Church fight. I have heard of people literally boxing each other out by the church sign in front of their church building for all the world to see. It’s a shame that others saw it. It’s worse that it happened in the first place. But why do some people tend to go to war against other people in a church?

The lesson covers the passage found in James 4:1-12

Where do wars (battles) and fights come from?

Church and Elsewhere

This is more specifically about church than any other place, but the reasons are all the same. James outlines them.

Lust: not just about sexual appetite, but it sure includes it.

Sexual lust is a problem, and it can certainly cause wars.

“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”Matthew 5:28

Coveting is mentioned. Coveting is not merely wanting something, but wanting something that SOMEONE ELSE HAS. The desire may cause people to fight for what they want.

It might be that our friends have a car we want, and we might be tempted to just take it from them, especially if they are the only people who have it.

If it applies to marriage it is about taking your friend’s wife for yourself. No doubt a fight will come from that.

Notice that in this situation the person who possesses it is part of the desire. You want what someone else has. That means that a part of you wants to take away something from someone else. That may mean a fight or argument–even force being used.

A step beyond this would be envy. To envy someone means that you see they have something you want and you begin to see that person as being in your way to getting what is rightfully yours. So if it is your neighbor’s wife you are after, you might begin to hate your neighbor because he has her and you don’t.

It Comes from Improper Desires

Notice the end of verse 1–the desires for pleasure war inside your body.

There are two possible reasons for the lack in your life–why you lust after things you can’t have–

* You have not asked for them. Does God grant us every wish? Not at all. But still, ASK* You ask because of selfishness and worldliness, so you can enjoy it all for yourself. God may grant us some things we can enjoy, but God it NOT your genie in a lamp. He is not a gumball machine. He is not Burger King–you don’t get to do things your way.

The very fact that we would ask for something just so we can spend it on our pleasures shows a mindset that is deadly. It shows a love for the world.

A Worldly Fight

Verse 4. This is so serious he calls them adulterers and adulteresses! That is a reference to spiritual adultery. In the Old Testament God frequently used this to talk about His people chasing after other gods. And that is the point here–if we seek the pleasures and comforts of this world more than we seek God, we are putting up an idol in our hearts. You are worshiping convenience, pleasure, nice cars, women, men, sports–anything that we put in the place where God should be.

1 John 2:15, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Surely the church members have many