From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Wars and fightings among church members do not come from outside them but from lusts, that is selfish desires, at war within their own members. Those warring lusts appear as jealousy, faultfinding, talebearing, gossip, sowing seeds of dissension, stirring up strife, being busybodies meddling with other people's matters, tearing down brethren to lift up self, and speaking evil of one another. They also appear as bitter speech, suspicion, and attention to supposed faults, which create differences and alienate brothers and sisters. In the heart they are envy and strife, unholy ambition, and nursed grievances, and even hereditary and cultivated tendencies can become such warring desires.
Indulging them shows a person is not a branch of the true vine but manifests satanic attributes, with bitter envying and strife bringing confusion and every evil work, and shows friendship with the world which is enmity with God. Selfishness in this form fills the world with strife and brings discord and unholy ambition into the church, hindering God's work and obstructing spiritual blessing, so overcoming self is necessary for unity among God's people. The verse calls every church member to close self-examination in the light of God's Word in order to do the essential work to be done.
The cure it points to is to submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse the hands, purify the double-minded heart, mourn over sin, and humble self in God's sight in order to be lifted up, with compliance bringing acceptance with God to be believed by faith whether feelings change or not. Obedience must be implicit to every requirement of God's abiding law under the warnings of the Holy Spirit, not set aside even in small matters, requiring vigilant safeguards and trustworthy advisers. In practice this means to stop nursing grievances, humble oneself, seek reconciliation directly and privately, confess wrong, and heal divisions before they spread, which creates a different spirit and atmosphere.
Wars and fightings among church members do not come from outside them but from lusts, that is selfish desires, at war within their own members. Those warring lusts appear as jealousy, faultfinding, talebearing, gossip, sowing seeds of dissension, stirring up strife, being busybodies meddling with other people's matters, tearing down brethren to lift up self, and speaking evil of one another. They also appear as bitter speech, suspicion, and attention to supposed faults, which create differences and alienate brothers and sisters. In the heart they are envy and strife, unholy ambition, and nursed grievances, and even hereditary and cultivated tendencies can become such warring desires.
Indulging them shows a person is not a branch of the true vine but manifests satanic attributes, with bitter envying and strife bringing confusion and every evil work, and shows friendship with the world which is enmity with God. Selfishness in this form fills the world with strife and brings discord and unholy ambition into the church, hindering God's work and obstructing spiritual blessing, so overcoming self is necessary for unity among God's people. The verse calls every church member to close self-examination in the light of God's Word in order to do the essential work to be done.
The cure it points to is to submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse the hands, purify the double-minded heart, mourn over sin, and humble self in God's sight in order to be lifted up, with compliance bringing acceptance with God to be believed by faith whether feelings change or not. Obedience must be implicit to every requirement of God's abiding law under the warnings of the Holy Spirit, not set aside even in small matters, requiring vigilant safeguards and trustworthy advisers. In practice this means to stop nursing grievances, humble oneself, seek reconciliation directly and privately, confess wrong, and heal divisions before they spread, which creates a different spirit and atmosphere.