12/3 James 4:4

⁴ You adulterous people! 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.

Throughout the Old Testament God compared His people's worship of idols to adultery. We are to love God with our whole heart. Any love that competes for the place of God's love in our heart--or that we credit with the ability to truly satisfy us--is spiritual adultery. A married man or woman may not have a physical relationship with another person other than his or her spouse, but when he or she dreams of how another person would make a better spouse and longs to be with that person, their longings are spiritual adultery.

The word "world" in this verse represents the things that tempt us to turn from God to satisfactions apart from Him. God has made every good thing for us to enjoy in moderation and in its proper place and time. The "world" is tempting us to overindulge and use things in ways other than God intended. Spiritual adultery is to look to these things for fulfillment.

To be a friend of the world is to live for the things we think will satisfy us. What is our driving force each day? What occupies our thought life? What do we long to do? If the answer is merely temporal things of the world, we have made ourselves enemies of God. We have fallen for the lie that tells us that if we have enough of something, our heart will be full and content. The only true, lasting contentment and heart satisfaction is found in a relationship with God through Jesus.

Consider: Are there things in your heart and mind that compete with God for your affection?