James #24: Wars and Fightings

Although we have started a new chapter, James is continuing his theme of envy and strife. He quickly gets our attention when asks another rhetorical question: Where do the wars come from? He does not ask if there are such conflicts but proceeds on the assumption that there are indeed wars and fightings.

James answers his own question with another question: "don't they come from the lusts that war in your members?" – another example of the double-minded believer who has a war tearing him apart.

James again uses harsh language that grabs our attention when he says that we kill. Although not literally, we nevertheless kill with our tongues when we give into our lustful envies; when we "desire to have and cannot obtain," and use poisonous words in our disagreements with fellow believers. And we make things worse. First, we do not pray about these problems; and second, when we do pray, we pray amiss – to consume it upon our lusts.