James 4:4

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses,...." My, does that sound familiar? You know I said, when we began the study of James and Peter and John, that you're going to find a lot of likenesses with the Four Gospels and Jesus addressing the Jews in His earthly ministry. Well, here's one of them. Isn't this exactly what Jesus referred to with the Jews in their wickedness.


James 4:4b

"...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is (what?) the enemy of God."


Now let's see how, again, Paul puts it. We're going to be comparing back and forth because I think that's the best way to see the vast differences in what we call the doctrines of Paul for us as Gentiles believers - as over against what the writers in the little Jewish epistles are saying. Come back with me to Romans chapter 8 and we might as well start at verse 5.


Romans 8:5-7

"For they that are after the flesh (the Old Adam) do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit (in other words, they've become a believer and the Holy Spirit has now indwelt them, they mind) the things of the Spirit. (now here it comes) 6. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The carnally or fleshly minded, just like James says, is enmity against God. The two will not coexist. You cannot have the enemy's attitude of the world as part and parcel of God. He'll have nothing of it. You know I think way back when I taught the Book of Romans, probably in chapter 8, I gave a little illustration. If you're living in a neighborhood of middle class people who have a half-way decent income and your neighbors are all in the same income level as you are and one of your neighbor's kids comes and he approaches you and says, "Hey, I'd like to have a new bike. Would you buy one for me?" Well, what are you going to say? "Well, you're not my kid! I don't have to buy you a bicycle. Go ask your parents. You're their responsibility, not mine." Would that be out of the way? Of course not.


Well, you see, it's the same way with God. The unbelieving world thinks that they can come and treat God like some Santa Claus and beg for whatever they need and expect Him to answer. But no He won't! In fact, I think I'm on safe ground that God doesn't hear the requesting prayers of the unbeliever. His ears are totally deaf to that. Now, for salvation, of course, He's ready and willing to save to the uttermost.


But see, the unbelieving world has got the idea that they can just sort of tweak God's nose