faith in action

James 4:4

 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Read all of James Chapter 4 here

James is speaking in a very clear and forthright manner here; he pulls no punches. He presents this issue as very black and white. Repeated study has shown that there is no middle ground, and no gray here.

To not provide one’s full allegiance and love to God and God alone is spiritual adultery. In case that was not clear enough, James has gone on the say this another way. To be friends with the world is to be enemies with God.

The world here is not referring to the Planet Earth, but to the system and the ways of the world as a way of life.  The way of the world is self, self, self. The focus on self results in hostility and rebellion towards God. Once again, if we take a trip back to Genesis Chapter 3, we can see how this focus on self led to the Fall in the first place.

Who is James addressing here? It seems that most of what he has written is directed at believers. Maybe this is not as clear in this case. He tells us straight out that we are either friends with the world, or friends with Him. 1 John 3:10 teaches us that we are either children of God, or children of the Devil. Where is the middle ground?

As we read this, the time is good to consider: Who’s friend are you? Who’s child are you?