ENEMIES OF GOD

James 4:4 You adulterous people!  Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (ESV)

This verse points out something that is often overlooked by most "Christians" today: worldliness is contrary to Godliness.  It seems that the average Christian today claims Jesus as their Lord and Savior but then happily takes part in many of the following activities: vulgar/coarse talking, watching perverse, violent and worthless entertainment, lying, cheating, stealing, lusting, envying....and the list can go on.

Think about it: God called you to repentance.  YOU accepted, asked Jesus into your heart, repented...now what?  Did you change your life?  Did you allow Jesus to do that perfect work that He gave up His life for?  Are you striving to be more like Him?

Or are you continuing to live the same life that you supposedly died from?  Are you still listening to music about immorality, watching moves with wicked overtones, looking at the opposite sex with lust?  (or even the same sex)?  Are you hiding something?  Are you pretending to be someone you're not?  Are you hanging out with drunkards, idolators, etc?  Do you worship idols?

You see, you cannot live this way and be a Christian.  You have to separate from the world.  Your life should change and those around you should notice.  Think about this verse:

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

When you accept Christ, your old self is supposed to die away.  Those old worldly, lustful habits are to pass away and you develop new ones through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  As we grow in the Word, we learn what God wants and expects of us and should begin to bear fruit in and for the Lord. 

As we begin to do the will of God, we walk differently.  We act differently.  We find that we want less worldly things.  We push away filthy entertainment.  We do not partake in wicked activity.  We stop justifying the sin that we commit and actively seek to stop doing it.

Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are warned not to join in with the world because the world goes against God.  Just look at what's going on right now: abortion, gay marriage, increased violence, hatred, division.   Many people are accepting of out of wedlock pregnancy, living together before marriage, sex outside the bonds of marriage, and nobody seems to even want to suggest that these things aren't really ok...even within the church!!!  This should not be.  The church should NEVER condone or justify sinful behavior.  Why?  Because when the church accepts what the world is embracing, it is in danger of being the enemy of God.  Take a look at Revelation 2 and 3 and see what is said to various churches.  This serves as a warning to the rest of us.