passions – Ministry of Grace Church

Where do wars and controversy come from among you? Do they not come from your passions warring in your members?

Truth to Learn

Fighting and quarreling result from our own selfish desire for gratification.

Behind the Words

The opening word of this verse is pothen, which is an interrogative adverb. That is, it indicates the question, “From where?” It may imply “What is the place?” or it may imply “What is the cause?” as it does in this case.

The word translated “wars” is polemos and refers to warfare or fighting in general. The word translated “controversy” is the word machē, which refers to specific “battles, skirmishes, or controversies.”

“Among you” is translated from en humin, which literally translates as “in you (plural).” James is referring to the fighting and bickering within the church. How tragic!

The word translated “passions” is hēdonē (from which we get the word hedonism). This word means “sensual pleasure, enjoyment, or gratification.”

The verb translated “warring” is strateuomai, which means “to wage a military campaign.” It is expressed here as a participle in the middle voice, so it could be interpreted as “waging war with yourselves.”

“Members” is a word that we have seen previously. It is the Greek word melos, referring to a limb or other part of the body. In this case it is probably referring metaphorically to members of the Body of Christ (the Church.)

Meaning Explained

Being the practical person he is, James will focus this entire chapter on interpersonal problems that exist in the church. The church is not immune to problems and James wants us to see what causes them so we can overcome them. He has just taught about heavenly wisdom which is peaceable and the fruit of righteousness which is sown in peace. Unfortunately, such peace is often lacking, even in the church.

He tells us here that the source of wars and battles among people are the very desires for pleasure and personal gratification that each one of us has naturally. But it is not the mere possession of these desires that causes problems, rather it is the uncontrolled expression and pursuit of these pleasurable desires (the lusts, as we will see in the next verse).

James is using a complex metaphor here referring to the personal pleasure that wars “in your members.” By this expression he is referring not only to the battling that goes on inside each one of us, within our own bodies, but also the selfish battling that goes on between members of the body of Christ, the Church. And once again we see that problems, even within the church, are caused by focusing on ourselves and our own needs, instead of the needs of others.

Application

Are you at odds with someone in your church? James will tell us later how to eliminate these quarrels. For now, though, let’s recognize that the source of the issue is your own desire for gratification. Can you release that to God? Can you forgive the other person (and forget the offense ever happened) and give God all the glory?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 7:5

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.

Truth to Learn

Trying to live by a set of laws or rules produces spiritual death, not life.

Behind the Words

The word translated “flesh” in this verse is sarx, which means “the flesh, or muscle, of a living animal.” This is a contrasting word to kreas, which refers to “the flesh of a dead animal,” also sometimes translated as “meat.” Paul is using the word “flesh” here as a metonym, that is, a word used to represent something else. An example of a metonym is the use of the word “Washington” to refer to the U.S. Government.

“Passions” is from pathēma, which is a form of paschō, meaning “to experience strong feelings.” It is often translated “suffer,” although it can refer to strong feelings no matter whether they are good or bad (or somewhere in between). The ending “ma” gives it the meaning “that which is felt strongly.”

The word “aroused” is energeō, from which we get our English word “energy.” It refers to “that which is active, effectual, or mighty.” We could easily translate the opening phrase of this verse as, “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were energized by the law …”

Meaning Explained

What does the Apostle Paul mean by the opening part of this verse, “For when we were in the flesh”? Aren’t we always in our flesh, at least until we die? Yes, but that’s not the kind of flesh Paul is talking about. In order to understand what he’s talking about we need to look at a verse in the next chapter of this letter where Paul says,

And those being in the flesh are not able to please God. But you are not in flesh, but in Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, this one is not His. (Romans 8:8-9)

In these verses Paul is contrasting being “in the flesh” and “in the Spirit.’ What he means is being controlled by the flesh, the sin nature, versus being controlled by the Spirit of God. Paul has already told us that before we were saved, we were in bondage to sin, or controlled by our sin nature. Now, in the current verse he is telling us that when we were controlled by our sin nature the passions, or overwhelming desires, of sin were not subdued but energized through the Law to bring forth fruit that resulted in death. I think Paul is talking about spiritual death or separation from fellowship with God, not physical death. And in the previous verse Paul told us that we should bring forth fruit to God by being married to Christ.

So, when we were controlled by our sin nature we produced fruit that resulted in spiritual death, but now that we have been saved and freed from the Law, we have become the bride of Christ, and the fruit that we produce should be fruit that is worthy of being brought to God.

Application

Now, the question is, what kind of fruit are you bringing to God? Are you allowing the desires of your flesh to control your actions? Or are you so tuned-in to God and walking so close to Him that your fleshly desires are easily resisted? The type of fruit that you produce will answer these questions for you.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: passions

James 4:1 – Roots of Conflict

Romans 7:5 – Fruit of Death