The Friendship of the World Is Enmity with God.

From: Messages of God's Love: 1903

Friendship of the World is Enmity with God, The

From: Messages of God's Love: 1939

James 4:4⁴Ye 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 of God. (James 4:4).

THE following allegory is translated from the German:

Sophronius, a wise teacher, would not suffer his daughter to associate with those whose conduct was not pure and upright.

“Dear Father,” said the gentle Eulalie to him one day, when he forbade her, in company with her brother, to visit the violatile Lucinda, “you must think us very childish, if you imagine we, could be exposed to danger by it.”

The father took in silence a dead coal from the hearth, and reached it to his daughter.

“It will not burn you my child; take it.” Eulalie did so, and, behold, the beautiful white hand was soiled and blackened; and, as it chanced, her white dress also.

“We cannot be too careful in handling coals,” said Eulalie, in vexation.

“Yes, truly,” said the father; “you see, my child, that coals blacken even when they do not burn. So it is with evil company,” for “evil communications corrupt good manners.” (1 Cor. 15:33³³Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (1 Corinthians 15:33); 2 Cor. 6:14-18¹⁴Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? ¹⁵And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? ¹⁶And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ¹⁷Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ¹⁸And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14‑18).)

ML 12/13/1903

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