Friendship With the World

(#1062, Imperial, 1964)

Read James 4:4-6.

The world is an evil world (Gal. 1:4) and therefore "the friendship of the world" is incompatible with love for God.

What is friendship with the world?  It is not

w    habits of friendly intercourse with men.

w    diligent pursuit of one's daily occupation.

w    appreciation of Creation and creature comforts.

Worldliness does not depend on outward acts or habits; it is a state of the heart (I John 2:15-16).  To be a friend of the world is to

w    set our heart upon the world.

w    place our happiness in the world.

w    conform ourselves to it.

w    do anything rather than lose it's friendship.

The seriousness of friendship with the world.

ƒ      Adulteresses.  Israel was called the adulterous wife of Jehovah.  Christians who turn from Christ to the world is like a woman who leaves her lawful husband to follow others.

ƒ      Enemy of God.  What a startling charge this is.  Whose side are we on? We cannot be on both.

The Yearning of the Spirit of God, v5.

ƒ      The Scripture has an attitude of protest against worldliness.

w    Rom. 12:1-2: be not conformed to the world.

w    2 John 2:15-16: love not the world.

ƒ      The urging of the Spirit of God.  God is a jealous God (Deut. 32:16; Ex. 20:5; 2 Cor. 11:2).  The Spirit is jealous that one's affections be wholly for Christ.

But God giveth more grace, v6.

ƒ      What is grace?  The operation of God's love.  It is God's unmerited favor through Jesus Christ.

ƒ      The extent of grace. 

w    Grace gives a standing before God.

w    Grace provides for daily life.

w    Grace is demonstrated to us through eternity.

ƒ      "More Grace" for daily life. See Rom. 5:2; 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 12:9; Titus 2:11-13; Heb. 13:9; 2 Cor. 9:8.

ƒ      To whom is grace given?  To the humble.

Where sin abounds grace doth much more abound.