Fighting the Four Evils

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 (James 4:1-2). We live in a world full of conflicts, wars, tension and fighting. The world asks, how to solve all these conflicts, all while accommodating for the self-interest of all parties, by preaching that people should simply negotiate. Negotiation as practiced by the world is full of immoral, unethical deals, where people and nations are willing to not kill a person they already hate, which is already murder in the heart (1 John 3:15) , just because of money. However, the spiritually mature follower of Christ knows that none of these conflicts can be solved in any way, nor that it is even about 'solving' conflicts. Rather, he asks, what is in the heart of a man that causes him to fight. James 4:1-2 poses and answers this question: ...

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:3-8). We live in a world full of competition and the desire to be independent, especially the western world. Competition in and of itself is a manifestation of independence, wanting to get what one wants in one's own way as opposed to following the ways of God, which is in and of itself a sin. Those who are full of the spirit of independence love competition. Competition is not something that they feel ...

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him (Proverbs 24:17-18). God hates those who rejoice in the calamity of others. Rejoicing in the calamity of others is a vile, wicked evil sin. It is all too easy that think of oneself as one who does not rejoice in the calamity of others because one does not mock, or scoff one's enemies who fall into calamity. However, rejoicing in the calamity of others is very subtle, like all other sins. It is especially subtle because of how easy it is to mix truths, and half-truths, and to use truths and pervert them to justifying one's rejoicing in the calamity of others.  Those who rejoice in the calamity of others are not only proud, vile, arrogant, wicked. They are full of self-righteousness, manifesting in the belief that one is justified to laugh at the calamity,  in not only thinking oneself to be righteous in th...

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. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God .  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.   Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:1-7). We live in a world which loves competition for others, but not for itself and which thrives on division, conflict and fighting. The world makes earthly gain of such things, and loves it ...