James 4:4—Friendship with the world=hostility toward God

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. James 4:4

James didn’t pull any punches. He called believers who embraced the world’s moral and australia mastercard viagra ethical patterns adulteresses. He likened their happy acceptance of carnal ways to a woman who stepped out on her husband to enjoy a tawdry affair. Quite bluntly, James warned that this kind of lifestyle demonstrated hostility toward God.

I saw four angles to this verse while thinking about it: 1. Context, 2. Restoration; 3. Non-traditional/unconventional approaches; and 4. Discerning the difference.

Context. James was writing about Christians who were engaged in vicious, strife-filled contention, jealously viewing one another as bitter rivals rather than as beloved brothers and sisters. It was because of their antagonism to each other that James addressed them so indelicately. He wasn’t referring to the way they presented themselves physically or their choice of recreational activities; he flatly stated that their penchant to look upon one another as opponents to outdo was friendship with the world and, therefore, enmity toward God. So often we measure worldliness by appearance or style, but here James assessed the contentiously strifeful way believers reacted to one another’s possessions and privileges as friendship with the world.

Restoration.  Unfortunately, I have observed believers who view those that struggle or are different in some way with disdain, casting aspersions on them. However, it’s important to understand that James wrote this verse to bring diagnosis and remedy to his brothers and sisters, not to pigeon-hole them for treatment as worthless, second-class Christians.

Whenever you see someone who is in moral, ethical, or spiritual trouble, a key verse to remember is Galatians 6:1: “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” Whether you simply pray for your brother or you go to him as well, your goal is his restoration, not to destroy his reputation.

The non-traditional and unconventional. Great damage has been done to the good name of godly people by those who brand them as “worldly” or “carnal” when in actuality they were merely following the leading of God. Jesus was smeared in such a way. He said, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and http://www.marksamuels.co.uk/online-levitra-sale/ sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” (Matthew 11:19.) When someone is obeying God, their unorthodox approach will nonetheless bear the http://ecarte-bleue.info/acheter-levitra-sans-ordonnance/ fruit of wisdom and changed lives.

“I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some” the apostle Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 9:22b. He was determined not to allow differences in cultural practices hinder him from reaching out to people. To Jews, he was a Jew; to those under the Law, he lived as under the Law; to those without law, he lived as without law; to the weak, he became weak—all for the sake of the Gospel (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-23). Recognize that God may lead men and women in unconventional or non-traditional ways to win the lost. This is not worldly; it’s obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Discerning the difference. When you witness questionable behavior in another believer, the first line of action is to pray. Seek God on their behalf. They are your brother or sister; because of that, you love them. Put Galatians 6:1 into practice, looking to yourself lest you also stumble. Love requires no less. When you find yourself wanting to expose your brother or sister to others “for the purpose of prayer”, you must allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart; you just might be engaging in the very behavior that James calls hostility to God.

If, in your discernment of worldliness in someone, you long for them to be restored and helped, you’re probably on target; proceed in prayer. If in your discernment you feel indignant, scandalized, and morally or spiritually superior, then you need to step back, take a breath, and seek God. Maybe the brother or sister is in error; but you are on the verge of stepping into error on an even more dangerous level, yourself.

And be very cautious when those among you rise up who don’t fit the mold. Let God do what He will with them; if He’s directing them, you don’t want to find yourself fighting against God (see Acts 5:39).

Friendship with the world is a very real pitfall to watch out for. That’s why staying in the Word, in prayerful relationship with God, and in fellowship with other Christians is so vital—the Lord uses each of these to instruct and correct us, helping us to make wise decisions, healthy corrections, and empowering us to order our conversations aright (see Psalm 50:23).

When your brother stumbles, seek his restoration. Do it with meekness, looking to yourself that you, likewise, don’t stumble. And remember, one of the worldliest things you can do is to engage in strife and contention, creating division, and undermining the reputations of men and women for whom Christ died.

Dorothy

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23, KJV