James 4:4 says whoever is a friend of the world is the enemy of God. But then how did God “so love the world” in John 3:16?

[Berean]

There is a difference between "loving the world" in a positive sense and "loving the world" in a negative sense.
Let's look at John 3:16 in how "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…" Revelation 13:8 tells us Jesus was the "Lamb slain before the foundation of the world," in other words, God knew mankind would sin and would require a remedy to fulfill justice. He loved the world – the creatures He made – enough to provide this ransom price for Adam and provide an opportunity for all to know Him in the kingdom with the curse of sin and death removed.

God IS love (1 John 4:7-12). The Greek word for "love" in John 3:16 is agape or agapao, which is the highest form of love. His very nature is this special, selfless love flowing from everything He does. He acts in the best interest of ALL of His creation.

The Christian is supposed to have agape love for others – love in action – by being kind, forgiving, and generous, loving without expecting anything in return. We are even supposed to have this kind of love for our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

When James 4:4 uses the word "world," it means the spirit of the sinful world that is now self-centered instead of God- and Christ-centered. It is selfish and greedy. The faithful Christian lives IN the world but is not OF the world, as they are to be sanctified – set apart – in holiness (1 Thessalonians 5:23). We are to be "ambassadors for Christ" – 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. Ambassadors reside elsewhere but live in a foreign country. Ours is a heavenly hope, but we are residing here in this sinful world and are to be a preserving influence and a reflection of God and His son Jesus (salt and light – Matthew 5:13-16).

We aren't to walk a middle road, trying to keep the favor of God and the favor of the world. Having "friendship of the world" means being in accord with sinful practices, even indirectly. We are to love the world only in the sense of having sympathy with it, like our heavenly Father, but the path of the "present evil world" (Galatians 1:3,4) ruled by Satan (who will be cast out – John 12:31) is out of harmony with God and righteousness.

 

[BlessedPeace]

Those who love the world refers to the human appetites. The humanist dimension.

Whereas John 3:16 talks about the people here whom God elected to his grace.

 

[Bob Estey]

There is a difference between "loving the world" in a positive sense and "loving the world" in a negative sense.
Let's look at John 3:16 in how "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…" Revelation 13:8 tells us Jesus was the "Lamb slain before the foundation of the world," in other words, God knew mankind would sin and would require a remedy to fulfill justice. He loved the world – the creatures He made – enough to provide this ransom price for Adam and provide an opportunity for all to know Him in the kingdom with the curse of sin and death removed.

God IS love (1 John 4:7-12). The Greek word for "love" in John 3:16 is agape or agapao, which is the highest form of love. His very nature is this special, selfless love flowing from everything He does. He acts in the best interest of ALL of His creation.

The Christian is supposed to have agape love for others – love in action – by being kind, forgiving, and generous, loving without expecting anything in return. We are even supposed to have this kind of love for our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

When James 4:4 uses the word "world," it means the spirit of the sinful world that is now self-centered instead of God- and Christ-centered. It is selfish and greedy. The faithful Christian lives IN the world but is not OF the world, as they are to be sanctified – set apart – in holiness (1 Thessalonians 5:23). We are to be "ambassadors for Christ" – 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. Ambassadors reside elsewhere but live in a foreign country. Ours is a heavenly hope, but we are residing here in this sinful world and are to be a preserving influence and a reflection of God and His son Jesus (salt and light – Matthew 5:13-16).

We aren't to walk a middle road, trying to keep the favor of God and the favor of the world. Having "friendship of the world" means being in accord with sinful practices, even indirectly. We are to love the world only in the sense of having sympathy with it, like our heavenly Father, but the path of the "present evil world" (Galatians 1:3,4) ruled by Satan (who will be cast out – John 12:31) is out of harmony with God and righteousness.

The world is made up of ignorant people - we are born knowing nothing and only learn as time goes on. To ally ourselves with each other rather than to ally ourselves with God will get us into trouble. But the Lord loves us all and is trying to lead us to the right place.

 

[FaithWillDo]

There is a difference between "loving the world" in a positive sense and "loving the world" in a negative sense.
Let's look at John 3:16 in how "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…" Revelation 13:8 tells us Jesus was the "Lamb slain before the foundation of the world," in other words, God knew mankind would sin and would require a remedy to fulfill justice. He loved the world – the creatures He made – enough to provide this ransom price for Adam and provide an opportunity for all to know Him in the kingdom with the curse of sin and death removed.

God IS love (1 John 4:7-12). The Greek word for "love" in John 3:16 is agape or agapao, which is the highest form of love. His very nature is this special, selfless love flowing from everything He does. He acts in the best interest of ALL of His creation.

The Christian is supposed to have agape love for others – love in action – by being kind, forgiving, and generous, loving without expecting anything in return. We are even supposed to have this kind of love for our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

When James 4:4 uses the word "world," it means the spirit of the sinful world that is now self-centered instead of God- and Christ-centered. It is selfish and greedy. The faithful Christian lives IN the world but is not OF the world, as they are to be sanctified – set apart – in holiness (1 Thessalonians 5:23). We are to be "ambassadors for Christ" – 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. Ambassadors reside elsewhere but live in a foreign country. Ours is a heavenly hope, but we are residing here in this sinful world and are to be a preserving influence and a reflection of God and His son Jesus (salt and light – Matthew 5:13-16).

We aren't to walk a middle road, trying to keep the favor of God and the favor of the world. Having "friendship of the world" means being in accord with sinful practices, even indirectly. We are to love the world only in the sense of having sympathy with it, like our heavenly Father, but the path of the "present evil world" (Galatians 1:3,4) ruled by Satan (who will be cast out – John 12:31) is out of harmony with God and righteousness.

Dear Berean,
This is why God loves the world who are enemies:

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Joe

 

[BlessedPeace]

Dear Berean,
This is why God loves the world who are enemies:

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Joe

Yet he doesn't save the evil ones he tells us to love and do good to. He tells us to concede to their abuse.

 

[FaithWillDo]

Yet he doesn't save the evil ones he tells us to love and do good to. He tells us to concede to their abuse.

Dear BlessedPeace,
Why do you think Christ will not "bless" those who are His enemies? Doesn't Christ's grace apply to all mankind?

All mankind begins life as enemies of Christ. And because Christ loves His enemies and will only bless them, Christ will convert all His enemies (children of the devil) into the children of God. This is how Christ loves and blesses His enemies.

It is because God loves His enemies that He sent Christ into the world:

1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

If God didn't love His enemies, He wouldn't have ever sent Christ into the world with this mission to save them.

The issue for most believers is that they are still operating under the Old Covenant and believe that mankind must do certain works to receive the grace of God. This is not true under for New Covenant. The grace of God (manifested in Christ) will come to each person who has ever lived and will freely give them the Holy Spirit which will convert and save them. However, Christ will only give the free gift of the Spirit at a time of His own choosing. Mankind does not get to choose when they will be saved.

In this age, Christ is only saving the Elect who have been chosen from the foundation of the world to be the first group of mankind (the First Fruits) to be saved. Everyone else will have no choice but to wait until the final age for their salvation.

This scripture applies to the final and great harvest of mankind that occurs at the end of the ages:

Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law: JUSTICE, MERCY, and FAITH: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Before the "lost" who are under Christ's judgment (Lake of Fire) have perished, Christ will have MERCY upon them because of His grace. His mercy will be manifested in the form of giving the lost person the Early Rain of the Spirit. With the Early Rain, the believer will have FAITH in Christ. Their faith will make Christ's pathway straight for Him to "come again" to them and pour out the Latter Rain of the Spirit. With both the Early and Latter Rains of the Spirit, the lost person will be "born again" as a child of God. The child of God will then be gathered up to heaven. The child of the devil will remain in the Lake of Fire to perish. The death of the child of the devil will satisfy JUSTICE.

After the last person who has ever lived is converted and saved, this scripture will then be testified to be true:

1Tim 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

What I explained above is how Christ loves His enemies and how He blesses them.

Do you believe that Christ's character and love for His enemies is going to change after this age ends?

Do you believe that Christ will not continue to love His enemies and bless them as He did with the First Fruits of this age?

Do you believe that Christ's judgment is like the judgment of the Pharisees who omit justice, mercy and faith?

Joe

 

[BlessedPeace]

Dear BlessedPeace,
Why do you think Christ will not "bless" those who are His enemies? Doesn't Christ's grace apply to all mankind?

All mankind begins life as enemies of Christ. And because Christ loves His enemies and will only bless them, Christ will convert all His enemies (children of the devil) into the children of God. This is how Christ loves and blesses His enemies.

It is because God loves His enemies that He sent Christ into the world:

1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

If God didn't love His enemies, He wouldn't have ever sent Christ into the world with this mission to save them.

The issue for most believers is that they are still operating under the Old Covenant and believe that mankind must do certain works to receive the grace of God. This is not true under for New Covenant. The grace of God (manifested in Christ) will come to each person who has ever lived and will freely give them the Holy Spirit which will convert and save them. However, Christ will only give the free gift of the Spirit at a time of His own choosing. Mankind does not get to choose when they will be saved.

In this age, Christ is only saving the Elect for have been chosen from the foundation of the world to be the first group of mankind (the First Fruits) to be saved. Everyone else will have no choice but to wait until the final age for their salvation.

This scripture applies to the final and great harvest of mankind that occurs at the end of the ages:

Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law: JUSTICE, MERCY, and FAITH: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Before the "lost" who are under Christ's judgment (Lake of Fire) have perished, Christ will have MERCY upon them because of His grace. His mercy will be manifested in the form of giving the lost person the Early Rain of the Spirit. With the Early Rain, the believer will have FAITH in Christ. Their faith will make Christ's pathway straight for Him to "come again" to them and pour out the Latter Rain of the Spirit. With both the Early and Latter Rains of the Spirit, the lost person will be "born again" as a child of God. The child of God will then be gathered up to heaven. The child of the devil will remain in the Lake of Fire to perish. The death of the child of the devil will satisfy JUSTICE.

After the last person who has ever lived is converted and saved, this scripture will then be testified to be true:

1Tim 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

What I explained above is how Christ loves His enemies and how He blesses them.

Do you believe that Christ's character and love for His enemies is going to change after this age ends?

Do you believe that Christ will not continue to love His enemies and bless them as He did with the First Fruits of this age?

Do you believe that Christ's judgment is like the judgment of the Pharisees who omit justice, mercy and faith?

Joe

Where did Yeshua bestow blessings upon his enemies in the new testament? Did he give loving salutation to the Sadducees and Pharisees who put him on trial?

He said, no one comes to him unless the Father calls them. He said, many are called but few are chosen. He also said he taught in parables because his teachings were not meant for all to understand and be saved.

 

[Behold]

Christ will convert all His enemies (children of the devil) into the children of God.

The People who went to Hell today, yesterday, and tomorrow, would tell you that your Theology, is not from God.

And yes, Satan (and his Ministers)... do not want people to believe that HELL exists, as a place where these will go.

= JOHN 3:36

= Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath REMAINS on them.

New Living Translation
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

English Standard Version
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God REMAINS on him.

Berean Standard Bible
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

Berean Literal Bible
The one believing in the Son has eternal life, but the one not obeying the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God ABIDES on him."

King James Bible
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

New King James Version
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

New American Standard Bible
The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God REMAINS on him.”

 

[FaithWillDo]

Where did Yeshua bestow blessings upon his enemies in the new testament? Did he give loving salutation to the Sadducees and Pharisees who put him on trial?

He said, no one comes to him unless the Father calls them. He said, many are called but few are chosen. He also said he taught in parables because his teachings were not meant for all to understand and be saved.

Dear BlessedPeace,
Christ will bless the Sadducees and Pharisees before they perish in the Lake of Fire. They were not chosen to be blessed in this age but Christ will not forget them.

Mat 21:31 Which of the two was obeying his father?" They replied, "The first, of course." Then Jesus explained his meaning: "I assure you, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.

Luke 12:59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

It was never a question of whether or not Christ was going to save the Sadducees and Pharisees, it was only a matter of "when".

Joe

 

[FaithWillDo]

The People who went to Hell today, yesterday, and tomorrow, would tell you that your Theology, is not from God.

And yes, Satan (and his Ministers)... do not want people to believe that HELL exists, as a place where these will go.

= JOHN 3:36

= Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath REMAINS on them.

New Living Translation
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

English Standard Version
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God REMAINS on him.

Berean Standard Bible
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

Berean Literal Bible
The one believing in the Son has eternal life, but the one not obeying the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God ABIDES on him."

King James Bible
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

New King James Version
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

New American Standard Bible
The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God REMAINS on him.”

Dear Behold,
You do not believe God's Word. Christ loves all His enemies and His love and mercies never ends:

Lam 3:22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

You are forgetting justice, mercy and faith and are believing as the Pharisees do when they judge others. Christ will do no such thing:

Job 34:12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

Joe

 

[Dan Clarkston]

James 4:4 says whoever is a friend of the world is the enemy of God. But then how did God “so love the world” in John 3:16?

Just because the Lord loves those in the world and seeks to save does not even remotely suggest He is friendly with the evil ways of mankind.

It's odd that anyone would even think that, unless of course they had help doing so by the forces of darkness.

 

[Berean]

Just because the Lord loves those in the world and seeks to save does not even remotely suggest He is friendly with the evil ways of mankind.

It's odd that anyone would even think that, unless of course they had help doing so by the forces of darkness.

Did I say otherwise?