Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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Solomon said that "the kisses of an enemy are deceitful", and when we don't think so, we usually find ourselves in trouble. The most dangerous enemy is the one who appears to be your friend. Every carnally minded person is at war against the true and living God, even if he thinks he is God's friend. Nobody with a carnal mind can either understand or submit to the Law of God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:7). Neither can a carnally minded person love you with the kind of love that will do you any good whatsoever. The love this world has for you is nothing more than bait to draw you into a relationship that is contrary to the will of God. Every favor done and every gift given by a carnally minded person has a sharp hook hidden within it. Beware.
This is why "friendship with the world is enmity against God." When a child of God lowers his shield of faith and becomes overly friendly with an ungodly spirit, he has forgotten that he is in a battle for his life. By being overly friendly with sinners, not only has the child of God made himself vulnerable to the world, he has also made himself an enemy of righteousness. You must never forget that this world is a wicked place filled with wicked people and that wicked people do evil without even trying.
Every human being on earth with a carnal mind would literally love you to death, eternal death, without even knowing what they are doing. In order to commit sin, sinners do not have to either want it or plan it. It is simply their nature to sin. They do not have to be tempted to sin, for sinners cannot be tempted. They sin when they do nothing; they sin when they do anything. They sin standing still; they sin walking. They sin in their sleep. They sin when they fight, and they sin when they love. They influence others to sin merely by being alive. People without the Spirit of God within them are infected with and controlled by sin, and they will infect you unless you stay filled with the holy Ghost and fire.
Preacher Clark said in his sermon, "I'm more afraid of this stuff called 'love' than anything I know of." The thing that the world calls "love" is in reality a deadly hatred of what is truly good, and wise men will not forget that. In Daniel, we are told that the future world ruler whom John in Revelation calls the "Beast" will destroy many people with "peace" (8:25). But that peace will not be the sweet peace of God; it will be what this foolish world calls peace, and it is deadly.
John said, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." But do not confuse that holy love with what this wicked world calls love. Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another "as I have loved you." This is an impossible commandment to keep without receiving the holy Ghost for "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given to us" (Rom 5:5); but, with God, all things are possible. The power of the holy Ghost makes it possible for us to love one another as Christ Jesus loved us, and it makes it possible for us to recognize the world's love as being what it really is: hatred of the most devious kind.