You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James is rather blunt here. Sometimes when people are blunt, they stray into generalizations that are hurtful because they are not true. Is James’ statement entirely true?
Unfortunately, yes.
Jesus, James’ half-brother, makes the same point over and over again. In one example he says:
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”
(Matthew 5: 21-22a)
That is a very black and white statement. I have to confess I have been angry with a brother once or twice. (That may be a bit of an understatement.) Technically that means I am subject to judgment.
We are faced with the same choice every minute of every day: God or not God. If we choose God, we choose to put him above all else. We love him with all our heart, our soul and our mind. If we are not doing that, then we are choosing what James refers to as “the world.”
James makes his point sharper by pointing out that people who do not choose God are actually enemies of God.
Sadly, I am an enemy of God on most days. Even when I am serving Him, my mind wanders, my attention strays. I choose to think about things of this world. Under a system where allowing myself to feel angry is the equal of murder, I am toast.
Knowing this, God sent his son, the half-brother of James, to die on the cross for us. He did this to redeem us from the consequences of our sinful natures and choices.
Application: If you feel bad about choosing the world turn that feeling into a motivation to focus on God. “I need to focus on God now because I fell short when I __________”
Food for Thought: How does the term adultery fit into this passage? Why did James choose it?
Good devotion brother.
The friend of God verses enemies of God and how Jesus turns that around reminds me of Romans 5:6-11.
Adultery is a term God uses often to describe His people’s unfaithfulness n the OT. I personally think James May have some of those passages in mind. It is like we are having an affair with the world. This is a struggle for all of us and I am thankful for the Lord’s grace and mercy. And it motivates me to renew my love for God. 1 John 2:15-17.
That hurts, an affair with this world! How often do each one of us do this? And He still loves us and takes us back each time?