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NASB | James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 4:4 You adulteresses [disloyal sinners--flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world's friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. |
Bible Question:
Greetings Scribe - I am reminded of the passage, "For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?" 2 Cor 2:15-16. I appreciate your encouragement to walk in the Light and remain devoted to Christ (which will result in holiness as Christ lives through me), However I struggle a bit with the directive you suggest that I "reproove their deeds by my lifestyle." This, in my opinion, may result in a "holier than thou attitude" that some believers exhibit in response to those who do not know Christ (as well as to other believers who do not measure up to their standard of "holy living!") See Ex 34:30 - perhaps when others perceive that we have "been with the Lord," they too respond in fear which is manifest in behaviors that we misinterpret personally. As the Lord said to Samuel when Israel asked for a king, "for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them." 1 Sam 8:7 What might be some causes of a "holier than thou" attitude toward others who are in rebellion? How do we guard against this? mommapbs |
Bible Answer: Greetings. You have asked a very good question. Here are my own thoughts as to the various things that can cause a holier than thou attitude: 1. Pride-There is a tendency to be proud when such thoughts like "I have been redeemed and you (the unbeliever) have not" come to one's mind and so one may tend to "think highly of oneself." The Bible says Jesus Chrsit made himself "of no reputation"...but "humbled himself" in Phil 2:6-8; 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he "humbled himself", and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, to avoid being "proud" we need to follow Jesus' steps and lay aside every "crown" that we might have and "humble" ourselves. 2. Ignorance-This may come in the area of lack of knwoledge about certain truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ and his purpose of dying on the cross. Jesus Christ came to "save" and he did this in several ways...healing the sick, casting out demons, feeding the multitude, doing good, teaching, preaching, exhorting...and the list goes on. Basically, Jesus Christ "added value" to peoples' lives and so he was able to "attract" a lot of people. To avoid ones' ignorance being displayed amongst gentiles, one needs to ask if he/she is "adding value" by our "actions/attitude" or "subtracting through offence etc" to the unsaved. Above all we are commanded to love one another, In John 15:12,17 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another Finally, "knowing" that "God loves the sinner" will help us not to have the wrong attitude. 3. Ingratitude-Simply being ungrateful to God for "saving" us can cause one to have the wrong attitude. David, a man that experienced the mercy of God encourages us to be thankful to God in Psalm 32:1 and 136:26 respectively, 1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever. --Micah 6 :8 says 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to "love mercy", and to "walk humbly with thy God"? So, once one realizes that it was the mercy of God that saved him/her, then you are filled with a "grateful" heart and so no fruit of "wrong attitude" will be born. We can also further read the account of the ungrateful servant who was forgiven, but then turned around to "devour" his fellow servant, now the reaction of the Master is the reaction one will get from God when one develops the wrong attitude towards unbelievers. Finally, Prov 11:30 says..."he that winneth souls is wise." God Bless abeade |