James 4:4 - Homiletics

"The friendship of the world is enmity with God."

And yet men still strive to retain the friendship of both ; to "make the best of both worlds;" to serve God and mammon. Holy Scripture steadily sets its face throughout against compromise in matters of principle, against that spirit of "give and take" which is often the world's highest wisdom, and in which the worldly politician is prone not merely to acquiesce but to delight. God's claims are absolute, and admit no rival. Whoever hankers after the friendship of the world is ipso facto ( καθίσταται ) God's enemy. Nay, more; such a sin in one who has given his heart to God becomes the sin of the unfaithful wife looking away from her husband, and casting longing eyes on a stranger; and those who are guilty of it are therefore branded with the name and fame of adulteresses.