"You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (v. 4)
Friendship with the world is hostility toward God.
Think about that for a minute . . .
Being friends with the world
is inarguably, incompatible with friendship to God.
What is so enticing about the world’s friendship that we would consciously even consider that which alienates us from God???
Simply put . . . the world satisfies our old nature—the flesh.
From the moment a sinner believes, he has two natures—
the old; as sinful as ever—and the new; which cannot sin.
The old nature is set aside in the death of Christ.
“Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed (or justified) from sin.” Romans 6:6, 7
Being made free from sin, sin is no longer his master and the believer becomes the servant of righteousness. But should the believer become lazy and fail to consider himself dead, the old nature immediately pops up by producing its evil lusts.
Believers commit sins.
Only God is sinless.
Truly a child of God ought not to commit sin,
and especially willful sin,
knowing it to be sin.
knowing it to be sin.
Being friends with the world and its unashamed embrace of feeding fleshly sins puts me in tempting situations. Why make it harder on myself? My wisdom and strength comes from God, right? So why willingly, foolishly go where my own strength and wisdom will fail me?
“Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: ‘He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us’?” (v. 5)
Some Bible scholars believe the correct interpretation for the word “spirit” here is not referring to the Holy Spirit but to the fallen spirit of man responsible for our propensity to sin. The interpretation could also be that the Holy Spirit, which God has made to dwell in me, jealously desires me!
What is definitely definite, however—
is that Scripture does speak with great purpose.
is that Scripture does speak with great purpose.
That being . . .
God will do what He has said.
God will make good what He has spoken.
That’s why I must daily keep check on the old nature, keeping watch with Christ on what’s going on within me, around me and Satan’s attacks against me.
Those are our 3 enemies:
the world, the flesh and the evil one.
For He is a jealous God!
And no god,
no idol,
no temptation,
no flesh feeder,
no nothing
in and of this world is worth enmity with God!
“You shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exodus 34:14
Do you have an idol you are holding onto?
Is there something or someone you are not willing to give up?
We cannot have both!
Scripture makes that clear!
Friendship with the world makes us enemy’s of God!
My idols today are self, recognition and entitlements—
That’s them in a nutshell . . .
O God,
Create in me a clean heart . . .
Renew a right spirit within me . . .
Do not cast me from Your Presence . . .
Or take your Holy Spirit from me . . .
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation . . .
Uphold me by Your generous Spirit . . .
Purify Your child of all that steals Your Glory!
Amen!
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Click here for the other posts from my study of the book of James
I am joining The Good Morning Girls as we study James together.
I am joining The Good Morning Girls as we study James together.
