James 4.4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy.
He or she who sets his heart upon the world, who will conform to it rather than lose its friendship, is an enemy to God. May it be repeated that any one who resolves, at all costs and despite all warnings, to be upon friendly terms with the world, must be the enemy of God. I can think or no more terrifying thing than yo be the enemy of The Almighty. It is illogical, it is insane and it is a most certain path to destruction both here and hereafter. James links friendship with the world to fleshly lusts and quarreling among those who claim to be children of God.
Peter writes, dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. Our fallen, fleshly lusts are at war with our eternal souls. Who goes to war? Enemies. Thus, our need to stay close to Jesus and in the power that is in His Name, resist those ever craving worldly and fleshly desires and attitudes that are out to kill us.
Precious brothers and sisters in Jesus, our flesh and this fallen world system is not our friend. They lie to us and are guilty of false advertisement. Yes, sin is pleasurable for a season, but the end thereof is death. Abraham obeyed The Lord, and he was called befriend of God. Demas loved this present world and became an enemy of God. Whose friend are you, reader?
