For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
You will be surprised to know who actually live as "enemies of the cross of Christ". We may think or quickly judge those who oppose the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ openly to be the "enemies of the cross of Christ", but they are not. The enemies of the cross of Christ are different. The "enemies of the cross of Christ" are those who do not want to "carry the cross daily" and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. How do you "carry the cross daily" and follow the Lord. You carry it daily by obeying everything He had commanded. Many say they believe in Him but they do not do as He had commanded. You do not obey the Lord Jesus Christ, so, how can you be a 'friend' of the cross? You do not obey Him because you oppose and dislike the cross. The cross is the symbol of total obedience of God's Son on Earth to His Father in heaven. Many do not want to "carry the cross" because it involves their total obedience to everything Christ had commanded.
Now, do you see who actually are the enemies of Christ? You claim very confidently that you belong to Him, but you keep obeying the sinful nature of the Devil in you. You keep committing the same sins over and over again. There aren't true repentance. You show no fear of the Lord in you. You are no different from those who do not know Him. You have hardened your heart and mind in sin. You have declared yourself to be His enemy and you like living that way. Your lips confess you follow Him but, in all your actions you keep obeying all the urges and evil desires of the sinful nature of the Devil in you. Why do you do this? Because, you have made your stomach your God.You will come to utter shame when you do this, but you take glory in the things that bring shame to you and you don't know it. The word of God has a tougher word to describe you; " ..you adulterous people!One that doesn't remain faithful to Him, but one who goes searching for another husband-the world!
James 4:4-5
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. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?
