(A) THE CONTEXT

(1) I first became acquainted with Wes Reeves nearly forty years ago, at the Willcox Ranchmen’s Camp Meeting over in the southeast corner of Arizona. Wes was one of those men who loved to talk – in fact, he could talk non-stop for what often seemed like hours. Hence, by my second or third summer, I learned that if I was ever going to get any work done around the camp ground I had to come up with a defense strategy. And mine was simple – just keep moving. So, anytime Wes started talking to me I would answer, but I would also make sure I kept walking – because I figured it would be harder for him to continue talking to me if I didn’t stand still long enough to listen to what he had to say. And Wes Reeves had a lot to say – in part because every thought he expressed reminded him of two or three more things he wanted to tell me – which, if I had allowed that to happen, would have resulted in an exponential explosion of one-sided conversation.

(2) The Book of James is a little bit like Wes Reeves – in this regard – that our Lord’s brother moves quickly from one topic to another. Indeed, each topic he brings up (by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration) triggers thoughts regarding something else he wants to tell us.

For example, toward the end of the first chapter James said one of the marks of true conversion is being able to “bridle (our) tongue” (c.f. James 1:26). That thought triggered his comments in chapter three about the devastating impact an uncontrolled tongue can have – calling it “a fire, (and) the very world of iniquity” (c.f. James 3:6) – while also saying that an unbridled tongue “is a restless evil and full of deadly poison” (c.f. James 3:8) – able to “curse men” (c.f. James 3:9), in part, by spreading gossip and slander (c.f. Psalm 15:1-3; Titus 2:3) – which only serves to stir up distrust and unfounded suspicion, rather than promoting things like love and compassion, forgiveness and peace.

Another example comes at the end of chapter three, and spills directly over into this morning’s Scripture lesson. At the end of chapter three James was talking about how “the wisdom from above is … peaceable (and) gentle …” (c.f. James 3:17) – and how “the seed (of) righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (c.f. James 3:18). All that talk about “peace” triggered a contrasting² thought in James’ mind about “quarrels and conflicts … (and) fight(s)” (c.f. James 4:1-2) – and how such things affect our relationships with one another.

Or, perhaps we could say James’ comments toward the end of chapter three – about how the wisdom that’s “earthly, natural, (and) demonic” results in things like “jealousy … selfish ambition … disorder and every (other) evil thing” (c.f. James 3:15-16) – triggered his comments in this morning’s Scripture lesson about how “lust” and “envy” and selfishness often result in “fight(s) and quarrel(s)” (c.f. James 4:2-3) between people who ought to be living in peace and harmony with one another.

Any way we look at it, there’s a clear connection³ between the end of chapter three and the start of chapter four – i.e. the thoughts James expressed, especially in the last half of chapter three, have triggered his comments here in the opening verses of this morning’s Scripture lesson.

(3) We should never be surprised by any of the sinful things NON-Christians do – because when they do them, they are simply acting according to their depraved, unregenerate nature. Hence, IF James were talking about NON-Christians in this morning’s Scripture lesson – IF he were talking about NON-Christians having “quarrels and conflicts” (c.f. James 4:1) among themselves – we shouldn’t be surprised. IF he were talking about the “pleasures” of NON-Christians “wag(ing) war in (their) members” – IF he were talking about NON-Christians “lust(ing) (after things they) do not have; (and) commit(ting) (some form of) murder” to get them (c.f. James 4:1-2) – that shouldn’t surprise us. IF James were talking about NON-Christians being “envious” of what other people have that they don’t – or stirring up conflict with others because they don’t have some of the things they desire (c.f. James 4:2) – (IF that were the case) we ought not be surprised. IF James were talking about NON-Christians praying “with wrong motives” for things they want, but don’t have – IF he were talking about NON-Christians praying selfishly, “so that (they) may spend it on (their own) pleasures” (c.f. James 4:3) – that shouldn’t come as any surprise to us, because these are exactly the kinds of things NON-Christians do. This kind of conduct is part of their basic, sinful nature – it comes naturally to them – hence, we shouldn’t be surprised when NON-Christians behave like who they are.⁵

(4) The problem is, James isn’t talking about non-Christians in this morning’s Scripture lesson. He’s talking about people who profess to be CHRISTAINS – he’s talking about people who really are CHRISTIANS – he’s talking about people like us – indeed, he is talking about you and me! James is not talking specifically about conflict in the work place, or at school, or even in the home – even though much of what he says can be applied to those areas – rather, he’s talking first and foremost of all about conflict in Christ’s church! James isn’t talking about conflict between non-Christians, or even conflict between Christians and non-Christians – although, again, much of what he says is applicable to those relationships – rather, he’s talking first and foremost of all about conflict between Christ’s people, regardless of who or where they are – i.e. at home, or at work, or at school, or within an organized church like Westminster PCA.

Remember, the Book of James is addressed to “the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad” (c.f. James 1:1) – which we said means he was writing first of all to Jewish Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire because of persecution⁴ – and then by extension to Christians living in every place, and every age.

That James was writing to fellow believers is also confirmed by the number of times he refers to his readers as “my brethren” (c.f. James 1:2; 2:1, 14; 3:1, 10, 12; 5:12, 19) – and the even more personal, “my beloved brethren” (c.f. James 1:16, 19; 2:5) – the point being that James would NOT have addressed non-believers in this manner.

So, all the literary evidence says the Book of James is addressed to Christians – which means he’s talking to Christians here in this morning’s Scripture lesson. They are Christians who are beset by conflicts – they’re Christians who are fighting and quarreling among themselves – but they are still Christians nonetheless. However, this problem of conflict within Christ’s church needs to be addressed and corrected.

(B) THE TEXT

(1) Turning to our text, then, James begins with a question in verse one, asking: “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?” (c.f. James 4:1).

(a) Do Christians really have “conflicts” with other Christians? Do believers actually “quarrel” and “fight” with other believers (c.f. James 4:1-2)? Obviously, we aren’t supposed to – but it’s just as obvious that we do. In a perfect world we wouldn’t – but in a fallen world we do. In our sanctified, glorified state there won’t be any quarrels or conflicts between Christ’s redeemed people – but in our present, yet-to-be-perfected state there are.

For example, “Miriam and Aaron” used Moses’ second marriage to “a Cushite woman” as an excuse to stir up conflict between themselves and their brother – even though the real problem was one of envy and jealousy – for they said: “Has the Lord indeed spoken ONLY through Moses? Has He not spoken through US as well? (c.f. Numbers 12:1-2).

When James and John asked Jesus to let them sit at His right and left hand once He entered into His glory, they created dissension between themselves and the rest of the disciples – for Scripture says when the ten heard it, they “began to feel INDIGNANT with James and John” (c.f. Mark 10:35-41).

Many of us probably have the impression that after Pentecost the early church was marked by peace and harmony and tranquility – and perhaps it was, for a time (c.f. Acts 4:32). But it didn’t last long³ – for we find that “quarrels among” Christians was one of the major problems in the Corinthian church (c.f. I Corinthians 1:11) – so much so, that Christians were actually filing lawsuits against other Christians (c.f. I Corinthians 6:1-7)! In his letter to the church at Philippi Paul “urge(d) Euodia and … Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord” (c.f. Philippians 4:2) – because they apparently weren’t! He also urged the believers in Thessalonica to “live in peace with one another” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:13) – and if we inquire as to why he said that, surely the answer is because they weren’t always living peaceably with one another. In a similar fashion, Peter urged his readers to “seek peace and pursue it” (c.f. I Peter 3:11) – as did the author of the Book of Hebrews (c.f. Hebrews 12:14) – which suggests that in a fallen world living in peace doesn’t come naturally or even easily to Christians.

Elsewhere believers are exhorted to be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (c.f. Ephesians 4:3) – while in another place we’re told that the fruit of the Holy Spirit includes “peace” (c.f. Galatians 5:22). Titus was told to remind the members of his church to “malign no one, (but rather) to be peaceable, (and) gentle, showing every consideration for all men” (c.f. Titus 3:1-2) – while in the Beatitudes, Jesus once said: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (c.f. Matthew 5:9). And if we inquire as to why Scripture contains all these exhortations for Christians be peaceable, surely the answer has to do with our tendency to revert back to our old nature, whose natural inclination is to pursue the path of “quarrels and conflicts” (c.f. James 4:1) rather than the path of peace.

(b) Let’s make this a little more personal, so we don’t miss the point. Have YOU ever gotten into a “quarrel” (or a squabble, or an argument, or a dispute) with another Christian? (I know for a fact that some of you have!) Have you ever found YOURSELF in “conflict” with a fellow believer? Have YOU ever gotten into a verbal “fight” (or disagreement) with a brother or sister in Christ (c.f. James 4:1-2)? Don’t tell me it hasn’t happened, because we both know that’s not true!

Those of you who have been here at Westminster for a long time know this church has had its share of conflict in the past – some of it pretty ugly. But if it’s any consolation, you aren’t alone. Before Miss Karen and I moved here I went through several conflicts with fellow believers that I’m not proud of. My brother’s church in Albuquerque recently went through an intense time of conflict. As a matter of fact, most churches have “quarrels and conflicts” (c.f. James 4:1) at some point – most churches eventually get into a “fight” (c.f. James 4:2) (sometimes over the stupidest things!), if for no other reason than because we’re still fallen people living in a fallen world. Oh, I know we clothe OURSELVES in self-righteousness – and claim to be the ones standing up for the truth – we often proclaim OURSELVES to be the injured or innocent party. But, you know, even when we’re right – even when we’re in the right – “conflicts and quarrels” (c.f. James 4:1) between brothers and sisters in Christ is always a sorry spectacle (especially for non-believers to see) – not to mention being a nasty and sickening thing to be a part of.

Hence, in one of his shorter psalms, David wrote: ¹“Behold, how GOOD and how PLEASANT it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! … ³… for there (i.e. in that place where brothers are dwelling together in unity) (there) the Lord (has) commanded the blessing – life forever” (c.f. Psalm 133:1-3). It is a blessing from God to be able to dwell together in peace and unity – a blessing from God that we should not despise, or overlook, or take lightly!

(2) The true God – our God – the God who has revealed Himself to us in the pages of the Old and New Testaments – even the God who has saved us by grace, through the gift of faith in Jesus Christ (c.f. Ephesians 2:8-9) – this God (Scripture says) is a “God of peace” (c.f. Romans 16:20; Philippians 4:9; Hebrews 13:20). And, since we are to reflect His image and likeness, we should be people of peace. But sometimes we aren’t – sometimes we’re people of “quarrels and conflicts” – sometimes we succumb to the temptation to “fight and quarrel” (c.f. James 4:1-2) with each other. Why is that?

In the first part of verse one James asked: “What is the SOURCE of quarrels and conflicts among you?” Now, in the second half of that verse, he gives us his inspired answer (in the form of rhetorical question),⁶ asking: “Is not the SOURCE your pleasures that wage war in your members?” (c.f. James 4:1).

(a) So, what kind of “pleasure” (c.f. James 4:1) is James talking about? The Greek word used here is “hedone”⁷ – from which we get our English word “hedonism”.⁸ Hence, James is talking about “hedonistic” pleasure – the kind of pleasure that’s often defined as intemperate, uncontrolled,⁸ and self-indulgent – the kind of pleasures designed to gratify a person’s sensual and physical appetites,⁸ with little or no regard for God’s standards of morality (c.f. Exodus 20:13-17). Hence, the Book of Ephesians talks about those who have “given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity” (c.f. Ephesians 4:19).

(b) Now we know many non-Christians live this way – but do Christians? Can a person who is TRULY a Christian be driven into “quarrels and conflict” with other believers by their desire for hedonist “pleasures” (c.f. James 4:1)? Sadly, the answer is: Yes! That’s one reason James talks about our pleasures “WAGING WAR in our members” (c.f. James 4:1). Non-Christians aren’t usually at war with their sinful desires (except in a superficial sense) – because whatever they want to do, they usually do (unless providentially hindered). If they want to get drunk, they get drunk – if they want to commit adultery, they commit adultery – if they want to cheat, they cheat – if the want to thumb their nose at the governing authorities, they thumb their nose at the governing authorities – if they want to fight and quarrel, they fight and quarrel. Non-Christians do pretty much whatever they want to do, without regard for whether their behavior is sinful or not – they do pretty much what they want, unless God intervenes and prevents them from doing it. Hence, Scripture talks about people being “lovers of self” and “lovers of pleasure (a form of the Greek word for hedonism)⁹ rather than lovers of God” (c.f. II Timothy 3:2-3).

(c) Christians, on the other hand, are constantly at “war” (c.f. James 4:1) with the hedonistic desires of their old sinful nature. It’s not that we don’t have them, because we do – it’s that we have another force at work in us that non-Christians don’t have – namely, the Holy Spirit who constantly reminds us that the hedonistic pleasures we sometimes crave are not only wrong, they are terrible offensive to our God and Beloved Savior! Hence, the biblical exhortation “not (to) grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom (we) were sealed for the day of redemption” (c.f. Ephesians 4:30).

Paul used himself as an example of the internal “war” (c.f. James 4:1) all Christians constantly face, when he wrote: ¹⁹“For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. ²⁰But if I am doing the very thing I do not want (to do), I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. ²¹I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. ²²For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, ²³but I see a different law in the MEMBERS OF MY BODY, WAGING WAR against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members” (c.f. Romans 7:19-23). Nor was Paul alone in this, for Peter urged his readers to “abstain from fleshly lusts which WAGE WAR against the soul” (c.f. I Peter 2:11).

(d) Non-Christians know little or nothing of this “war” (c.f. James 4:1), except in the most superficial sense. Christians, on the other hand, experience this “war” (c.f. James 4:1) every day to a greater or lesser degree. However, the problem is not the “war” (c.f. James 4:1) per se – rather, problems occur when we succumb to the hedonistic desires of our old nature. Problems occur when we don’t avail ourselves of the means Christ has given us to help us “stand firm”, and not succumb to our hedonistic desires – a means known in Scripture as “the full armor of God” (c.f. Ephesians 6:11-18). Indeed, the problem of “quarrels and conflicts” between believers (c.f. James 4:1) is more apt to occur whenever we succumb to one of the “pleasures … wag(ing) war in (our) members” (c.f. James 4:1) – in part, because by doing so we have put ourselves first, ahead of our brothers and sisters in Christ – which is just the opposite of what we are supposed to do, after the example of our Savior (c.f. Philippians 2:3-5).

(3) Returning to our text, James goes on to explain his answer, saying in verse two: “You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel” (c.f. James 4:2). (The NIV [as well as the NKJV] translates this verse a little differently, saying: “You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight” – NIV.)

(a) Jesus made it clear there are other ways to “commit murder” (c.f. James 4:2) without actually taking a person’s life. Specifically what He said was this: “everyone who is ANGRY with his brother (is) be guilty (of murder)” – whoever calls “his brother” a derogatory name in anger is guilty of murder – whoever calls his brother a “fool” in anger is guilty of murder (c.f. Matthew 5:21-22).

Now, the question is – when are we most likely to be angry with a brother or sister in Christ? When are we most likely to call them a fool – or make a derogatory reference about them? When we’re living together in peace and harmony – or when we are caught up in a quarrel or conflict? The answer is obvious, is it not?! “Quarrels and conflicts” (c.f. James 4:1) easily lead to “murder” (c.f. James 4:2) – not necessarily physical murder, but murder in the form of anger, and name-calling, and slander, and character assassination. Hence, the Apostle John once said: “Everyone who HATES his brother is a murderer …” (c.f. I John 3:15) – and hatred is often kindled when “quarrels and conflicts” (c.f. James 4:1) are not quickly resolved!

(b) James mentions two sins in particular that inevitably cause conflict in Christ’s church – “lust” and “envy” (c.f. James 4:2) – or literally, “covetousness”¹⁰ and “jealousy”¹¹ – the latter being something James has already warned us about toward the end of chapter three, saying that: “where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (c.f. James 3:16) (including “quarrels and conflicts” – c.f. James 4:1).

Are Christians really capable of “lust” and “envy” (c.f. James 4:2)? Are we really capable of being “covetous” and “jealous” of a brother or sister in Christ? Can you and I become so fixated on having something God hasn’t chosen to give us, that we become obsessed with having it? Are we capable of becoming so consumed with possessing something we don’t have that we’re filled with intense jealousy toward fellow Christians who do have it? A new car – a position of importance in the church – a wife or husband – a spiritual gift someone else has that we don’t – a younger person’s strength, and vigor, and youth – a perk someone else has we don’t – a fat bank account – a large active church?

It could be almost anything – all we have to do is become discontent with what God has chosen to give us, and/or jealous of what He has chosen to give someone else – and the ground work is set for “quarrels and conflicts” (c.f. James 4:1) to break out in Christ’s church.

(c) May the Lord help each of us examine and discern the motives of our heart. May He protect us from “quarrels and conflicts” (c.f. James 4:1) by helping us guard against things like “lust” and “envy” (c.f. James 4:2). May He keep us from “fighting and quarreling” (c.f. James 4:2) by enabling us to turn away from every temptation toward covetousness and jealousy. May He enable us, as a church family, to live in peace and harmony with one another – AND to quickly repent and seek each other’s forgiveness when we fail to do so, so that peace and harmony and unity may be quickly restored.

Our God is a God of peace (c.f. Romans 15:33; I Thessalonians 5:23) – may He teach us and graciously enable us to live as people of peace.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

¹The New Geneva Study Bible: Footnote on James 4:1; p.

1964.

²Blanchard: Truth For Life; p. 232.

³Kistemaker: New Testament Commentary; James, Epistles

of John, Peter and Jude; p. 129.

⁴MacArthur: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary;

James; p. 12.

⁵Keddie: The Practical Christian; p. 148.

⁶Kistemaker: Ibid; p. 130.

⁷BCS: Strong’s Concordance; Word #2237.

⁸MacArthur: Ibid; p. 186.

⁹BCS: Strong’s Concordance; Word #5369 and #2237.

¹⁰IBID; Word #1937.

¹¹IBID; Word #2206.