Who is the most famous person you can think of to become a Christian? It seems there are regular occurrences of famous entertainers who become Christians or proclaim their faith in a public way each year. Unfortunately, many of these people then go quiet or publicly flame out ending their love affair with Christ. Worse yet are those who start their life out in Christian communities, become famous, and then abandon Christ in faithless actions. There is a reason for this, and this reason is what makes it difficult for anyone who is famous to build a life in Christ. The same reasons exist for non-famous people. The reason is that there is a cost to becoming a Christian that many do not understand beforehand.

You adulterous people! 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 ESV

What Went Wrong?

An example of this can be found in the story of Chip and Joanna Gaines. They built a brand as wholesome, evangelical, and family first Christians. The image they crafted, and their talents have propelled them to success. Their ambitions continue by creating their own shows and expanding their footprint in the marketing world. The controversy is when they decided to make a deal with one of the more depraved distributors to release a pioneer show that includes a family of two dads with two sons.

Why would they promote this family? What deals were made that they found it acceptable to attach both the Distibutor and this family to their brand? This is what friendship with the world looks like. Deal making and compromise with foundational principles. Unfortunately for the Gaines it reveals a character in them that is not aligned with the things of God.

James makes a profound statement of warning to his readers that we risk making God our enemy. He does not say that God wants to be our enemy but he states that we by our choices in this life make ourselves an enemy to God.

Key Words From James

English	Greek	Meaning
World	kosmos	All of the earth and universe
enmity	echthra	Hostility opposition
friend	philos	An associate
enemy	echthros	Hostle
adulterous	moichos	Cheating, faithless toward God

Adulterous People

There are a number of words that James uses that need to be understood in their context to fully grasp the danger that people face when trying to make their way in the world. He starts out by calling the reader adulterous people. This is not adultery in the physical way that one cheats on a spouse but adultery in our faithfulness to God. When we look to anything other than God to love we are faithless toward him.

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:38 ESV

This kind of adultery is the kind that goes out in public and pretends he is not the bride of Christ. And Jesus whom James is reflecting also calls our generation adulterous and sinful. This is our very nature to be faithless and always looking for what the world might provide over what Jesus has already done.

Faithless

James says that we are faithless to Christ to embrace what the world has to offer. It is the world and what it offers that makes it hard for the famous and powerful to give it up. Even the average person has a cost of friendships, jobs, and family when they embrace Christ. What the world offers is temporary and immediate but ultimately unsatisfying.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? Mark 8:36-37 ESV

Enemy of God

Even if the Gaines or you yourself gain all the power and money of the world what has been accomplished and at what cost? The cost is the choice to make God our enemy.

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6-7 ESV

When chasing after the power and money of the world the mind is set on the things of the flesh. The flesh is hostile and at war with God. The laws of God are there to be guardrails against the flesh to keep us from pursuing our lusts and appetites with wild abandon. But a mind that wants what the world offers pushes God away and breaks all of this laws. Why would the Gaines choose to do business with a depraved company and champion a family lifestyle that is not pleasing to God? Because they are pursuing something of the flesh. They have set their minds on the world.

Faithful Friends of Christ

When we examine our on life are we drawing near to God or the world? Who has more say in our actions and our jobs?

James writes that when we are friends with the world we make God our enemy. So what does it look like to be friends with God? Abraham was called a friend of God. What if you and I could be called a friend of God? We would need to choose him over the world. Whatever money and power the world has to offer are nothing in compared to gaining the friendship of God.

and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. James 2:23 ESV

Abraham is called the friend of God because he was faithful. He went where God called him and lived in tents on the hope and promise from God. Abraham could have been a powerful king and build a massive city but he picked the God over what he could have done in the world. The faithless build for their own glory they chase their lust and selfish desires. Those who are unfaithful make themselves and enemy of God.