1 Kings 3:1 (NKJV)
“Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall all around Jerusalem.”

We are a unique people with a unique calling. We carry God’s holiness and sanctification within us. God lives in us, and we are in God. This is a most reverent enterprise; a divine work that is incomparable and unparalleled in all of creation. We are His masterpiece.

And this situation carries with it a grave responsibility. Because we bear the Lord’s name on our breastplate, we cannot do what other normal people can do. Our covenant with the Almighty supersedes any other affection, ambition, or relationship.

That is why the Bible says that friendship with the world is enmity with God. This does not mean that we cannot or should not befriend unbelievers. On the contrary, we must befriend them so that they may see God’s glory in us. So, what does this really mean?

Friendship with the world means embracing the world’s identity and value system to feel accepted and to prosper in our carnal objectives. The world refers to every anti-Christ ideology and practice. The world system is irreconcilable with Christ.

Jesus lived deep within the world system but never embraced the world. He never bowed down to or embraced the world in order to change it. In fact, it was His unwillingness to submit to the world that gave Him the authority to impact it.

Making treaties with the world may seem to benefit you for a season, but it will come back and bite you. The world system is sleek and deceitful, and while they may not make demands on you today, they will certainly corrupt you in the long term.

Solomon did not walk in his father David’s footsteps. For some reason, Solomon decided to make a treaty with Egypt by marrying Pharaoh’s daughter. In doing so, he not only broke God’s commandment but also opened up his nation to Egypt’s influence.

Solomon disregarded his father’s wisdom. He thought he could establish his kingdom using superior strategies. He belittled the Lord’s command as he sought to create his unique pathway. This led to a cankerworm of practices that defiled the nation.

Relate with the world. Work with them. But be ever conscious of who you are and what you represent. You are not your own. You have been bought with a price. You belong to Christ. You are His bride. You are not free to do as you will with the world.

Make friends but maintain your boundaries. Always live in the consciousness of who you are and what you can and cannot do. Don’t make friendships that will corrupt your DNA. Human wisdom is too weak to control these things. Make no treaties with the world.

@ChineduOranye
RestlessPilgrim.org