James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

This is a very powerful, important verse that is ignored in far too many churches by far too many people. This is not talking about the natural world, the beauty of nature and such, even though there is idolatrous nature worship. Rather, this is talking about the world system with all its glitter, perhaps exemplified by Hollywood, though not limited to that. It is certainly exemplified by the porn industry! I’d say that an alternative term would be humanism, that is, placing mankind, human motives and ambitions, as the ultimate, the “greatest good,” if you will. That is replacing God with man, and it certainly separates us from God. Political correctness is a manifestation of this, because it places man-made rules ahead of truth, often replacing the truth with a lie. We get trapped into that by not wanting to offend, but failing to tell someone they have a fatal disease that needs to be treated and cured is not kindness. We want to fit in, not to rock the boat, but when society around us is not submitted to God, then fitting in becomes rebellion against God. Frankly, most of us don’t want the persecution that Jesus promised would come to those who were true to Him. (John 15:18-20) However, the rewards of following Jesus are greater than everything in the world put together. (Mark 8:36) Priorities can be tricky. We may say we love Jesus while our lives demonstrate that we place the things and the approval of the world ahead of Him. That’s only fooling ourselves.

This is something I have to be very careful about myself. Some Internet pages have teaser ads for things like “See how much money these porn stars make.” That’s wrong on every level, yet it still tugs at my flesh. I couldn’t count all the “get rich” stuff that pours in, some of it seeming pretty reasonable, even. I am certainly reminded of Paul’s statement that “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10) When I place money ahead of purity of devotion to God, I have stepped into idolatry. I really think the love of money is just another face of the love of the world that James was talking about. I am to be a good steward of everything God places in my hands, but I am never to value those things ahead of God and my relationship with Him. “Loving the world” probably looks a little different for every human being, so each of us should not be judging whether their neighbor is doing that, but rather keeping tabs on their own priorities. As a pastor I am called to help people recognize how they have been blinded by the world and the devil, and that can be awkward to say the least. I’ve got to love God and love my neighbor enough to speak the truth, with clarity and grace, at all times. (Ephesians 4:15)

Father, once again I have described a task that is beyond my ability. Thank You that it isn’t beyond Your ability. I ask You to do it in and through me, purifying and strengthening my love for You and for my neighbors, so that I may be the servant, the child, that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!