ing murder has already been com mitted in the heart (I John 3:15). Envy, strife and evil desire can lead to killing somebody in this fashion. The potential for murder lies in the fallen sinful human nature of even the best Christian. The word translated "desire" in verse 2 is the English rendering of that which means to be "zealous." There is a good zeal as well as an evil. Some enthusiasm springs up within us as the effects of the Holy Spirit's ministry. This is a holy fer vency. But there is also, as is re flected here, a zeal for rank, fame and attention. In this case it ap plies to covetousness, envy and strife. In their zealous ambition to get what they want, some Christian people have actually stooped to destroying the reputation and char acter of another brother for whom Jesus Christ died on the cross. Coveting the position of some one else inevitably produces clam or and dispute. And people who are discontented with their own place in the body of Christ, and who seek a more prominent posi tion, initiate rivalries and competi tion. This can do nothing but destroy the work of Cod. They struggle for power and they stir up commotion in the church. Our ob ject in prayer must not be to pro mote ourselves but to glorify God is every aspect of our lives. In the fourth verse we are re minded that we must be careful about dividing our spiritual allegi ances. Friendship with the world is also a contributing cause on con flicts. The word "adulteresses" in many ancient Creek manuscripts is the only noun which appears. It is in the feminine form. James is not singling out women but gram- Page 53
The fallen nature of man is never content, no matter what goal is pursued. There are contained here some interesting activities which sum marize all the vain quests of one's sinful human nature. In verse two we find the suggestion that you can kill somebody's reputation by what you say. The word "kill" does not only signify murder or even the taking of another's life acci dentally. It can refer to trying a person's character or testimony ev en in our minds. Such, according to Jesus, is tantamount to murder (Matt. 5:21). The same is found in John's first epistle as to hate ex pressed toward others. By so do
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