jsca777 Posted December 22, 2009 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 16 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 247 Content Per Day: 0.05 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/27/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/04/1973 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Now James comes along and says, "friendship with the world makes you and enemy of God"... so, what are we supposed to do as believers? I really hate gray areas and I've often heard a certain preacher say that we ought to view the Bible in Black and White... true because that's what God does also.. yet.. if we cut off our friendship with the world, then we aren't walking in love are we? We aren't being like God who makes the rain fall on the good and evil people..... so I find this verse very hard to understand. Anyway, care to explain this verse to me? When the bible says not to friends with the world(also found in 1st John2:15), it means not to be accustomed to the ways, patterns, atractions, adornments of this wordly system. 1st John2:16 goes on to say in the world you will find the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The 3 avenues of temeptation are found in worldliness. Although you are to love worldly people and love everyone, you need to be careful who you hang with because many will be nothing but a bad influence to you and will bring you down spiritually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blien Posted December 22, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 346 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 3,050 Content Per Day: 0.50 Reputation: 46 Days Won: 3 Joined: 10/02/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/26/1982 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 You'll find that a lot of us go through the same thing Blennnn! But we can still pray like you've taught me My dear Jami, I didn't teach you to pray. You taught yourself! ...God Bless You My Friend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blien Posted December 22, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 346 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 3,050 Content Per Day: 0.50 Reputation: 46 Days Won: 3 Joined: 10/02/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/26/1982 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 Thanks everyone who responded. I took time to read and make notes about all you said. Thank you!!!!!! I really feel like I got help from all of you. The Lord Bless You. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Joyful Posted December 23, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 48 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,901 Content Per Day: 0.35 Reputation: 365 Days Won: 29 Joined: 08/16/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted December 23, 2009 Hey Blien, I believe James is just helping us not to throw caution to the wind. It's okay to have friendships with unbelievers, as long as you don't allow them to influence your walk with Christ. I wouldn't be save today if it hadn't been a believer who refuse to give up on me. As you said there are some unbelievers as well as believers you have walked away from and so have I. Keep seeking and God will cause friends to cross your path....jot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Elly Posted December 23, 2009 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 415 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 15 Days Won: 2 Joined: 07/31/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/02/1945 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, rather reprove them. We are not to agree with sin, and don't get down in the pigpen with their evil deeds - you know, don't go out with a drunk, get drunk yourself to keep him company to try to win him to Christ. Come out from among them the Lord says. He is speaking of their works. God hates the sin, but loves the sinner. The love of God will draw the unbeliever in spite of himself, when we manifest it to others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blien Posted December 24, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 346 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 3,050 Content Per Day: 0.50 Reputation: 46 Days Won: 3 Joined: 10/02/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/26/1982 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Okay, for a while now I thought I was good on this question... but now I've been reminded of a verse in the Bible which goes against what we all generally agreed upon. Ready? 1 Corinthians 15:31-35 I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame. Now what do we say about all this??? P.S. Some of you here who were saying that James was talking to adulterers, we need to be really careful because it's not physical adultery but spiritual adultery. Meaning, they were running after the things in the world that ungodly people were running after (money, pride, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 P.S. Some of you here who were saying that James was talking to adulterers, we need to be really careful because it's not physical adultery but spiritual adultery. Meaning, they were running after the things in the world that ungodly people were running after (money, pride, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlindSeeker Posted January 20, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 69 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,043 Content Per Day: 0.52 Reputation: 426 Days Won: 5 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted January 20, 2010 I think a lot of problem for people with James stems from them assuming the works he speaks of which give life to faith are the same "works" Paul was referring to in Ephesians 2:9 . . . which are actually different from the "good works" following in verse 10. Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Unfortunately you skipped the Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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