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how might this passage help us diagnose the root causes of persistent division today?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

James 4:1-2a

Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members? You lust, and don’t have. You murder, and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war.

This letter from James, a leader in the early Jerusalem church, is addressed to Jewish Christians scattered across various regions, likely in the mid-1st century CE. He writes to offer practical wisdom and exhortations on living out faith in daily life, especially concerning issues like wealth, speech, and community dynamics.

What personal desires or unmet expectations might be fueling the divisions you see around you?

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Read alongside it

  • Proverbs 13:10

    Pride and arrogance often lead to contention, highlighting the internal roots of conflict.

  • Galatians 5:19-21

    This passage lists 'works of the flesh,' including rivalries and strife, as sources of division.

  • Philippians 2:3-4

    It calls for humility and considering others above oneself, a direct antidote to selfish ambition.

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