Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? (James 4:4)

The twenty-first century is already providing us with so many advances and improvements that it’s hard to keep up. From travel to technology, the norms are changing at a dizzying speed. But that progress does not mean that humanity now has the power to change anything it wants to change. Unfortunately, not everyone understands that. Those who consider themselves the super-enlightened have decide that they can change reality by mere wishing and change God by redefining Him. And while it would seem that those with God’s word should stand firm and gently point out the error, the so-called church is going along.

Few seem to see the subtle influence of Satan himself who has charged into our world, our culture, and our churches dressed in Tee-shirts that say “Tolerance” and “Love.” He has convinced well-meaning Christians that we will only reach the unsaved world by becoming like it. “Sin is such an old-fashioned term,” he whispers. “If you want to introduce worldly people to your Jesus, you must show them how open-minded you are.” But let’s compare Satan’s tactic with this verse. Friendship with the world does not mean we cannot be friends with people IN the world. We’re all in the world. Friendship with the world means that we develop a taste for ungodly values, ideas, and opinions until they begin to change us. And we don’t see it happening. While we think we’re influencing the world for Christ, the world is influencing us, making us an enemy of God.

Final Thought: You cannot be friends with both the world’s system and God’s system. One or the other will win your heart.

Prayer: Father, please show me in what ways I have become a friend of the world. I justify a lot of things because everybody else does it. But I’m not everybody else. I belong to you. I want only your values to win in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.