Choosing Friends
“… Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
1 John 2:15-17
Eternity. Eternity is at stake and the world as we know it, is nothing but ephemeral. Life is but vapor, and the day when we will face our reality based on our response to the Gospel is near. Our decision to love God and do his will is a matter of eternal life and eternal death – not an option. To love God is the most important decision we can make in our life, and to live a life worthy of our calling is the highest path we can take. Jesus said it best, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Matthew 22:37)
We cannot love the world and love God at the same time, we must choose to be friends with only one – for we cannot serve two masters.
It is empty talk to say I love God but I don’t love what God loves. To truly love God means to obey the command not to love the world or anything in it; otherwise, we become enemies of God. Let me make myself clear, that is, having God against you.
To engage in the pleasures of this world and lust after them is like building a house on sinking sand. Setting our heart on worldly possessions is the recipe for losing one’s life. “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” (Matthew 16:25)
The opposite is also true, as we know Abraham was considered a friend of God; a lover of God, made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works (James 2:23-24 paraphrased) – That is, a doer of the will of God.
Eternal life does depend on believing in our hearts and confessing with our mouths that Jesus is our Savior. Loving God denotes a relationship, knowing His voice and obeying, seeking Him in the lonely places, pursuing Him with worship, acknowledging His presence – Loving His will for us.
“In the last days there will come times of difficulty. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money . . . lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
As the time gets closer, we can only expect the love of many to grow cold. There is no time to play church and be lukewarm, we must decide on this side of eternity how we want to spend the rest of it. Directing our hearts to Christ is the only way.
If you are not saved yet, know Jesus loves you and wants to be your best friend. If you are, know we have the responsibility to make this message known, for eternity is at stake.