According to the Bible, James chapter four, if we purpose to be a friend of the world, we put ourselves in the position of God’s enemy. What does it mean to be a friend of the world and how can we avoid fighting against God?

• James and his letter

• The problem of Friendship with the world

• God’s solution for Friendship with the World

James and His Letter

• Written to the 12 tribes which are scattered abroad.

• Contains encouragement to endure in trials

• Contains warnings against problems that James saw in the church

• Theme is to be doers of the word and not hearers only 1:22

• Style – Very Very Direct

• Author – James

  • I believe it was James the Lord’s brother Mt. 13:55-56

  • Did not believe during ministry John 7:5

  • Did believe after resurrection, in upper room Acts 1:14

  • James led the church in Jerusalem after James brother of John was killed, Acts 12:2, 17; Galatians 1:19, 2:9, 2:12,

  • James the brother of Jesus presided over the Jerusalem counsel recognizing that gentiles did not have to keep the law to be Christians. Acts 15

The Problem of Friendship with the world

Lets read the text James 4:1-4

These are not nominal American Christians –

1^st century Jewish believers scattered under persecution for their faith

Many of whom actually saw and heard Jesus either before or after His resurrection

If James is accusing them of spiritual adultery –

we should take notice and see if he is talking to us

The issue is not being a friend of the world, (and we will try to determine what that is) but Whosoever will be a friend of the world –

Intend or purpose to be a friend of the world

John 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 

What is Friendship of the world?

Chapter 4 comes after chapter 3, What is James talking about in Chapter 3?

Our words/tongue

Jas 3:2  For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 

In chapter 4, James turns to the cause of our out of control tongues

Mat 15:11-20  Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. . . .

Read vv. 1-3

James is using hyperbole here, intentionally using graphic and shocking language

Are they murdering each other?

Jesus said if you are angry with your brother without a cause you have violated “thou shalt not kill”. Mt. 5:21-22

James is talking about the lusts that are fighting in their bodies causing them to seek friendship with the world

To understand this, let’s look at a passage where John talks about this.

1 John 2:15-17

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

These are the three areas in which we are all tempted

Eve: the fruit was 1. pleasing to the eyes, 2. good for food, 3. desired to make one wise

Jesus: 1. stones to bread, 2. see the kingdoms, 3. cast yourself down

What does this look like in our lives?

Materialism – We worship our stuff – cars, houses, technology

epidemic of buyers fever –

half of all Americans spend their entire paycheck or more.

Lust – We worship our comfort and our pleasure

70% of Americans are overweight or obese, 300,000 die each year

½ million die from smoking every year 1/5 of all deaths

drinking ourselves to death at record rates up 37% in the last decade

over 100,000,000 Americans have sexually transmitted diseases,

with 20,000,000 new cases each year.

Strained Relationships – less than half of children in America live with both biological parents.

This is friendship with the world and it makes us enemies of God

Story of Jesus at age 12 Luke 2:49

Are you about your father’s business or your business?

If you are a real Christian, and you are about your business, you are putting yourself in a position where God is fighting against you.

Read Verses 5-10

Do not put your self in a position where God is fighting against you by trying to become a friend of the world, but put yourself in a position where you can fight against the Devil. (who tempts you in these areas)

Submit to God. Humble yourselves by obedience.

How Philippians 2:5-13

Review

James is addressing problems he saw in first-century Christians

We have those same problems today, because they are rooted in our sinful nature.

• Lust of the Flesh

• Lust of the Eyes

• Pride of Life

James said our unbridled words were due to these unbridled lusts and to engage in these things is to purpose to be a friend of the world.

He warned these Christians that friendship with the world is to be an enemy of God because God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

He encourages these believers to mourn over their sin, submit to God and humble themselves before God, and He will lift

Preached by Allen Blake to Galveston Bible Church on May 6, 2018.

 

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