James wrote, “Where do [a]wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? ” (James 4:1). The wars and fights that he is referring too are not fought with guns, knives, tanks and aircraft but are spiritual wars between the saints.
This fighting, waring, comes when our own desires for pleasure that war in our members take front stage above our spiritually. Because we are unwilling to be wrong, to be humble, because we want things our own way–-we don’t have peace together. You see, the reason why we have the strife, the quarreling, the waring in our members, is because we cannot accept blame. • We refuse to admit that we are to blame—it’s always the other person—There wouldn’t be a problem if brother Dave would just listen to reason. • If sister so-and-so didn’t do that—this wouldn’t ever happen. James is saying that you must be willing to accept blame! Are you willing to blame yourself?
If we have Wars and Fights among us it is because we are Not Living According to the Spirit of Truth, because we don’t put others above ourselves—considering their needs—their situations—we just think about our needs. James says, that is not the way of truth, not the way of Godliness.
I want to emphasize the force behind the terms James chose. They should generate terror in your minds at the thought of discourse – at the thought of brethren fighting. Because James wants us to connect the dots…see the destructive power, the devastation that wars produce and connect that to ourselves and the devastation to us and the church that results from refusing to humble ourselves. Notice the words, “among you”. Fights, wars, battles all these – James is telling us—are among us—he points to us, not to nations.