I think we all know what adultery is and the consequences it brings. Conflict, alienation, shame, consternation, division... just to name a couple. James uses the term 'adulteresses' as a word picture in James chapter 4. He says, 'You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
He equates adultery with being a friend of the world. So one must ask the question, 'what is it to be a friend of the world'? It's a good question to ask, because I don't think we want to be guilty of spiritual adultery. We could start with defining what 'world' is. It can't be the physical earth... the dirt, ground, mountains, rocks, etc... that wouldn't make any sense. It can't be the people in the world, because we know in that famous verse in John 3:16, that 'God so loved the world', meaning he loved the people in the world. So the only thing world can mean here in this context is the 'evil system' that we call the world. And so I ask myself, 'what then would be considered being a friend of the 'evil system'?
Is it enjoying the trivial, empty humor we find on television?
Is it listening to music that does not glorify God?
Is it reading books and magazines that are full of warped thinking?
Is it participation in sports and other busy activities instead of spending time in prayer?
Is it pushing ourselves so far in our careers to get ahead?
Is it spending money on lavish living instead of supporting missionaries and local ministries?
Is it exercising so much in order to have the perfect body?
Is it relying on our government to fix every problem and provide our every need?
Is it going out every weekend with our friends?
What does it really mean to be a friend of the world? Am I committing adultery against my real friend, Jesus?
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