fights can be traced to brethren who insist on getting their way for selfish reasons. It is an ugly truth, one that surely calls for a great deal of self-examination.
Jesus warned that anger and bitterness are equivalent to murder (Matthew 5:21-22). Why not? They are its breeding ground: left unchecked, they lead to it. John added, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in Him” (1 John 3:15).
