Anchor Scripture: James
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.
Introduction
There are very clear instructions
from God warning the Christian believer that it is impossible (not simply
difficult) to be a friend of God and also a friend of the world at the same
time; it is either one or the other friendship at a time. God is so much anti-world
in values, methods, wisdom, understanding, choices and priorities that both God
and the world system cannot walk together because they cannot agree. God is
light, the world is darkness. God is holy, the world is evil. God is eternal,
the world passes away. God is patient, the world is impatient. Even the
foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of the world. God’s knowledge is
unsearchable and understanding pure, while the understanding of the world is
darkened, resulting in unspeakable relationships. God’s ways are not the
world’s ways, and His thoughts are different than the thoughts and imaginations
of the world. The Holy Scriptures refer to worldly people as carnally minded or
walking in the flesh, being controlled and driven by the five senses, and not
governed by what God’s word reveals. These people sneer at faith, and delude
themselves that they are wise.
TEXT: John Romans 8: 5-8
1.
How can a man become the friend
of Jesus Christ (John 15: 14)? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By your answer, does it make sense for you to claim that you are a friend of
Jesus Christ (a Christian) if you live in disobedience to God’s instructions?
------------
2.
What is the difference between those that are
after the flesh and those that are after the Spirit (Romans 8: 5)?
-------------------------------------------Give examples of the common choices
of those two groups of people
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
What is the consequence of
keeping the world as your friend (Romans 8:6; Luke
16: 15)?
4.
Describe the worldly (carnal)
mind and its relationship to God’s commandments (Romans 8: 7).
5.
Is it possible for the worldly
minded to please God (Romans 8: 8; Hebrews 11: 6)? ------------------
CONCLUSION: Is there any man or
woman who wants to become a friend of God? Know that you must keep a
non-contagious distance from the world. Reject its methods, values, traditions,
and priorities. The carnal mind is an enemy of God; the carnally minded are not
subject to the word of God. They do not allow God’s word to rule their heart (Colossians
3: 15, 16), and they cannot be because they are addicted to the ways of the
world.
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