HOOKING UP WITH THE WORLD (13 OF 22)
by Jerry Vines
Scripture: JAMES 4:4-6
This content is part of a series.
Hooking Up with the World (13 of 22)
Series: Behave Yourself
Jerry Vines
James 4:4-6
11/28/04
I think you would agree with me when I say to you that James is not afraid to take on the tough issues in the Christian life. In the opening verses of this chapter he has met head on the issue of materialism, and hedonism, a pleasure-made lifestyle. Keep in mind that the he is talking to believers. God's people are prone to materialism. They are prone to a pleasure mad lifestyle.
He continues and he's going to take up another issue in the Christian life, and it is the issue of worldliness. The Bible says in I John 2, verse 15, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
What do we mean by "the world"? It is the Greek word kosmos, and it is used in a specific sense here. When the Bible says that we are not to love the world, it does not mean God's world of nature. The word is used sometimes to refer to God's world of nature. We love God's beautiful world of nature.
Nor does it mean the world of people. John 3, verse 16, says, "For God so loved the kosmos, God so loved the world." It's talking about the world of humanity. We are certainly to love the world of people the way God loves the world of people.
But when the Bible uses the word "world" in the sense in which it is used in these verses and in other places, it is using it as the world organizing itself in hostility and in opposition to God. The world is an enemy of the believer. The world is an enemy of God. "Love not the world. If any man is a friend of the world he is an enemy of God."
He is talking about those things that separate us from God. Anything which you put between yourself and your relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Bible is worldly. You say, "O.K., Preacher, you're going to talk about worldliness tonight. How about naming some things that are worldly." I'm n ...
Series: Behave Yourself
Jerry Vines
James 4:4-6
11/28/04
I think you would agree with me when I say to you that James is not afraid to take on the tough issues in the Christian life. In the opening verses of this chapter he has met head on the issue of materialism, and hedonism, a pleasure-made lifestyle. Keep in mind that the he is talking to believers. God's people are prone to materialism. They are prone to a pleasure mad lifestyle.
He continues and he's going to take up another issue in the Christian life, and it is the issue of worldliness. The Bible says in I John 2, verse 15, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
What do we mean by "the world"? It is the Greek word kosmos, and it is used in a specific sense here. When the Bible says that we are not to love the world, it does not mean God's world of nature. The word is used sometimes to refer to God's world of nature. We love God's beautiful world of nature.
Nor does it mean the world of people. John 3, verse 16, says, "For God so loved the kosmos, God so loved the world." It's talking about the world of humanity. We are certainly to love the world of people the way God loves the world of people.
But when the Bible uses the word "world" in the sense in which it is used in these verses and in other places, it is using it as the world organizing itself in hostility and in opposition to God. The world is an enemy of the believer. The world is an enemy of God. "Love not the world. If any man is a friend of the world he is an enemy of God."
He is talking about those things that separate us from God. Anything which you put between yourself and your relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Bible is worldly. You say, "O.K., Preacher, you're going to talk about worldliness tonight. How about naming some things that are worldly." I'm n ...
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