James 4:4 and Matthew 18:7-8 NIV
Matthew 18:7-8 NIV
Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
James 4:4 NIV
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
As you read both passages are you able to see the similarities to what Jesus says in the book of Mathew and what the book of James says? Jesus was very direct about what it takes for a person to make sure they enter life instead of eternal fire. I found Jesus statements to be very interesting because Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter five talks about having a new tent or tabernacle when we all appeared before God. Think about it, if you were to lose any part of your limps on this earth, I picture entering eternal life maimed and God granting me a new body that is better than the limbs that you and I might lose on this earth. Furthermore, Revelation 21:4, reminds us that there will be no pain when we enter the new life in the presence of our eternal God. I was able to see how the book of James in the verse above was as radical as Jesus in the book of Matthew. Is the scripture saying we should not have friends in the world? No, but like Jesus, James is implying that their allegiance to the world had captivated their soul. Their way of life and values had become more important than God’s authority. Jesus and James are calling you and I to be aware of how we can become a stumbling block or hinderance to our own salvation. Jesus warned us to be on guard about the things that can cause us to sin or stumble against the will of God and he warns us to not compromise. In the same way, James is warning us to not allow the world to be our influence because once we allow ourselves to be in that lifestyle, we have become God’s enemy. Two different passages use different analogies but they both have the same warning, which is nothing is worth your salvation. Whether you allow things to cause you to stumble or you have become so comfortable with the world where God’s commands are no longer your final authority, both choices lead you to separation from God and the result for both is eternal fire. Jesus and James in both passages are pleading with us to not let our decision to sin against God cause us to miss the opportunity to be with him eternally in heaven. Isaiah 59:2, “it’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore” (NLT). Is there something you are holding on to that is hindering you from fully committing to the word of God? Let it go, the earthly pain you might experience is worth eternal salvation with God!
