Befriending the World Is Enmity to God? I Thought God Loved the World!
@mythociate (21437)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
October 14, 2012 11:16am CST
In James 4:4, the Saint tells us "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."
But didn't God 'so love the world that he gave his only begotten Son'? (And speaking of which, did he not also "beget" the first Adam?)
I think the difference there is that the world God loved was 'the world as God's will makes it,' whereas James is talking about 'the world as man's will has made it.'
But shouldn't James have made that distinction?
What do you think?
2 people like this
10 responses
@HomeBase (1153)
• United States
14 Oct 12
As far as judging the writing of James, I'm not going there...ever in life.
The fact of the matter is, you know what the writer was getting at. Yes, God so loved the world, the part of the world that believes on Him, the part of the world that is ever trying to get things right even though they fall short.
Then there is that part of the world that murdered His Son, one being friendly with the evil things of this world is not part of His plan.
1 person likes this
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
14 Oct 12
That part of the world didn't 'intend' to kill Jesus; they just needed to eliminate any leader who stood against the one they had always followed, and to do it in such a way so as to discourage any other wanna-be leaders.
1 person likes this
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
16 Oct 12
To the world, yes Jesus was a 'wanna-be leader.'
And the only intention God cares about is 'whether they were following God's will or not.)
@silvercryst340v3 (203)
• Philippines
15 Oct 12
I don't think James is referring to the "world" referred in John 3:16. I believe that the "world" referred in John 3:16 points out all people, while the "world" pointed out by James is referring to the world itself. I don't see James must have made a distinction.
1 person likes this
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
14 Oct 12
From what I understand it, "the world" in the first quote means the world in terms of its materialism (as in worldliness); while in the second, "the world" means people, human beings, who were created in the image of God.
1 person likes this
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
14 Oct 12
The word "WORLD" used in your passage raised 2 meanings. In the verse you are quoted. The word "world" is a symbol only, which means people, those people who are adulterers if you follow they did, you are also enemy of God.
The 2nd world you mention means a good people which God's love. They are the doer of right things which is opposite to the other one.
The 2nd world you mention means a good people which God's love. They are the doer of right things which is opposite to the other one.1 person likes this
@voldrox (7191)
• India
17 Oct 12
Everything in the Bible is by the Spirit and without the Spirit no one can fully understand the Bible, the words that God gave us. Here, it is being said that if we follow the path of the world, that is the path of man, of what man wishes not what God wishes then yes he automatically becomes God's enemies. But also to remind that, God doesn't hate sinners he only hate the sin they do, he is always willing to forgive only if we just believe in His much beloved Son Jesus Christ.
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
17 Oct 12
Kinda like 'We're all plowing the world, and--if you're not plowing in line with the furrows I'm plowing--our furrows are going to cross and mess each other's crops up!'?
@jdalaqui (1073)
• Philippines
15 Oct 12
The world refer to in James 4: 4 is not the physical world God created but the system of the governs the unbelieving world. The sysytem that govern this world is Satan and thus befriending this system by embracing it and practicing it is enmity against God. God hates sin thus he don't want us who believed in Him to take part in to it.
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
15 Oct 12
But didn't God create the world (both the people & everything else)? So shouldn't it all be good as its maker is good?
@jdalaqui (1073)
• Philippines
16 Oct 12
We are living in a fallen world. We are not in the time of Adam and Eve before the fall when man has not yet fallen into deliberate rebellion against God. If you can check the account back in Gen 1 until 3 which I guess you know it, you can find there the record that will help in giving light to your inquiry.
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
15 Oct 12
That's something that kinda bugs me, Jen---how people think God controls things. He doesn't. He knows how things will be because of the way WE control them, but He lets us KEEP that control no matter how bad we screw up!
@echoforever (5180)
• United States
15 Oct 12
It is not "the world" but the ideals of the world that oppose Him.
@titomeong (70)
• Philippines
15 Oct 12
it's not the world, but we people, we are the special creation of God opposes Him..
...good day!...
@Sukeena1961 (343)
• United States
15 Oct 12
In James 4:4 the world he is talking about is the things of the world. Indulging in the evils of the world, like drinking, fornication, gambling, stealing,etc. All of these things God despises and are an enemy of God. The world the Bible talks about in John 3:16 is the people of the world. God so loved the people that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
15 Oct 12
Yeah Sukeena, why didn't the translators use a different word there.
