Are you a Friend or an Enemy of God?
By way of review, we have been looking at the two kinds of wisdom that I explained as two different world views. The first is a secular world view or earthly wisdom that is the result of bitter envy and selfish ambition both of which are revealed in a person’s actions as well as their words.
James says of this that this world view is secular in nature and is:
- Earthly – only of this earth
- Unspiritual – not part of a spiritual life that is found in communion with the holy spirit
- Demonic or demon like. It comes from the devil himself.
The second is Christian world view that is characterized by wisdom that views life through the eyes of God.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
James 3:17 NIV
Pure, peace loving, considerate, gentle, merciful, acts on the fruits of the spirit and is impartial. Even though this section is delineated as chapter 4 the thoughts of chapter 3 are now defined in the question: “what causes quarrels and fights among you?”
In the final verses of chapter three, the question is “who is wise and understanding among you? Let the one who is wise and understanding illustrate that with good conduct.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom
James 3:13 ESV
What keeps us from having a Christian world and life view?
Even though we say we are Christians; we act like we are not saved. The solutions we apply to our problems are no different than the ones we applied before we were saved!
How?
We still yield to the passions that are at war within us. It is the war raging in us to get what we want in the way we want it in the time frame that we think is necessary to make us happy.
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
James 4:1 ESV
We still trust in our own abilities to get what we want resulting in destructive behavior.
2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so, you fight and quarrel.
James 4:2 ESV
Our lives are still prayer-less because we never get what we want. Ignoring that we do not get what we want because we ask for things that are contrary to God’s wisdom.
You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions
James 4:2-3 ESV
We cheat on God. We say we are friends and followers of God, but our actions show that we are really friends and followers of the world system. We cheat on God and thus are adulterers. You cannot be a friend of God and a friend of the world. Either you live by the wisdom of God or the wisdom of the world. There is not in between.
Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:4 ESV
Abrahams actions matched his words and his value system and was called a friend of God.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
James 2:18-23 ESV
Why? Because God is a jealous God.
5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:5-6 ESV
So how do I become a friend of God and not an enemy?
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
James 4:7-10 ESV
Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil. This implies that he can be resisted without yielding to the pressure he puts on us.
0 Comments