Thursday, August 18, 2022

Adultery

 


Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? – James 4:1-5

I have to read this passage multiple times to take it all in.  James is saying so many things here.  But the basis of it all comes to one thing.  We are called “Adulterers and adulteresses”.  The words here are not regarding a man or woman cheating on their spouse.  It’s regarding God’s jealousy for us, and our desire to be part of the world, ignoring and even rejecting His love for our own passions and pleasures. 

We struggle in so many ways to meet up to the world’s expectations!  We try to look the part of a successful person, act the part of a perfect mother and wife, and be the best employee anyone could have so that we earn their favor.  We go into debt to appear to be successful.  We teach our children the dos and don’ts of the world, but far too often – we fail to teach them even the 10 commandments. 

By putting all our energy into living up to the world’s expectations, we encircle ourselves with wars and fights in our soul.  We’re depressed, tired, broken, defeated, and disengaged from God.  We know from Ephesians 2:14 that Jesus is our peace – yet we leave Him out of our lives.  We discredit the relationship with have or don’t have with Him for the relationships we have in this temporary life. 

James 4:4 says to be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God.  One may ask, why would it make us an enemy because after all God made the world?  The simple answer to that is yes, He did make the world, but we have corrupted it with our own desires.  When we try to meet up to the expectations of the world, we begin to worship the world.  We want the world’s money, the worlds fame, the worlds approval, and all it has to offer!  The word worship means simply to give reverence and adoration.  Is that not what we’re doing?

Is your life a trainwreck? Are you miserable, unfulfilled, anxious, depressed, and feeling like there’s nothing good in this life?  God is a prayer away.  For those that have received His salvation, He tells us He will never leave us or forsake us because His Spirit resides with us. 

But God is a jealous God.  He loves us with a love that is stronger than any other.  And believe me, He will not put up with our adultery with the world.  You’ll come to ruins if you put your faith, love, and hope in the world.   Keep in mind this world is not eternal (Matthew 24:35).  Would you put your money into a stock you knew was going bankrupt? Of course not.  Don’t put your stock in this world, put it – your love, time, and devotion – into the eternal God.  You’ll find something much greater than this world can offer you – peace.