Friendship With The World

[Aimz]

James 4:4
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.

How can I go about in a daily practical way NOT being a friend with, to, of, the world?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

James 4:4
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.

How can I go about in a daily practical way NOT being a friend with, to, of, the world?

As Jesus told the disciples: With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

It is VERY difficult to find anyone who does not love the world, and does not love the things of the world,
or who teaches as Jesus said that you cannot love the world or the things of the world and be right with God.

i.e. Jesus said to His disciples: "if you think you can do this, you have failed already. But if you trust the heavenly FATHER (CREATOR) to accomplish this and everything concerning your salvation in this life and in the life to come,
then it is already done.

And "no man can understand (receive) anything, UNLESS the FATHER grants it from heaven."

One good reference: (for some): "Love Not The World" by Watchman Nee, CFP

 

[W2L]

James 4:4
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.

How can I go about in a daily practical way NOT being a friend with, to, of, the world?

Be Gods friend.

 

[Thedictator]

James 4:4
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.

How can I go about in a daily practical way NOT being a friend with, to, of, the world?

The word friend here is the Greek word "Phillia" it means love, He is not talking about the people of the world but loving the things of the world: materialism, wealth, power, secular education, social status, culture, politics, nationalism, and many others. Basically anything that takes priority over God.

 

[Halbhh]

James 4:4
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.

How can I go about in a daily practical way NOT being a friend with, to, of, the world?

I really like this question, and it's one to think on again and again.

We are not to go along to get along when that going along is a kind that Christ would have us not do.

It depends on the exact thing, of course. To try to use a difficult example, it's fine to go with friend(s) to see an action movie, but if you then you see that the movie glamorizes wrongdoing -- if it makes a wrongdoer seem attractive in their wrongdoing -- instead of more realistically ugly and repulsive in their wrongdoing, then it would be good to speak up later in some way, clearly, and point that out, like for me it could be like this: "I thought the movie made X look like a more attractive person than someone doing what he did would actually be. It glamorized crime. Real criminals that do that are far more ugly", for example.

Another common example that happens more often! -- gossiping at someone's expense.

Don't do friendship with worldly gossip at someone's expense.

I wonder what the best response is when you hear gossip at someone's expense?

Anyone?

All I can think of is to say a good thing about the person someone just said a bad thing about.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Basically anything that takes priority over God.

Where is it written THAT way as if "priority" over God ?
If it is,
would that then mean that as long as love of the world is low priority, it is then okay ? (no)

 

[drjean]

Dear one, we are IN the world but not OF the world once we accept Jesus.
Why then did Paul write, when in Rome do as the Romans (paraphrased)? Because if they see us as "too" different they label us "weird" and won't listen to what God wants us to share with them. We must stand out not by our dress, nor legalism, but by our loving speech, caring about them, and actions that put God first.

Think of WWJD. I mean, yeah a cliche but really, try to have the "mind of Christ" when entering satan's territory. What did Christ tell us? Be wise as serpents (they can't hide from the All knowing God who shares wisdom with us) and harmless as doves (it isn't our job to judge and condemn them, that's God's area (way above our pay grade!)

See them as Jesus does: helpless without Him, unloved by those around them... needing people to care about them (there are thousands of people who do nothing but find fault with others we don't need to be another one who does that!) Instead seek out the good in someone, seek out the potential they have of the loving God, encourage them and they will come to you to escape from the world!

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

it isn't our job to judge and condemn them

Let's be a little (a lot) more accurate here.

..... it's not our 'job' to judge AND condemn them. correct.

..... it is the 'job' of ekklesia (born of God ones) to judge those within the ekklesia.
..... it is not the 'job' of ekklesia (born of God ones) to condemn.

Thus do not judge AND condemn. (and do not judge UNLESS it is as YHWH judges; His judgement , as His Word and Jesus clearly state) ....

As it remains written in God's Word, and will never change.

 

[Thedictator]

Where is it written THAT way as if "priority" over God ?
If it is,
would that then mean that as long as love of the world is low priority, it is then okay ? (no)

Where does it say that all priority is to go to God?

Example: I'm on my way to church ( my priority is to worship God ) I see a person bleeding on the street, do I just ignore his worldly needs, and go onto Church, because of my priority to worship? No. ( my priority would temporarily change to care for an injured person)I'm sure a Pharisee who is worried about semantics would just move on to Church. We know how Holy they are.

 

[drjean]

Ok I can agree with that being semantically correct.
However, my "judgment" only entitles me to call out someone who in pretense says they are a Christian when evidence proves they are not (as apostates show).

My "judgment" of them ends there: warning others. My forgiveness begins because if I hold hate in my heart for them, as is contained in judging and condemning, then there's no way I can love them and lead them to Christ. I forgive them because God commands me to, and because they can't be better without Him.

 

[Halbhh]

Anyone got a good response to hearing gossip at the expense of someone?

All I can think of is to say a good thing about the person in response to the bad things said about them.

Any other good ways to follow Christ in this?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Where does it say that all

priority is to go to God?

Example: I'm on my way to church ( my priority is to worship God ) I see a person bleeding on the street, do I just ignore his worldly needs, and go onto Church, because of my priority to worship? No. ( my priority would temporarily change to care for an injured person)I'm sure a Pharisee who is worried about semantics would just move on to Church. We know how Holy they are.

This is all mixed up.
God says if you see someone bleeding on the street in need of help and you are able to give it, then God's Priority is to give help. Church has a lower priority here, and never as high a priority as God has.

And you were the one to bring up "priority" as if it was in Scripture, not me.

Basically anything that takes priority over God.

You never showed "priority" from Scripture - just added it to God's Word in your description.

 

[Halbhh]

James 4:4
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.

How can I go about in a daily practical way NOT being a friend with, to, of, the world?

Another key, deep way we can err into 'friendship with the world' is shown to us in Christ's words about making glory from each other, from people, our goal --

How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

 

[Serving Zion]

James 4:4
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.

How can I go about in a daily practical way NOT being a friend with, to, of, the world?

Deuteronomy 1:17, Proverbs 11:1, Proverbs 1:10-16, 1 Peter 4:3-5. Actually, if you read the book of 1 Timothy, it speaks with a lot of relevance to this question. It even seems to be written as though St. Paul knew it's words would speak to a wider audience, so that it's words are designed as instruction to us just as much as to Timothy.

The main essence of being not friends with the world, is to refine ourselves in holiness so that we are blameless and set apart from them, not joining in with their ways. St. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:6-9 that this means to be content with food and clothing. In verse 10 he says that some people are lured away from this contentment by the love of money, and it ensnares them in all sorts of sin. He goes to say in verse 12 and 13, that being content with food and clothing, we should pursue righteousness ("moral justification" - a clear conscience and expecting it of others), godliness, faithfulness, love, perseverance and gentleness. To fight the good fight of faith. This means to never concede that faithlessness or wickedness is acceptable, as most Christians have become accustomed to do through their tolerance for lewdness in society - a weakness brought into their righteousness through worldly media. For this reason, it is not good to indulge in television or music where there are themes of sexual immorality, violence or unholy behaviour. Every time we tolerate that behaviour, we are choosing to suppress The Holy Spirit's objection to it in order to allow a Satanic spirit to deceive us.

Who may go up on the mountain of Adonai? Who may stand in His holy place?
One with clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully.
He will receive a blessing from Adonai, righteousness from God his salvation.
Such is the generation seeking Him, seeking Your face, even Jacob!
Selah.
Psalms 24:3-6

 

[Pilgrim]

Anyone got a good response to hearing gossip at the expense of someone?

All I can think of is to say a good thing about the person in response to the bad things said about them.

Any other good ways to follow Christ in this?

Response:

• Let's go together [you and the gossip] right now and ask them [the someone] about that [the gossip] and determine if that is true.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

as though St. Paul knew it's words would speak to a wider audience, so that it's words are designed as instruction to us just as much as to Timothy.

It may or may not be written that the Apostle Paul was aware of this,

but it is written that YHWH BREATHED ALL SCRIPTURE for all those who love Him, who are called according to HIS PURPOSE(YHWH'S PURPOSE)....
including today, up until (and maybe thereafter) Jesus returns....

HALLELUYAH ! PRAISE BE TO HIS NAME !

i.e. it is written by GOD, on PURPOSE , even FOR OUR SAKES TODAY....

 

[Serving Zion]

Don't do friendship with worldly gossip at someone's expense.

I wonder what the best response is when you hear gossip at someone's expense?

Anyone?

All I can think of is to say a good thing about the person someone just said a bad thing about.

Nobody ever gossips in my presence, I do not respect that behaviour.

 

[Halbhh]

Nobody ever gossips in my presence, I do not respect that behaviour.

Well, even if an older friend, beloved brother or sister in Christ, already knows not to gossip to you...you could meet a newer friend, a new brother or sister in Christ, or a person still seeking, who doesn't know you much yet, and then you could be in that situation suddenly. But I think I get the main thing you are saying -- that you don't indulge in, listen to, the gossip. How do you yourself interrupt it? I want to do it the best way possible.

 

[Serving Zion]

Well, even if an older friend, beloved brother or sister in Christ, already knows not to gossip to you...you could meet a newer friend, a new brother or sister in Christ, who doesn't know you much yet, and then you could be in that situation suddenly. But I think I get the main thing you are saying -- that you don't indulge in, listen to, the gossip. How do you yourself interrupt it? I want to do it the best way possible.

Oh yeah, sure I notice that some people I meet for the first time do carry an expectation that I should sustain it. But they catch on quickly, usually as soon as they speak (Psalms 101:5). It just isn't a good idea to say things to me that you would be ashamed to have said. It is a righteous indignation - it isn't as though I make a personal judgement against them for doing it (Isaiah 33:14-16). I am just an honest, fair-minded person who expects others to be likewise (see Proverbs 18:17).

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

James 4:4
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.

How can I go about in a daily practical way NOT being a friend with, to, of, the world?

Love people and use things not use people and love things.