James 4:1-2 (KJV)
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
So many things in this chapter seem extreme for a church setting and yet to be consistent with the context, it must be viewed in this way. The phrase, “Ye kill and desire to have” is perhaps the most extreme. It may be understood in a number of ways:
That kill is spiritual
How devastating to a church is the infighting that can happen when brothers or sisters in Christ grow petty one against another. No one dies physically but the life of the church dies off and young people die of the opportunity to be saved.
How devastating to a church is the infighting that can happen when brothers or sisters in Christ grow petty one against another. No one dies physically but the life of the church dies off and young people die of the opportunity to be saved.
That kill means envy
This is the least agreeable understanding in my view because it blatantly replaces the word for another.
This is the least agreeable understanding in my view because it blatantly replaces the word for another.
That kill is prophetic
There have been in history, future to the days of James, times when people of the Catholic and later Protestant persuasion turned people of Anabaptist persuasion into authorities. Those who turned them in were often rewarded with the possessions of the accused. The accused were often killed for their faith.
There have been in history, future to the days of James, times when people of the Catholic and later Protestant persuasion turned people of Anabaptist persuasion into authorities. Those who turned them in were often rewarded with the possessions of the accused. The accused were often killed for their faith.
There is no reason to view this chapter as anything other than a local church setting.
To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.
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James 4:1-2 (KJV) The Desire To Have
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