The Book of James
James 4:1-12
Conflict
As humans we are very prone to conflict.
Every day we read or see on the TV multiple stories of conflict.
Family life today is fraught with conflict.
Sadly also in churches, whose places should be most noted for Christ’s peace, we also find conflict.
In chapter 4, James tells us what causes conflict and also gives us his prescription for its remedy.
The Cause of Conflict
James 4:1-3 “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 gets right to the point. When my desires conflict with your desires, and I don’t get what I want, then the sparks are going to fly!
Blaming others
It’s easy to blame others for the causes of conflicts.
We might work hard to find some external circumstance to blame.
James says we need to look within to find the source.
We need to be very honest with ourselves.
Deep down within each of us is that ‘old man’ or ‘old woman’ that has its root in selfishness.
We can try to rationalize it, make excuses, pass the buck but we will not be happy people.
Conflict cause -1 Coveting
Coveting can be good if the motives are right. Jesus used this word when he desired to eat the Passover with His disciples (Luke 22:15).
But coveting when it leads us to do whatever we must to get what we want, whether good or bad, at any expense, will lead us to quarrels and fighting and show that we are far from being right with God.
Conflict cause – 2 Godlessness
James says, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” (v2)
How many times do we find ourselves in a situation where we have to make a decision about something and the last thing we think to do is ask God for His help?
James tells me that some of what I desire which may be good and legitimate, I do not receive because I do not ask God.
But asking is only the first step – we must ask with the right motives.
I may be asking God to be involved in my life, but am I asking Him to change my desires to conform to His will?
Our prayers can be utterly selfish, greedy prayer is not mature prayer, greedy prayer is not Godly prayer.
Our praying must be in tune with the spirit of Jesus prayer: “Not my will, but Your will be done.”
Conflict cause – 3 Spiritual Adultery
James is talking about spiritual adultery in which we are unfaithful to God. (v 4)
In the OT God is seen as the husband and Israel is His bride. In the NT Jesus is the bridegroom, and the church His bride.
‘When we are having an affair with the world we are being unfaithful to our heavenly spouse’.
God is a jealous God, He will not share us with the world.
The cure for Conflict
Recognizing the problem is only part of the solution. Doing something about it is much more difficult.
James has a prescription which is four-fold.
Submit to God
Resist the Devil
Come near to God
Stop judging others
1. Submit to God
Submit is a military term, to submit is to subject yourself to another, to obey. To yield to the authority or will of another. In this context, to God.
In submitting to God we will be enabled to obey God rather than follow our desires.
If we find that we have conflicting drives within us but take them to the Lord in submission then we will find the strength to be more like God in our interactions with others.
2. Resist the Devil
If we have not submitted ourselves to God, then it won’t do us any good trying to resist the Devil.
“He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
In Ephesians 6. Paul shows us that we can be fully armed for the war against Satan. “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (6:11) and read through to verse 20.
3. Come near to God
“…and He will come near to you.”
What an incredible promise! The Lord wants to walk with you and me.
How do we draw close? James suggests the following:
Clean up our hearts and lives
Express remorse for our sin
Humble ourselves
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (v6)
4. Stop judging others
When we set ourselves up as judge and jury then we are spiritually in trouble and conflict will be the unavoidable result.
James reminds us that God is the lawgiver and judge.
We have no business judging our neighbor or our Christian brother or sister.
In chapter 2 James instructed us to love our neighbor, he called it the royal law (2:8).
We are all people made in God’s image who need His love and His grace.
Conclusion
Do we all want to live at peace with God?
Do we all want to live at peace with our neighbors and Christian brothers and sisters?
Turn to the person next to you and say: “I want to live at peace with you!”
If we take seriously these four prescriptions that James offers us, then we will have discovered the antidote to that which destroys relationships both with God and with others.