What is Worldly is Not Godly
"This is pure and undefiled religion, to visit the widows and the orphans in their distress, and to keep oneself unspotted by the world" (James 1:27).
The people of this world are concerned about the things of this world. They are concerned about food, clothing and shelter (Matt. 6:25). They are concerned about bigger homes, stock markets and the price of gold (Matt. 13:22). They are concerned about what they read in the newspaper and what the weather is going to be from day to day.
Most people worry about this and that, while the person who loves God has no such concerns (1 Peter 1:14). He knows that the Father will take care of all his needs because he has sought the kingdom first by subjecting himself to the righteousness of God, as Jesus Christ did (Matt. 6:33; Rom. 10:1-3). He knows the world is going the wrong way, but feels wonderful because he knows he is going the right way – God’s Way. He has been saved from this perverse generation (Acts 2:40). He is in God’s care now. He knows that if he lives to serve only God, as Jesus did, he will end up where Jesus is - with a new body that cannot die (Matt. 4:10; John 14:2-3). He does not live for self any longer, but he lives totally for God by serving others (1 Cor. 10:24).
Continuing to live for self is Satan’s will (2 Tim. 2:26). Continually living for others by practicing righteousness and serving others is God’s Will (Matt. 25:40-41). You live for the one you serve, and God’s friends live only to serve the Lord by serving others.
The people mentioned in James 4:3-4 were selfish. They were still living for self and had friendship with the world. They were lukewarm and double-minded (Rev. 3:16; James 4:7-8). They were not resisting Satan, which is resisting selfishness. They were not allowing the God of peace to totally crush their old natures by totally committing themselves to the Will of God (Rom. 16:20; 1 Peter 4:2).
In Revelation 18:2 and 4, God commands His people to come out of Babylon. This means we are to come out of religious confusion by worshiping God in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). How is this done? We are to be concerned about the poor and the needy, and come to the aid of a widow or an orphan who needs help. When we get involved in acts of righteousness such as this, we please God in heaven (Luke 9:23, 48; 6:46; Mark 9:35; 10:43-44; Matt. 20:26-28; 23:11). Then, we just keep ourselves unspotted by the world, which means we keep serving others in order to refrain from sinning (James 1:27).
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