Thus far in the discussion of fallen man, it has been considered that fallen man is utterly dead in sin; that is, he is completely dead spiritually and not able to accomplish any spiritual good what so ever. As a result of this deadness fallen man suppresses the knowledge of God in an attempt to substitute his own form of rightness apart from God or as Romans chapter one states, “Man exchanges the truth about God for a lie and worships the creature instead of the Creator who is blessed forever.” Fallen man further seeks after all other things rather than God. Man’s inclinations by nature are self serving and not at all focused on God or His commands. The culminating expression of these truths about fallen man is seen in man’s hostility toward God. James 4: 4 gives perhaps the clearest articulation of this assertion. As James speaks in a proverbial form, he draws a sharp contrast between those who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and the lost of the world. James’ audience seems to struggle from the same lack of separation that many in modern faith life also struggle with; that is the intrusion of worldliness within the faith community. The stern rebuke in verse four states, “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.” There is little room for doubt in what James wishes to communicate here; those who are still of the world are hostilely opposed to God. As James begins this discourse, he speaks in clearest terms that to suppose that one may in fact claim love and affiliation with God while imbibing in the ways and philosophies of the world are unfaithful; that is they are adulterous. This condition of infidelity would be bad enough but James goes on to further explain that those who know God intimately know that the contrast offered just above is clear and understandable to those who have been enlightened by the living Spirit of God. Why then does the natural, lost world not grasp this concept? According to this passage, it is because they do not wish to understand. They do not wish to comprehend the things of God and in fact, they are hostile toward God. James goes on to tell the reader that those who “wish to be a friend of the world makes himself and enemy of God.” Two primary points are noteworthy here beyond the use of the simplest and clearest word of the New Testament relating the idea of being an enemy (ἐχθρὸς). First, James uses the phrase “wishes to be.” Wishes is the aorist passive subjunctive form of the Greek word βουληθῇ literally meaning willfully planed or desired to be experienced. The thrust of this word seems to be that those who wish or desire to experience worldly things, as a result of the world’s influences (hence the passivity) make preparations for such willfully and intentionally. In conjunction with this word, James uses the present active infinitival form of the word εἶναι or “to be” which is the normal term used in the New Testament to express a state of being. The infinitival form of this word semantically indicates an acquired ability. Putting this all together, what James tells us is that those who desire to experience the things of this world will be given every opportunity to do so. This just simply makes sense. In the vast array of indulgences and temptations that the world has to offer, it is not hard at all to find and experience as many of them as one should wish. Secondly, James uses the term καθίσταται variously translated “makes” but probably better translated “to be appointed” to communicate the end result of one’s worldly desires and plans. As a present passive indicative, James’ use of this term states that one’s desires places or appoints that person in a position not of friendship but enmity and hatred of God. Plainly put, it makes them an enemy of God. What has causes this hostile condition? It is in fact the worldly desires and unfaithful lusts of fallen man. Man wants only what serves or pleases him and these desires place man squarely at odds with a holy God not in passive aggression but open active hostility.
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