Winkks
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"friendship of the world is enmity with God"
"friendship of the world is enmity with God"
Jam 4:4
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.
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I find this a very interesting subject; specially on these forums. You cannot be friends with the world and pleasing to God, it's impossible. That would be like saying, "light is dark" or "dark is light". Impossible.
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3/5/2009, 8:26 am
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Order ofMelchizedek
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
 
---
Message sent from Heaven
Walked among us as a Man
Son of God and Light of the world
Love divine, crucified, made alive,
You're alive...
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3/5/2009, 9:16 am
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Bookworm88
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
What exactly does it mean to be a "friend of the world"? I certainly don't want to be one, but I do live in the world, and I have unsaved friends, so I don't think it can mean that I shouldn't have unsaved friends. The church I grew up in would preach against rock music, even Christian music that had a rock beat, because it was perceived to be worldly, and they would say that being a friend of the world was to participate in those types of worldly activities.
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7/8/2009, 8:03 pm
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Order ofMelchizedek
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
We are not "of the world" but we are in it. The Bible certainly does not teach that we should avoid unbelievers. How would the Word ever be preached? But we must be careful not to be influenced by the world and it's wickedness. Rather, we should influence the world.
We should not become unequally yoked to unbelievers in marriage or business partnership, but that doesn't mean that we can't have unbelieving friends or do business with those who do not believe.
I like a lot of "Christian rock music", but that could be a whole seperate topic. 
I would say that being a friend of the world would mean putting all your hope into it rather than in God. Enjoying the "pleasures of sin for a season" rather than foresaking them to be obedient to the Lord.
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Do you not know? Have you not heard? He gives strength to the weary. To those who hope in Him, they will soar like eagles. -RSJ
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7/9/2009, 1:01 pm
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Bookworm88
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
Another passage that deals with the concept of "the world" is I John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
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7/9/2009, 11:57 pm
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Order ofMelchizedek
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
1John is an awesome Book! Did you know that it gives a series of tests so that you can know whether or not you truly have salvation?
I didn't realize that until I heard a couple of different people do a sermon on it. Good stuff! 
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Do you not know? Have you not heard? He gives strength to the weary. To those who hope in Him, they will soar like eagles. -RSJ
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7/10/2009, 9:52 am
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Free04
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
quoting
Bookworm88 ...
Another passage that deals with the concept of "the world" is I John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Also look at verses 1-3 in James 4. What is James speaking about. Source of quarrels...Pleasures, Lust, envy and even goes on to say in verse 3 " you ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures".
The verse in the op is obviously pertaining to... of the world...It ways, not it's people.
Jesus is very clear about His authority in the world -- it is complete and total from the beginning of time itself (John 1:1-3).
Jesus tells us to go into the world and seek the lost. (The great commission.) We must befriend/love the lost as Jesus did or our search is in vain.
Didn't Jesus ask for the ones that crucified Him to be forgiven. That is love of the unbeliever. Jesus loves all and so should we.
How could verse 4 pertain to anything other than the ways of the world?
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John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. |
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7/10/2009, 1:10 pm
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Staybrite
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
It is good to have non-Christian friends, but only if they do not negatively influence us (the Christian). As a Christian, we must influence them.
If our friendships with our non-Christian friends cause us (in any way) to compromise our faith, that is bad.
I might even go so far as to suggest that we have a responsibility to do what we can to give our non-Christian friends the message of salvation through Christ. So vehemently in fact, that they should have no doubt about our beliefs.
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Peace, that brief period in history when everyone stops to reload.
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7/10/2009, 1:53 pm
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Free04
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
quoting
Staybrite ...
It is good to have non-Christian friends, but only if they do not negatively influence us (the Christian). As a Christian, we must influence them.
If our friendships with our non-Christian friends cause us (in any way) to compromise our faith, that is bad.
I might even go so far as to suggest that we have a responsibility to do what we can to give our non-Christian friends the message of salvation through Christ. So vehemently in fact, that they should have no doubt about our beliefs.
Well said stay...our works in the world is evidence of our faith.
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John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. |
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7/11/2009, 4:13 am
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pepperspaw
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Re: "friendship of the world is enmity with God"
However, so is our LOVE for others... so we are not told to shun the lost but to teach them (best by BEING than by preaching).....
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The mountain I face today, will be the sand I walk upon tomorrow.
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7/11/2009, 6:51 am
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