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. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 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. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. [James 4.4-10]
On this date in 2017, I wrote the article Zero Options (I highly encourage taking time to read this article before proceeding here). As the same scripture reference inspired me to comment again today, I can only add a little to what was written in 2017.
What I would add to my 2017 article is this: that which makes us adulterers (friends with the world), as James called out, could only be understood in modern times as debt, insurance, medicine and technology. These idols have been identified and/or decried in 44 articles in 2024 (not counting today). Their infiltration into the lives of people across the globe is undeniable, and their appetite for loyalty is unashamedly advertised in public view with alarming repetition. The success of these idols in silencing the spirit within man to be faithful to God alone is alarming... I noticed one sentence in particular in this passage today that really says it all: They [the Scriptures] say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.
Today's passage from James is not the first mention of divided loyalty in James' letter...
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. [James 1.2-8]
It would seem that James, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was keenly aware that loyalty to God alone was waning (becoming divided) even at his early time in Church history. How much more do you suppose divided loyalty is a problem today with the unabating assault of debt, insurance, medicine and technology upon society?
With man's gross ignorance of God's Word these days, debt, insurance, medicine and technology have freely advanced without resistance. They have done so to the point that any voice opposing them, if heard at all, is ridiculed as outdated, irrelevant, and just plain foolish.
The Church has only one way to correct this adultery against God:
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 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. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. [James 4.7-10]
What is defined above is repentance. However, unless we wise up to what our adultery is, there is no way we can effectively repent of it. Here is a valid hint as to how to recognize our adulterous lovers: (ready?) When we are compelled to claim, "God uses..." and then we identify debt, insurance, medicine or technology, we have ignored the spirit God has placed within us thus unfaithfully making these idols gods unto ourselves. What we defend is our god.
Father, may the repentance described by James in today's OYCB reading manifest more and more as people follow the spirit You have placed in them in undivided loyalty to You. May we all understand that Your Word gives voice to Your Spirit within man. Help us turn away from our idols and turn to You!
No comments:
Post a Comment