Victory Over Church Conflict

Victory Over Church Conflict

sermon by Ken Baratta

based on James 4:6-10

INTRODUCTION

A few weeks ago, we started our venture into James 4 and the Battles In The Church.

THE CAUSE OF THE BATTLE (v. 1)

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

A short list of ACTIONS IN THE BATTLE (v. 2-6a)

You desire and do not have… so you murder.

You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel

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

THE VICTORY OVER THE BATTLE (v. 6b-12)

When it comes down to it, pride is the engine that powers our sin problem.

Right in the middle of pride and sin is “I”; thus, pride and sin are big “I” problems

As we looked at a few weeks ago, selfishness is the framework on which our passions are built that wage war.

Submit

This word is a military term that means “get into your proper rank.”

The only way that we can expect to have victory over these battles in the church (and outside it) is by first realizing the need to submit ourselves to God’s expectation.

The Bible is clear in the areas that we ought to be submitting:

To our government leaders (Romans 13:1) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

To those who teach the Word (Hebrews 13:7, 17) Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith… Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Wives to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22) Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Young whippersnappers to old fogies (1 Peter 5:5) Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

To one another (Ephesians 5:18-21) And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Unconditional surrender is the only way to complete victory. Any area of our lives that is kept back from God will always give an opportunity for battles.

Resist

Ephesians 4:27

And give no opportunity to the devil

Satan needs a foothold in our lives if he is going to fight against God; and we give him that foothold. The way to resist the devil is to submit to God.

King David

David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. He then hid his sins for almost a year. This was a war between him and God and the ramifications and suffering were overwhelming for David (cf. Psalms 32 & 51).

Psalm 51:3-4, 7-8

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment...Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

It was not until David finally submitted to God that he experienced peace and joy. Submission is an act of the will where someone says, “not my will, but yours be done.” And when we are wanting God to work His will in our lives, we will be more actively resisting the advances of the devil, who will see who he is up against and will flee.

Draw near

How do we draw near to God? What exactly does that look like?

Drawing near to God indicates an intimacy/closeness to Him.

One thing is for sure, this intimacy cannot take place as long as we are adulterous people who are seeking friendship with the world (v. 4). The nation of Israel sought to do that and it backfired:

Isaiah 29:13 this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men

There is no intimacy in this passage. All the “righteousness” is mere show. There is no truth to their apparent relationship with God.

One of the more comprehensive passages on fellowship with God is 1 John 1.

Read 1 John 1:5-10

We cannot claim to have fellowship with God and choose to walk in darkness

If we walk in darkness and say we have no sin, then we make God a liar and the truth is not in us

However:

If we walk in the light, we have fellowship and are cleansed by the blood

If we confess our sins, He will forgive us and cleanse us

In order to draw near to God, we must humble ourselves and recognize our need for His cleansing of our sin.

Going back to James 4:

Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

The bottom line expectation in this line of commands is humility:

Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts indicates a recognition of the need to be cleaned...that our hearts are full of wickedness which our hands have carried out.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Be wretched and mourn and weep calls remembrance to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:2, blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Comfort is promised to those who are brought low by the reality of their sinful state, which will result in forever being separated from God

When we are in our desperate helpless state, God promises to comfort and exalt us, if we call on him.

Romans 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

CONCLUSION

In a move that is contrary to what our world propagates, the way to have Victory Over Church Conflict (really, any conflict) is the road to humility.

We must submit ourselves to God, resist the devil, and draw near to God in order to carry out Christlikeness in our lives.

F.B. Meyer:

The only hope for a decreasing self is an increasing Christ.

And we know that Christ came to bring peace. Peace with God and peace with others.