It has been said by some that “the God of the Old Testament was an angry God.” Now that creates a need for clarity because God never changes. That He is the same yesterday, today and forever is in fact the teaching of scriptures, but they also state that God is indeed angry with the wicked everyday (Psm 7:11), because they have made themselves to be His enemies. His word also clearly tells us that to become friends with world is to willfully engage in war with Him.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
While being at war with God may not be the intent of men, it is nevertheless the reality their choices place them in. Friendship with the world exposes the faultiness of any love for God we think we may have for Him, rather it indicates a state of delusion in the “believer.”
1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
A man’s true adversary is one who has a just claim against him; an offense resulting in a debt, because his adversary has the authority of the law to demand satisfaction. Therefore we are encourage strongly by Jesus to settle any claims with our adversary while we are in the way with them, because if it goes to judgment unsettled, then the law will extract its full judgment against us.
1Jo 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Gates of the City 