The Inner War

I. We Cannot Get Along Because of Inner War

Because of an inner war

In verse 1, James pinpoints the source of our conflict!

What causes quarrels (contention, war) and what causes fights (Contention, battle) among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

“within you” or “in your members” - Our physical bodies are not evil, nor the source of evil, but they are the battle ground of evil (cf. ).

 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

This was a major ontological (the nature of being) difference between Greek philosophy and biblical Christianity.

It is just possible the “members” may refer to the body of Christ, the Church. It is uncertain whether the warning is

English Standard Version Chapter 6

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

It is just possible the “members” may refer to the body of Christ, the Church. It is uncertain whether the warning is (1) internal (fallen nature); (2) external (problem in the church); or (3) both.

It is just possible the “members” may refer to the body of Christ, the Church. It is uncertain whether the warning is (1) internal (fallen nature); (2) external (problem in the church); or (3) both.

Jesus’ Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude Word and Phrase Study

“in your members” Our physical bodies are not evil, nor the source of evil, but they are the battle ground of evil (cf. Rom. 6:12–23). This was a major ontological difference between Greek philosophy and biblical Christianity.

It is just possible the “members” may refer to the body of Christ, the Church. It is uncertain whether the warning is (1) internal (fallen nature); (2) external (problem in the church); or (3) both.

(1) internal (fallen nature)

(2) external (problem in the church); or

(3) both.

A. Inner war is a war of passions

Passion: ἡδονή (hay-don-ay') - where we get the word “hedonism.”

which is a passion for self gratification, pleasure, or position at any cost! This term is only used three other times in the NT, ; ; and . It is always used in a negative sense.

Jesus’ Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude Word and Phrase Study

which is a passion for self gratification, pleasure, or position at any cost! This term is only used three other times in the NT, Luke 8:14; Titus 3:3; and 2 Pet. 2:13. It is always used in a negative sense.

A passion for self gratification, pleasure, or position at any cost!

This term is only used three other times in the NT (; ; )

It is always used in a negative sense.

You desire and do not have, so you murder (not in the literal sense, used in the sense of “hate”). You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight (spar, argue) and quarrel (argue, wage war). You do not have, because you do not ask.

You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight (spar, argue) and quarrel (argue, wage war). You do not have, because you do not ask.

Original Word: ἡδονή, ῆς, ἡ Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: hédoné Phonetic Spelling: (hay-don-ay') Short Definition: pleasure, lust, strong desire Definition: pleasure, a pleasure, especially sensuous pleasure; a strong desire, passion.

What causes quarrels (contention, war) and what causes fights (Contention, battle) among you? Is it not this, that your passions (hay-don-ay' - where we get the word “hedonism”) are at war within you?

Inner war seeks to gain

B. The source of all relational conflict is a failure to please God

The source of all relational conflict is a failure to please God

In our inordinate desires (4:2)

In our lack of asking (4:2)

In our lack of asking (4:2)

In our asking with the wrong motives (4:3)

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

II. We Cannot be Friends with the World without being Enemies of God.

The word “world” here refers to the “world system apart from God”

II. The source of our conflict with God

In verse 4, James lays out our conflict with God.

Trans: The world and its system is in direct conflict with God

Conducting business

Fill out tax forms

Raising children

In 4:4 James quickly moves into our conflict with the Lord. This helps us to see that the lines between conflict with God and man are often quite blurry.

showing hospitality

Counting money

Trans: The world and its system is in direct conflict with God

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Spending money

Developing relationships

Obtaining success

A. The world system is in conflict with God

The way the world conducts business, fills out tax forms, raises children, shows hospitality, observes bank accounts, develops relationships, and obtains success, are not just a little off from God’s way (God-Lite), they are indirect contradiction to His ways. There may be enough “truth” in them to give the appearance of righteousness, but they are contaminated with man’s desires and passions.

B. We are in conflict with God when we befriend the world’s system

We are in conflict with God when we befriend the world’s system

James calls it “adultery” (It is an OT metaphor for “spiritual adultery”)

He calls it adulteryGod is to be our lover and not the fallen world system

James calls it adultery

C. God is jealous for our affections

The Message of James The Testimony of Scripture (4:5)

God’s people are indwelt by God’s Spirit and there is no way in which the living presence of that Spirit is compatible with those sinful yearnings and promptings to self-interest which are destructive of the peace of the church.

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

God’s people are indwelt by God’s Spirit and there is no way in which the living presence of that Spirit is compatible with those sinful yearnings and promptings to self-interest which are destructive of the peace of the church.

III. There is a Way to Resolve Conflicts

James outlines a few heart attitudes that will lead to conflict resolution between us, our fellow man, and God. These heart attitudes may not resolve every conflict but they will certainly put us in the favorable position to please God.

A. It all begins with grace

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Grace is never received by the proud

Grace is the relief the humble long for

B. Grace-drenched humility

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Submits to God

“Submit” ὑποτάσσω hypotássō - from hypó, "under" and tássō, "arrange") – properly, "under God's arrangement."

Resists the devil

Take a stand against him, and he WILL flee.

Seeks purity

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Directs our emotions

9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

It breaks our hearts for the things that break God’s heart.

Leads to exaltation

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Humility is the path to resolving conflict.

Humility will rightly value God above self

Humility will rightly value God above self

f the world system will lose its luster. Humility will also cause us to pursue godliness in the midst of conflict. It will help us confess our sin before men and God and will also assist us as we strive to continue pleasing God in the midst of inevitable human conflict.

Humility will cause the pull of the world system to lose its luster.

Humility will also cause us to pursue godliness in the midst of conflict.

Humility will help us confess our sin before men and God

Humility will assist us as we strive to continue pleasing God in the midst of inevitable human conflict.

Conclusion

The bluntness of James' diagnosis can be hard to swallow, but it is also filled with grace. May we acknowledge our role in conflict and pursue pleasing God in the midst of conflict whether we are at fault or not.

One of the joys of biblical ministry comes when you are able to turn on the lights in another person's dark room....I have yet to meet a couple locked in hostility (and the accompanying fear, self-pity, hurt, self-righteousness) who really understood and reckoned with their motives. teaches that cravings underlie conflicts. Why do you fight? It's not "because my wife/husband..." - it's because of something about you. Couples who see what rules them - cravings for affection, attention, power, vindication, control, comfort, a hassle-free life - can repent and find God's grace made real to them, and then learn how to make peace.

The bluntness of James' diagnosis can be hard to swallow, but it is also filled with grace. May we acknowledge our role in conflict and pursue pleasing God in the midst of conflict whether we are at fault or not.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

Filling out tax forms

Raising children

showing hospitality

Counting money

Spending money

Developing relationships

Obtaining success