Who is the 'WORLD' according to the bible?

Question

Please note.
JAS 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

And before you say its out of context or something like that, I was just about to paste the before and after verses, but I had no way of pointing out this verse, and didnt know what would be considered enough context etc. So if you can turn your bibles to James chapter 4 and read verses 1 - whatever. thanks

So God becomes first, real people second?

Answer 1

this isn't out of context, and if someone says it is, they are wrong. When the world is mentioned in Scripture, it is referring to the sinful way the world behaves.

Generally, there are three accepted origins of temptation:
Satan and his minions
the world
the flesh (human beings' sin nature)

Friendship with the world is a phrase that refers to the idolization of those things which are from the world and are sinful. Sexual immorality, drunkenness, blasphemy - these are all examples of the Biblical concept of what is worldly.

great question! i hope this is a helpful answer.

Answer 2

To take refuge by seeking God, we have to be his friends. What does that involve? The Bible answers: “Do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) To be friends of God, we must rid ourselves of any emotional attachment to the present wicked world, characterized by a rebellious attitude toward God.

The Bible admonishes us: “Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life, does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.” (1 John 2:15-17) Most people today are motivated by fleshly desires, uncontrolled sexual appetite, greedy pursuit of money, and abusive use of power. But to be on Gods side, one must overcome such desires.

James identified some factors that can jeopardize one’s place in God’s organization. He wrote: “Adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) An enemy of God is certainly no part of his organization. What, then, is friendship with the world? It has been explained as taking different forms, such as cultivating or becoming involved with bad associations. In addition, James focused on something very specific, wrong mental attitudes that lead to improper conduct.

Answer 3

The world (cosmos)in this passage is the present world system as it exists under the authority of Satan, who in II Corinthians 4:4 is called "the god of this age."

"Love not the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of this life is not from the Father, but from the world. The world and its desires are passing away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."
(I John 2:15-17)
"We know that we are children of God, and the whole world is under the control of the Evil One." (I John 5:19)

Answer 4

no not out of context. but a puzzle. how can you be have friendship with the world and still be an enemy of god that made the world? I think James is talking about our physical lusts and attachment for worldly things that causes us to make war on each other.

Answer 5

you are not out of Context,The World is all of mankind alienated from God,and all the things that these people are involved in which are not to be practised by God's people, by choosing to be friends of the World we would be getting involved in these practises which would be unbecoming for Christians, so therefore we would be alienating ourselves from God also, so we need to follow Jesus example and not be part of the world but be a friend of God is what we should choose to be, by shunning the practises that God hates we would become God's friends we of course cannot literally be no part of the world, that would mean we would have to go and live on another planet, because every day we have to go out in the world either for work or school and mix in to the world, but by not taking part in the practises that the world practises that are hated by God we are in this way separating ourselves from the world and not being it's friends.

Answer 6

1 John 2;16 ...the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
all that is in the world--can be classed under one or other of the three; the world contains these and no more.
lust of the flesh--that is, the lust which has its seat and source in our lower animal nature. Satan tried this temptation the first on Christ: Lu 4:3, "Command this stone that it be made bread." Youth is especially liable to fleshly lusts.
lust of the eyes--the avenue through which outward things of the world, riches, pomp, and beauty, inflame us. Satan tried this temptation on Christ when he showed Him the kingdoms of the world in a moment. By the lust of the eyes David (2Sa 11:2) and Achan fell (Jos 7:21). Compare David's prayer, Ps 119:37; Job's resolve, Ps 31:1; Mt 5:28. The only good of worldly riches to the possessor is the beholding them with the eyes. Compare Lu 14:18, "I must go and SEE it."
pride of life--literally, "arrogant assumption": vainglorious display. Pride was Satan's sin whereby he fell and forms the link between the two foes of man, the world (answering to "the lust of the eyes") and the devil (as "the lust of the flesh" is the third foe). Satan tried this temptation on Christ in setting Him on the temple pinnacle that, in spiritual pride and presumption, on the ground of His Father's care, He should cast Himself down. The same three foes appear in the three classes of soil on which the divine seed falls: the wayside hearers, the devil; the thorns, the world; the rocky undersoil, the flesh (Mt 13:18-23; Mr 4:3-8). The world's awful antitrinity, the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," similarly is presented in Satan's temptation of Eve: "When she saw that the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise," Ge 3:6 (one manifestation of "the pride of life," the desire to know above what God has revealed, Col 2:8, the pride of unsanctified knowledge).

God is priority in a believers life.

Answer 7

James address to 12 tribes of Israel,and also for present time.
James, I believe also is for Peoples in the 1st yr of upcomming 7 year Trib, or picture of the Menorah,it tells of stock market crash.
World System,would be Commerce,Pleasure,Sight,Feelings.Religion,Greed and enforced by Raw Power, The "Arch Enemy" Controls Peoples by
these Methods, But His Time is running out.

Answer 8

The "world" is all those who are not followers of Christ. We are told to be "in the world but not of it." The word used for "friendship" in James 4:4 means "fondness." When we choose fondness with unbelievers over following God, we set ourselves as enemies of God. The question is one of affections, focus, dedication. We are told both to love others (including our enemies) and to be devoted to God. James is warning us not to let our affection for unbelievers interfere with that devotion.

Answer 9

The "world" is the people. Those who do not seek after God.

Answer 10

The world is "people". People with a choice. Beleive in a higher power than themselves, that "that" power is Love, the Love that first loved us .... or don't beleive, leave everything up to our
"people power" all our little gods of "self."