Thursday, October 20

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.  James 4:4

The words “adulterers and adulteresses” hear speaks of  people who should be finding their satisfaction in God who seek satisfaction in things that ultimately can not fulfill them.  Like the wife or husband that seeks the attention and affection of someone other than there spouse they ultimately seek for fulfillment in the wrong places and will bring heartache to themselves, their spouse, their family and their community.

A question that many people have asked here is about what the word “world” is talking about.  World here speaks of “world system”.  The world-system takes what God has made (the creation) yet denies Him as Creator.  They long to find satisfaction in everything but God.  They abuse and fight, murder and war to fulfill these desires.  They don’t recognize God as Creator and don’t thank Him for what He has given.  In doing so they have made themselves God’s enemies.

James says that when we do the same we are becoming comfortable with those who have made themselves the enemies of God.

For further reading on this theme, check out the Old Testament book of Hosea

 Application

Are you living for what is temporary or what is eternal?  What are you more into- the creation or the Creator?