James 4:7-8

Are You A Friend Of God Or Of The World?

James 4:4 – You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So, whoever desires to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God. AMP

You can replace the word “chooses” with: wishes, desires, or has affection towards. Those who desire friendship with the world make themselves an enemy of God.

Luke 16:13 – “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” NIV

You must choose where you place your affections. You cannot belong to both God and the world. James calls it “double-minded”. He says to resist the devil and draw near to God.

James 4: 7 & 8 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ESV

To be a friend of God, to truly love Him, you must choose obedience to His Word and strive to live by Jesus’ example.

John 13:15 – “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” NASB

John 14:15 – “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” NASB

I John 2:3-6 – We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

The choice is yours to make. Are you a friend of God or a friend of this world?

Joshua 24:15 – But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”  NIV