Taking sides v24n22

Taking sides!

V24 n22

In everything that one does while on this earth, it all involves choices or decisions which one must make. Yet, seldom does one think of, or consider that in each and every choice or decision that they make, that it places a person in opposition with God, or in agreement with Him.

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! have ye not known that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever, then, may counsel to be a friend of the world, an enemy of God he is set. (Young's Bible)

How strange it is that people professing Christianity can suppose that with a worldly spirit, worldly companions, and their lives governed by worldly maxims, they can be in the favour of God, or ever get to the kingdom of heaven! When the world gets into the church, the church becomes a painted sepulchre; its spiritual vitality being extinct. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)

To maintain friendship with the world "is to be on good terms with persons and forces and things that are at least indifferent toward God if not openly hostile to him" (Ropes, [op. cit.,] p. 260), and thus to be at enmity with God. (from Wycliffe Commentary)

How often does a person think of themselves as being in direct opposition to God? Yet, whenever one operates outside of God’s realm of faith, this is exactly what one is doing. For he that is not with Him, is against Him. (Matthew 12:30) They have taken sides against God, and placed themselves in agreement with the world. Is this where you want to be at?

God devil

Faith fear

Obedience sin

Love hate

Life death

Mind renewed in Him carnal nature controlled

Seeking first His kingdom seeking first the comforts of this world

Adoption into His family seeking approval of this world

We could continue on and on with this list, but this should give you and idea of how easy it is to pick and choose sides. And yet, most often one does not even realize that this is what they are doing in and with their every day decisions and choices.

I want us to look at what some of the commentaries say regarding this and a few other verses (James 4:4, Romans 8:6-8), to give us an idea of how much more one’s flesh controls their life, then they thought possible.

[Is enmity with God] Is in fact hostility against God, since that world is arrayed against him. It neither obeys his laws, submits to his claims, nor seeks to honor him. To love that world is, therefore, to be arrayed against God; and the spirit which would lead us to this is, in fact, a spirit of hostility to God. (from Barnes' Notes)

[Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world] "Whoever" he may be, whether in the church or out of it. The fact of being a member of the church makes no difference in this respect, for it is as easy to be a friend of the world in the church as out of it. The phrase "whosoever will" implies "purpose, intention, design." It supposes that the heart is set on it; or that there is a deliberate purpose to seek the friendship of the world. It refers to that strong desire which often exists, even among professing Christians, to secure the friendship of the world; to copy its fashions and vanities; to enjoy its pleasures; and to share its pastimes and its friendships. Wherever there is a manifested purpose to find our chosen friends and associates there rather than among Christians; wherever there is a greater desire to enjoy the smiles and approbation of the world than there is to enjoy the approbation of God and the blessings of a good conscience; and wherever there is more conscious pain because we have failed to win the applause of the world, or have offended its votaries, and have sunk ourselves in its estimation, than there is because we have neglected our duty to our Saviour, and have lost the enjoyment of religion, there is the clearest proof that the heart wills or desires to be the "friend of the world." (from Barnes' Notes)

[Is the enemy of God] This is a most solemn declaration, and one of fearful import in its bearing on many who are members of the church. It settles the point that anyone, no matter what his professions, who is characteristically a friend of the world, cannot be a true Christian. (from Barnes' Notes)

It is spiritual, not corporal adultery, which these words take notice of: the inordinate love of this world is called spiritual adultery; because it draws away the love of the soul from God, and dissolves the spiritual marriage between God and the soul; Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world, which stands in competition with, and indisposes you from the doing of God's will, is enmity with God? and that whosoever will be thus a friend of the world, is the enemy of God? To love the world as God's competitor, is enmity to God, and he is God's enemy that loveth it predominantly. Learn we to love every creature with a creature love: for God reckons we love him not at all, if we love him not above all. (Wm. Burkitt commentary)

Romans 8: 6. For to be thinking the things suggested by the lower nature means death, but to be thinking the things suggested by the Spirit means life and peace. 7. Because one's thinking the things suggested by the lower nature means enmity to God, for it does not subject itself to God's law, nor indeed can it. 8. The people who live on the plane of the lower nature cannot please God. (Williams New Testament)

[For to be carnally minded is death] To live under the influence of the carnal mind is to live in the state of condemnation, and consequently liable to death eternal. Whereas, on the contrary, the one who is spiritually minded has the life and peace of God in his soul, and is in full prospect of life eternal. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)

[Because the carnal mind is enmity against God] Because it is a carnal mind, and relishes earthly and sinful things, and lives in opposition to the pure and holy law of God. Therefore, it is hostility against God; it is irreconcilable and implacable hatred.

[It is not subject to the law of God] It will come under no obedience; for it is sin, and the very principle of rebellion; and therefore it cannot be subject, nor subjected; for it is essential to sin to show itself in rebellion; and when it ceases to rebel, it ceases to be sin. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)

Now the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. The flesh-the principle of rebellion within in man —produces a certain pattern and way of thinking. Likewise, the Holy Spirit produces a certain pattern and way of thinking. The translation mind-set stresses the direction and the outlook of the mind. Spiritual death is made the equivalent of the mind-set of the flesh. Life and peace are equated with the mind-set of the Spirit. 7,8. The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God, unwilling to subject itself to his law. Persons with such a nature cannot please God. (from Wycliffe Commentary)

Without faith in Him and His word, it is impossible to please Him. Without a working knowledge of God and His Word, what choices do you think a person will make? The old nature, the old man will try to control a person in each and every step they take. Thus why Paul tells us not to be conformed to, or patterned after this world and it’s way of thinking; but rather that you be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you might know and operate in that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Whose side will you take this day?

That you may know Him,

In the service of Jesus Christ.

Larry Gazelka