You desire but do not have, so you kill
James 4:2 — If there is one verse in the New Testament that explains why humanity has a history of discord and war, it could be James 4:2.
Image generated by ChatGPT (OpenAI) using the DALL·E model.
“You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.”
James 4:2 NIV
If there is one verse in the New Testament that explains why humanity has a history of discord and war, it could be James 4:2.
In this epistle, James wasn’t thinking about the entire human race. Instead, his audience was a group of early Christians (both Gentile and Jewish converts), and he was trying to impress upon them that it is their remaining desire for the riches of the world causing strife between both the members of the church in particular and society in general.
The verse prior to this points out the cause: “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1 NIV) Seeking power, fame, popularity, and riches rather than focusing on Jesus, righteousness, humility, and charity was causing discord in the church and the larger community.
The desire for the things of the world was so intense that James chose to shock the readers of the epistle by calling them killers! We don’t know if James had witnessed the Sermon on the Mount, but even if he hadn’t, he was probably still quite familiar with what Jesus said. That’s why James said “You desire but do not have, so you kill”.
Jesus had done the same thing in Matthew 5:21-22 when He equated anger at one’s brother or sister with murder — both “subject to judgment”. James wanted the audience of the epistle to realize just how evil their hatred toward one another really was. If they were truly walking in the Spirit of God, they would not be fighting with each other.
In the second sentence of the verse, James points out the futility of living life focused on the desires of worldly pleasures. Not only does that kind of living trigger conflict, but it is built on a flimsy foundation of being perpetually unsatisfied with everything!
Charles Spurgeon had several comments on this verse that bear repeating here, cited in Enduring Word with additional commentary by David Guzik:
i. “The whole history of mankind shows the failure of evil lustings to obtain their object.” (Spurgeon)
ii. This is the tragic irony of the life lived after worldly and fleshly desires; it never reaches the goal it gives everything for. This fundamental dissatisfaction is not because of a lack of effort: “If the lusters fail, it is not because they did not set to work to gain their ends; for according to their nature they used the most practical means within their reach, and used them eagerly, too.” (Spurgeon)
Guzik goes on to provide an explanation of why chasing wealth, power and fame is fruitless (and cites Spurgeon once again…):
iii. This helps us to rationally understand the folly of living life after the lusts of the world and our animal appetites. You are tempted to fulfill a sinful desire because you think (or hope) that it may be satisfied, but it will never be satisfied. Why not accept your lack of such satisfaction now, instead of after much painful and harmful sin?
e. Yet you do not have because you do not ask: The reason these destructive desires exist among Christians is because they do not seek God for their needs (you do not ask). James reminds us here of the great power of prayer, and why one may live unnecessarily as a spiritual pauper, simply because they do not pray, or do not ask when they pray.
i. We might state it as a virtual spiritual law: that God does not give unless we ask. If we possess little of God and His Kingdom, almost certainly we have asked little. “Remember this text: Jehovah says to his own Son, ‘Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.’ If the royal and divine Son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that he may have, you and I cannot expect the rule to be relaxed in our favor. Why should it be?” (Spurgeon)
ii. “If you may have everything by asking, and nothing without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is, and I beseech you to abound in it… Do you know, brothers, what great things are to be had for the asking? Have you ever thought of it? Does it not stimulate you to pray fervently? All heaven lies before the grasp of the asking man; all the promises of God are rich and inexhaustible, and their fulfillment is to be had by prayer.” (Spurgeon)
Spurgeon really hits the nail on the head in this last commentary. I’ve mentioned numerous times that Barb and I do intercessory prayer for others; when I see some of the requests, I often ask myself why those people aren’t praying directly to God as well. I know I should not be judgmental, but I also find myself a bit taken aback by the many requests we receive that are strictly for material desires.
In this one short verse, James points out that God does respond to our requests in prayer… but not necessarily for the things of this world. Prayer isn’t about asking for personal desires, but about aligning our lives with God’s will. Through prayer, we build a deeper relationship with God that enables us to better understand His plans and purposes.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, help me to seek Your will — not mine — in my prayers. Teach me to ask for what aligns with Your purpose, rather than seeking to fulfill my own desires. AMEN