11 November 2012
Steve Grant
James 4:1-6
In this passage, James is addressing Christians who are warring amongst themselves. After having earlier spoken about the source of conflict, more often than not, being within us, James now shows these very Christians that the source of their strife is their personal pleasures and preferences which takes precedence over everything else.
In fact, James uses extremely harsh words to drive home his point that Christians ought always to examine their motives in the light of God’s word. If not, they become adulterers who are unfaithful to God by allowing worldly desires to drive them.
This applies to us too. Being the bride of Christ, the Holy Spirit doesn’t want us to pursue pleasures in anything but Christ. After all, why should we seek to be loved by the world when the One who created the world loves us?
Beloved, let us be careful not to be ruled by the love for worldly pleasures. For this internal war will surely spill over and damage our relationships with others and our relationship with Christ.