PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD
(Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.
THE BIBLE
AND ENMITY WITH GOD
Devotional Text:
James 4:4
Introduction:
Enmity with God is an indication of the
biblical truth that some are opposed to the Will and everything about God.
These are in the category of the people the Scripture refers to as children of
disobedience, (Eph. 5:5-6). And, the friendship of the world results in enmity
with God (James 4:4), which in turn reveals the lack of the love of God in
one’s life (1 John 2:15), as well as showcases that… “All that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes: and the pride of life, is not
of the Father, but is of the world”, (vs. 16), as it concludes that.. “The
world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the Will of God
abides forever, (vs. 17).
GENERAL REMARKS
(1)
Enmity with
God is a depiction of those who are yet in disobedience to Him, and so, exposed
to His wrath, (Col. 3:5-6)
(2)
The
Scripture shows that before conversion, we were all enemies of God, but now it
urges us
to
ensure that the old man is totally put off, for the new man to reign (vs. 7-10)
(3)
The
Scripture also shows that anyone who lives in adultery or any other form of
immorality
demonstrates the fact of enmity with God,
(James 4: 4)
(4)
Enmity with
God is demonstrates by love of the world, which is manifested in the lust of
the flesh, the lust of eyes and the pride of
life, (1John 2:15-16)
ENMITY WITH GOD AS MANIFESTED IN
ADULTERY
The Scripture, “you adulterous people, don’t
you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? (James 4:4) clearly
shows that adultery is a manifestation of enmity with the Lord, which
automatically translates one into friendship with the world. And, whoever
chooses to make himself a friend of the world invariably has chosen to make
himself an enemy of God, (vs. 4). This implies that socializing into adulterous
lifestyle is dangerous, as it extricates one from “Life Vine”, which is
Jesus Christ, and in turn brings same to
the point of spiritual death, (John 15:6). For, it is not possible to live
without Jesus (vs. 6), as well as not possible for the friendship of the world
and enmity with God to co-exist in one individual. In other words, one cannot
be a friend of the world and an enemy of God at the same time, (see Matt.
6:24). In this connection, therefore, let it be stated again that:
(i)
Adultery and
other forms of immorality are manifestations of enmity with God, (James 4:4)
(ii)
One who
fails to repent, as well as abide in Christ, who is the true Vine, can hardly
bear
fruit, nor have life in him, (John 15:1-6)
(iii)
God Has
commanded His love towards humanity, and is willing to reconcile to Himself
as
well as justify by the Blood of Jesus Christ, those who are in enmity with Him;
that would
return
to Him in repentance, (Rom.5:8-10).
ENMITY WITH GOD AS MANIFESTED IN
THE LOVE OF THE WORLD
Without contradiction, friendship with the
world is enmity with God (James 4:4). And, as earlier indicted, the love of the
world is concretely manifested in three ways, namely; the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, (1 John 2:15-16). By way of
analysis, the lust of the flesh points to everything that endues fleshly
desires (Gen. 3:6), as the lust of the eyes speaks of everything that is
adversely pleasing to the eyes, (vs. 6). The pride of life borders on anything
that leads to the unnecessary lifting of oneself more than required or the
over-estimation of self, which is the very nature of Lucifer, (Isaiah 14:12-16;
Ezek 28:14-19). With the cited indices that inform the love and friendship of
the world, this lesson portrays some of the points of enmity with God:
(i)
The lust of
the flesh is the handwork of Lucifer, who is Satan, the devil, the archenemy of
God and man, (Gen. 3:1-6)
(ii)
The lust of
the eyes was equally from the same devil, referred to as the old serpent, (vs.
1-6; Rev. 12:9)
(iii)
The pride of
life is the very nature of the devil, which the Lord can never associate with,
(Isaiah. 14:12-16)
ENMITY WITH GOD AND THE WRATH OF
GOD
Enmity with God attracts the wrath of God,
and this is geared toward the children of disobedience, (Eph 5:5-6). Furthermore,
“the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and
wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be
known about God is plain to them, because God Has made it plain to them. For
since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--His Eternal Powers
and Divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been
made, so that men are without excuse”, (Rom.1:18-20). From the cited
Scriptures, the evidence of the wrath of God becomes very obvious, and so, this
lesson serves as a clarion call to those who are willing to be saved. Based on
the foregoing, please notice that:
(i)
No one that
neglects the salvation of the Lord that escapes the wrath of God (Heb. 2:3)
(ii)
Every act of
godlessness and wickedness attracts that wrath of God without excuses, (Rom.
1:18-20)
(iii)
One can only
escape the wrath of God which comes by
dint of enmity with God only when one
repents
and surrenders one’s life to Christ, (Eph. 5:1-8).
In conclusion, let it be restated that enmity with God is
dangerous, and the Lord cannot compromise
anything that leads to it, since they are the handwork of Satan the
Devil, who is the archenemy of God and man. So, no one escapes the wrath of God
without genuine repentance. THE TIME IS
NOW!
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