“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)
At a liberal church in the big city, a family of four came for their usual worship. They had been members at that church for a long time; the children were baptized there, even the mother had been baptized there as a child. As long time church goers, the family had seen some changes throughout the years, but none of those changes would ever compare to what happened after Pastor Jennifer arrived.
Pastor Jennifer was the congregation’s first openly gay pastor. She was a big advocate for gay rights and transsexual advocacy. Though the scriptures were read in the church every Sunday (but only using inclusive language to not offend!), Pastor Jennifer’s sermons were usually about how Jesus was an advocate for the poor, for those who were marginalized, and for the hurting. She often mentioned that in modern times, Jesus would be pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA+, and defend other modern liberal causes. For more than a year, the family listened to Pastor Jennifer and were supportive of her ministry.
Then, one Sunday, a crossdressing man walked into the sanctuary for worship. He/she was a visitor. This man dressed like a woman, wore her hair like a woman, and acted like a woman. His low voice and muscularity betrayed that he was a man. After attending worship for a few weeks, he began to be accepted by many in the church. The young family of four, though, had some issues.
First, the father didn’t like how people in the church praised the man for his “faithfulness to himself and his love for crossdressing.” Even the pastor, upon seeing him/her one Sunday, not only welcomed him/her but called him a spiritual hero from the pulpit. After he/she was constantly lifted up as an example, the children began to ask questions about sexuality, dressing up, why the man was faithful, and other uncomfortable questions to which the father had no good answers. When the father asked the pastor why the man was receiving such praise and telling her about the questioning of the children, the pastor called the man transphobic and out of touch with the gospel. The family left that church and never returned.
In that liberal church, faithfulness was determined more by what pronouns you use, how accepting you were to worldly people and issues, and how inclusive you were in word and action. They didn’t even see the need to baptize people as that was just “an old, antiquated form of patriarchy”. In that church, the Democratic Party was opening praised as godly and moral, while Republicans were condemned as hate groups and the devil. From the pulpit, that pastor praised abortion rights, transsexual rights, and Democratic Party causes. She advocated people march in Pride parades and protest against anybody who disagreed with their politics, often labeling other groups as hate groups, misogynists, racists, homophones, transphobes, and more. If you didn’t believe the liberal teachings of that church, you were deemed a hypocrite, sinner, and hopelessly lost.
If you think for one moment I am exaggerating in anything in the story above, you are wholly incorrect. I am stating exactly what happened and what they believe. Pastor Jennifer is proud to stand for these causes and believes I am a racist, sexist, morally bankrupt CIS white man who should not be preaching from any pulpit. Her church is well-known to me. I have several friends who have left that church to join another. A few of the members of that church spoke to me anonymously about what they observed, preferring to “stay out of it” in order not to be labeled and ostracized by other members. This church is open every Sunday. Their brand of the gospel is preached every week from a pulpit. Their attendance and membership are dwindling, but they have some very wealthy members and a large endowment which will make sure the church stays open for decades to come.
Many churches have turned vastly more worldly in the last fifty years or so. In these churches, your political ideology and causes determine how faithful you are, not your love of Jesus or the gospel. Missions are defined as advocacy. They use their money to promote gay rights, transgender rights, pro-choice groups, and more. They will even have paid “missionaries” who are actually political “advocates”, because they promote all kinds of liberal causes while fighting anything seen as traditionally biblical. In these churches, how you use pronouns is more important than being faithful to Jesus. They are politically correct in everything they do. Their Bible readings and songs and forms of worship use politically correct language ONLY! Traditional hymns usually have their words “corrected” and only politically “checked” scriptures are allowed in print and to be read during worship. Sadly, they are NOT biblically correct in much of anything. In fact, most of these churches and church people do not read and study the Bible regularly. When they do, they change the words of scripture to “best suit modernity”. When they pray, it is often to “God”, in whatever meaning or form that entails. They won’t use patriarchal words for God or Jesus like Lord, Master, King of Kings, or even the pronoun “He” for Jesus.
Now, before you go all “anti-liberal” on me here, let’s talk about the other side of the coin. I know other churches where if you suggest a divorced person may go to heaven, you are labeled as a sinner. If you take the time to pray with “certain people”, you are made an outsider and not allowed any opportunity to be a teacher or leader. If you talk about Biblical women leaders like Miriam, Deborah, Lydia, you are questioned about not being very “true to the Bible”. If you vote Democrat, you are shunned. Holding the hand of a woman while praying with her is seen as promiscuousness. The Bible is often interpreted in terms of nationalism, full of patriotic themes like industriousness and independence. Wealth is often seen as a sign that you are blessed. Holiness is determined not by your relationship with God or by your missionary activity, rather it is determined by who your friends are and by your standing in the community. Your faithfulness might also be determined by your last name or your heritage or the color of your skin or your genes. In a few of these churches, racism is openly accepted (by blacks or whites or asians or the ethnicity of the “in-group”), though almost never promoted. Outsiders are given the cold shoulder, with inclusivity reserved for the “in- group”. The gospel must be interpreted from a traditional point of view. Any hint against “traditional values” in a gospel interpretation or sermon or in one’s words or actions is swiftly corrected. Like their liberal counterparts, these churches and church people also are very worldly in their attitudes and worship and beliefs.
James 4:4, the scripture for today, is a clear reminder that the gospel and the world are constantly at odds with one another. They do not belong together. They are antithetical. James wrote that “friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4). Those who “wish to make friends with the world (and worldly values) makes himself an enemy of God”. These are harsh words. They essentially say that worldly customs and ideals and philosophies should not form any basis for belief or practice in the church. The gospel, God’s word, the Bible, should inform and correct all actions in the church. 2 Timothy 3:16 states that “all scripture is inspired by God and suitable for reproof, correction, and training in righteousness…” Thus, God’s word needs to be the rule by which all church actions and functions are measured.
Despite James’ warning about keeping the gospel and the world far apart, people still find ways to bring their worldly ways into the church. When this happens, it always taints the purity of the soul of the church, even corrupting it. In no time, the gospel will be slightly changed to suit the members. Fearing this very thing, Paul wrote that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3, ESV). In essence, Paul and James were strong advocates against the church falling into worldliness and being corrupted by the ways of this world.
Today’s scripture is a reminder to keep worldly ideas and values and philosophies out of your spiritual life and out of your church. This is a difficult thing to do. You may not even realize the way some worldly notions are being taught in your church. When you were young, worldly ideals may have been taught you by parents and Sunday School teachers who didn’t realize the implications. Taking on ingrained worldliness in your church may get you shunned. Church people who don’t realize how they have backslidden into worldliness will fight you tooth and nail, shun you, and vilify your actions.
How many sermons have you heard preached on James 4:4? How often does your church speak out against worldly ways while practicing their own forms of worldliness? Be ever on guard against worldliness creeping into your spiritual life. Once there, it will forever taint the gospel, cause problems in your spiritual life, and be very difficult to overcome.
Are there any worldly notions swimming around in your spiritual life or driving your emotions lately?
Pastor Jennifer was the congregation’s first openly gay pastor. She was a big advocate for gay rights and transsexual advocacy. Though the scriptures were read in the church every Sunday (but only using inclusive language to not offend!), Pastor Jennifer’s sermons were usually about how Jesus was an advocate for the poor, for those who were marginalized, and for the hurting. She often mentioned that in modern times, Jesus would be pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA+, and defend other modern liberal causes. For more than a year, the family listened to Pastor Jennifer and were supportive of her ministry.
Then, one Sunday, a crossdressing man walked into the sanctuary for worship. He/she was a visitor. This man dressed like a woman, wore her hair like a woman, and acted like a woman. His low voice and muscularity betrayed that he was a man. After attending worship for a few weeks, he began to be accepted by many in the church. The young family of four, though, had some issues.
First, the father didn’t like how people in the church praised the man for his “faithfulness to himself and his love for crossdressing.” Even the pastor, upon seeing him/her one Sunday, not only welcomed him/her but called him a spiritual hero from the pulpit. After he/she was constantly lifted up as an example, the children began to ask questions about sexuality, dressing up, why the man was faithful, and other uncomfortable questions to which the father had no good answers. When the father asked the pastor why the man was receiving such praise and telling her about the questioning of the children, the pastor called the man transphobic and out of touch with the gospel. The family left that church and never returned.
In that liberal church, faithfulness was determined more by what pronouns you use, how accepting you were to worldly people and issues, and how inclusive you were in word and action. They didn’t even see the need to baptize people as that was just “an old, antiquated form of patriarchy”. In that church, the Democratic Party was opening praised as godly and moral, while Republicans were condemned as hate groups and the devil. From the pulpit, that pastor praised abortion rights, transsexual rights, and Democratic Party causes. She advocated people march in Pride parades and protest against anybody who disagreed with their politics, often labeling other groups as hate groups, misogynists, racists, homophones, transphobes, and more. If you didn’t believe the liberal teachings of that church, you were deemed a hypocrite, sinner, and hopelessly lost.
If you think for one moment I am exaggerating in anything in the story above, you are wholly incorrect. I am stating exactly what happened and what they believe. Pastor Jennifer is proud to stand for these causes and believes I am a racist, sexist, morally bankrupt CIS white man who should not be preaching from any pulpit. Her church is well-known to me. I have several friends who have left that church to join another. A few of the members of that church spoke to me anonymously about what they observed, preferring to “stay out of it” in order not to be labeled and ostracized by other members. This church is open every Sunday. Their brand of the gospel is preached every week from a pulpit. Their attendance and membership are dwindling, but they have some very wealthy members and a large endowment which will make sure the church stays open for decades to come.
Many churches have turned vastly more worldly in the last fifty years or so. In these churches, your political ideology and causes determine how faithful you are, not your love of Jesus or the gospel. Missions are defined as advocacy. They use their money to promote gay rights, transgender rights, pro-choice groups, and more. They will even have paid “missionaries” who are actually political “advocates”, because they promote all kinds of liberal causes while fighting anything seen as traditionally biblical. In these churches, how you use pronouns is more important than being faithful to Jesus. They are politically correct in everything they do. Their Bible readings and songs and forms of worship use politically correct language ONLY! Traditional hymns usually have their words “corrected” and only politically “checked” scriptures are allowed in print and to be read during worship. Sadly, they are NOT biblically correct in much of anything. In fact, most of these churches and church people do not read and study the Bible regularly. When they do, they change the words of scripture to “best suit modernity”. When they pray, it is often to “God”, in whatever meaning or form that entails. They won’t use patriarchal words for God or Jesus like Lord, Master, King of Kings, or even the pronoun “He” for Jesus.
Now, before you go all “anti-liberal” on me here, let’s talk about the other side of the coin. I know other churches where if you suggest a divorced person may go to heaven, you are labeled as a sinner. If you take the time to pray with “certain people”, you are made an outsider and not allowed any opportunity to be a teacher or leader. If you talk about Biblical women leaders like Miriam, Deborah, Lydia, you are questioned about not being very “true to the Bible”. If you vote Democrat, you are shunned. Holding the hand of a woman while praying with her is seen as promiscuousness. The Bible is often interpreted in terms of nationalism, full of patriotic themes like industriousness and independence. Wealth is often seen as a sign that you are blessed. Holiness is determined not by your relationship with God or by your missionary activity, rather it is determined by who your friends are and by your standing in the community. Your faithfulness might also be determined by your last name or your heritage or the color of your skin or your genes. In a few of these churches, racism is openly accepted (by blacks or whites or asians or the ethnicity of the “in-group”), though almost never promoted. Outsiders are given the cold shoulder, with inclusivity reserved for the “in- group”. The gospel must be interpreted from a traditional point of view. Any hint against “traditional values” in a gospel interpretation or sermon or in one’s words or actions is swiftly corrected. Like their liberal counterparts, these churches and church people also are very worldly in their attitudes and worship and beliefs.
James 4:4, the scripture for today, is a clear reminder that the gospel and the world are constantly at odds with one another. They do not belong together. They are antithetical. James wrote that “friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4). Those who “wish to make friends with the world (and worldly values) makes himself an enemy of God”. These are harsh words. They essentially say that worldly customs and ideals and philosophies should not form any basis for belief or practice in the church. The gospel, God’s word, the Bible, should inform and correct all actions in the church. 2 Timothy 3:16 states that “all scripture is inspired by God and suitable for reproof, correction, and training in righteousness…” Thus, God’s word needs to be the rule by which all church actions and functions are measured.
Despite James’ warning about keeping the gospel and the world far apart, people still find ways to bring their worldly ways into the church. When this happens, it always taints the purity of the soul of the church, even corrupting it. In no time, the gospel will be slightly changed to suit the members. Fearing this very thing, Paul wrote that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3, ESV). In essence, Paul and James were strong advocates against the church falling into worldliness and being corrupted by the ways of this world.
Today’s scripture is a reminder to keep worldly ideas and values and philosophies out of your spiritual life and out of your church. This is a difficult thing to do. You may not even realize the way some worldly notions are being taught in your church. When you were young, worldly ideals may have been taught you by parents and Sunday School teachers who didn’t realize the implications. Taking on ingrained worldliness in your church may get you shunned. Church people who don’t realize how they have backslidden into worldliness will fight you tooth and nail, shun you, and vilify your actions.
How many sermons have you heard preached on James 4:4? How often does your church speak out against worldly ways while practicing their own forms of worldliness? Be ever on guard against worldliness creeping into your spiritual life. Once there, it will forever taint the gospel, cause problems in your spiritual life, and be very difficult to overcome.
Are there any worldly notions swimming around in your spiritual life or driving your emotions lately?