[4] You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (ESV)
Perhaps you have heard someone say, “Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship.” There is some great truth to that. In fact, in support of such a claim, James goes so far as to use the imagery of adultery to describe someone who is not walking in ways that are pleasing to God. The relationship has gone sour because someone is cheating. And for the record, it is not God who cheats.
The world is a system, not a person. Scripture tells us that the world is under the power of Satan himself. This system is one that is fueled by a passion for selfish pleasure. Whether it is power, fame, material possessions, or lust the world entices us to pursue all the things which are contrary to what God offers to us.
Friendship with the world is enmity (hatred) with God. That is a strong statement. James is not saying that we should not have any friends who are in the world. That would be contrary to our mission of rescuing people from the world. While we love people trapped in the world’s system, we must not fall for the temptation of loving what the world has to offer.
Are you having an affair with the world? What is it that you are pursuing in your daily life? Lust? Fame? Material possessions? Power? Let those things go and be faithful to the Lord.
Please come and worship with me at First Baptist Church of Troy or East Troy Baptist Church. We are open for worship services. If you are looking for an online worship service you will find us at www.troybaptistchurches.com. Our service is posted every Sunday at 4 p.m. We also have an online Bible study that is posted on Thursdays, 7 p.m. I am the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Troy, and the East Troy Baptist Church. We would love to have you visit one of our churches. We are committed to the truth of God’s Word and loving one another. For more information, please go to www.troybaptistchurches.com. You can call or text me at 570-371-8432.