Friend of God?

You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. [James 4.4]

James made some pretty hard-cord statements in his letter. This is one of them.

What is a "friend of the world?"

I am afraid that too much concentration on this subject leads us to a spiritual dilemma. So, fair warning, to delve into understanding what friendship with the world is will undoubtedly lead to some unpopular conclusions.

Imagine a love triangle... You, God, and the world. 

God desires (and requires) 100% devotion to Him alone.  God cares deeply for His devotees desiring only good for them and that they spend eternity with Him in heaven. 

The world desires whatever devotion it can get. However, the world, because it is under the deception of Satan, desires devotion, not for the sake of devotion, but for the sake of spite against God. So, any devotion the world can get that directs man's attention to it and not God is fulfillment of its angst against God. Satan, the god of this world, only uses people as pawns to support his own pride and rebellion. He does not care that his devotees will suffer eternally - in fact that only makes his rebellion against God more poignant. 

Because "faith" is the only thing that pleases God, the world presents a buffet of potential provision for all those things God said He would provide for the believing man. The world "entices and befriends" man with this buffet that serves, in a worldly way, to meet all the needs God said He would provide. 

It is worth stating that Satan is not disturbed at all to "share the glory" with God for these things because "sharing glory" is not something Holy God does, so, to dilute man's 100% devotion to God alone, is effectively making man an enemy of God altogether. This is precisely why Abraham said he would be made rich by God alone (Genesis 14.22-23).

Yes, this idea opens 'Pandora's Box.' But, considering the relationship aspect of the matter, doesn't it make sense to do everything possible to secure our devotion to God and God alone? We do this by breaking every possible tie to the world - and especially those that require us to believe in the world and its offerings. The love triangle must be broken. 

What is it that the world offers then, that God said He would provide? Suffice it to say, a lot. The world has positioned itself to provide a plethora of that which God said He would provide. From technology to medicine to finance, the world has put itself between us and God. The world is totally fine with us saying, "God provides through the world's methods..." but is God fine with it?

Let me ask the question just posed in a different light... Can we honestly say, "God provides through the world's means," and feel 100% devoted to God? In the same vein, can we honestly say we trust 100% in God when we must demand that God provides through worldly means?

Consider verse 8 of James 4:

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. [James 4.8]

Friendship with God is necessarily exclusive of the world. God does not allow divided, diluted trust.

Dear believer, should we not consider what we trust in here on earth?

Father, help us to trust in You alone. Help us to "wash our hands" of the world and its sufficiency. May we find all sufficiency in You and You alone. May we not be found to be "enemies of God."