Pride and Strife (YG)

Introduction: We finished with the wisdom from above..

Pure

Peaceable

Gentle

Willing to Yield

Full of Mercy

Good fruits

Without partiality

Without hypocrisy

1. (V1) Where do wars and fights come from?

(Battles)

New Living Translation Chapter 4

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you

Lexham Theological Wordbook μοιχαλίς

Likewise, James accuses his congregation of being

(Dr. Consatble)

"The sudden transition from the beautiful picture in 3:17-18 of a life governed by heavenly wisdom to the appalling picture in the opening verses of chapter 4 is startling, but it demonstrates effectively the need for this vigorous rebuke now administered to the spirit of worldliness."

"The spirit of worldliness has always been a problem for the church; it manifests itself in varied and often subtle ways. James discusses its manifestation in the lives of believers in four different areas.

Worldliness reveals itself in their selfish strife (4:1-12),

In an attitude of presumptuous self-sufficiency in business planning (4:13-17)

People often think that most conflicts arise because of external circumstances, but James traced their root to internal lusts 

The satisfaction of desire, which is what pleasure is, is something people spend vast quantities of time, money, and energy to obtain.

Why do I want that high paying job?

 Where do wars and fights come from among you? 

James accurately described strife among Christians with the terms wars and fights. Often the battles that happen among Christians are bitter and severe.

James seems to be bothered more by the selfish spirit and bitterness of the quarrels than by the rights and wrongs of the various viewpoints.

a) They come from our desires for pleasure

It is self-evident that the Spirit of God does not create desire which issues in envying.

Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

Why do wars start?