October 2 - Love Not The
World – Part 2 (Follow-up to October 1)
James 4:4 – "You
adulterous people! Don't you know that friendship with the world is
hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world
becomes an enemy of God."
This verse supplements the theme
already laid down in Romans 12:2 and 1 John 2:12. These are very
strong words from James, the half-brother of our Master Jesus! He
doesn't mince words about the seriousness of our devotion,
allegiance, and love for God.
James uses the
word "friendship" to describe this loyalty. However, he is
not referring to friendships with persons; on the contrary, he is
talking about friendship with the world's patterns, which are sinful
and against the ways of God. Paul goes into detail about this
apparent confusion in 1 Corinthians 5:9. He states, "I have
written to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral
people – not at all meaning the people of this world who are
immoral, or greedy, or swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you
would have to leave this world." Paul is referring in context
here to believers in the Corinthian body, who were practicing sexual
immorality as if it were acceptable behavior – believers who should
know better. The people of the world do not know better; they are
blind to the truths of God's ways. How will they ever see the light
if believers do not shine it upon them?
Jesus also iterates
this idea. In John 17:15, Jesus says to the Father, "My prayer
is not that you remove them from the world, but that you protect them
from the evil one. They are not of
the world, even as I am not of the world." The upshot is that
believers are in
the world, but not of
the world. We live among unbelievers, but we are no longer stuck in
their sinful patterns. We have been given birth into a new way of
thinking and acting – one that learns to please God and to enjoy
his ways.
I used to be God's enemy as Romans 5:10 states. Why
would I want to continue living as his enemy, as James 4 states,
after I received his forgiveness and adoption into his family? I can
be someone's "friend" without conforming to their pattern
of living, because my allegiance is with the ultimate Friend, who is
still conforming me to his pattern. Let's be
the light and truth to those we call friends in this dark world.
