Session Five: Day Two- The World's Best Friend

Whoever wants to be the world's friend becomes God's enemy. 

James 4:4

Before I get into today's lesson, I just have to take a moment to tell you both how very, very important you are to me.  You both know that this has been a somewhat dramatic last week for our family and knowing that you were praying for us and our loved ones means more than I can tell you.  You are honestly two of the biggest gifts God has ever given me.

Okay.  On to the lesson.  Given that two of us recently took a Facebook hiatus, I loved that Beth began today talking about the difference between "befriending" someone and "friending" someone.  Girls you both have befriended me and there is a total and complete difference from just being friends on social media.  Moving on to the scriptures of today, how did you compare James 2:23 to James 4:4?  I had trouble with this so I didn't have anything.  I'm hoping you do!

Lisa: The last phrase of 2:23 is "and he was called God's friend".  4:4 says, "...Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

My spectrum looked like this:

friendship with the world______________________________________________friendship with God

What really struck me about this is that there's really nothing in the middle.  We really do need to choose.  It's too hard to spread ourselves across the vast open space and attempt to be both friends with the world and friends with God.  NOTE: I will always believe that we can have friends IN the world.  If we don't, then how can we possibly fulfill Christ's command to go and produce fruit?  If we constantly surround ourselves only with other Christians, then what good are we?  Or to quote our new friend in the Scriptures, "What good is it?"

One of the things Beth does that I love most about her studies is giving us the Greek word and it's meaning.  If only I could read the bible in its original language!  I think it would read completely different.  She tells us the word for world used in this passage refers to the system of evil controlled by Satan.  Um...that's a totally different world than one referenced in John 3:16.  Wow.  I also really liked when she talked about how once we receive Christ we are His Bride, destined for Heaven, but friendship comes by practicing elements of our relationship.

Faith and actions must work together.  How can we parallel Abraham's faithfulness as we follow Christ?
By doing what He asks us in full, to believe in Him and to produce fruit.  I really like how this idea ties works and belief together because so many people and churches get hung up on one or the other (including myself at times!)

Lisa: I like how she had us circle the word PRACTICE!  We must put feet to our faith (yep, I threw out a little Christianese for us today!)  I've always been drawn to the Bible's If/Then statements, and believe me, there are MANY!  Jesus states in John 15:14 - "You are my friends IF you do what I command you."  Then he does a lot of talking and finally gets back to business, "...you should go out and produce fruit...".  We have been called to do many things, and we must be mindful that some of these things require us to move.

Close friendships are built on face time.  It's one reason we plan to get together or meet friends for coffee.  In the same way, God wants that with us.  What is the distinguishing mark of friendship between Christ and His disciples according to John 15:15?
He called them friend because He made known to them the things of His Father.  They shared intimate details of their lives.  More details than He shared with anyone else.

Lisa: What an honor.  I love how Jesus reminds his friends that they did not choose him, but rather he chose them!  I love it!
 
What an honor to be able to call Him friend.