July 30, 2017
(It’s been too long since I started my series last year
about lies Christian’s believe. I pray that God’s truth will set men free to
pursue holiness with all their hearts. While people will not likely “say” this
lie, many certainly live as if they believe it.)
Only Two Choices: Christlikeness or Worldliness
Worldliness and Christlikeness are THE two conflicting
forces seeking to dominate the life of every Christian! The question of
worldliness is a question of whether we will conform our lives to Christ or to
Satan’s kingdom. We often say that our three enemies are the world, the flesh
and the Devil. However, the Devil builds his world kingdom through the flesh of
man – all three are connected.
What is worldliness? There are many ideas today among church
goers of the West as to what “worldliness” looks like. Some believe it is
simply alcohol, cigarettes and gross immorality. Some say it has to do with the
things we wear and the movies we watch. Others say that worldliness is driving
cars and having electricity.
What does God say that worldliness is? It is much more
serious and encompasses much more than what is stated above.
1 John 5:19 says that the whole earth lies under the power
of the evil One. Worldliness is Satan’s world system. Every person who ever
lived has lived under the power of Satan. But what is the basis of Satan’s world
system? The following point helps answer this question.
1 John 2:15-16 says that we are not to love the world and
that worldliness is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride
of life. It is interesting that John doesn’t say that worldliness is something
overtly “demonic.” He says that worldliness is the lusts of man.
Jesus told Peter “Get thee behind me Satan” and then says
“for you do not savor the things of God but the things of man.” Here,
the lusts of the flesh are linked to Satan. It is natural for us to spare the
flesh, but this is a doctrine of demons.
Jesus also tells us in Luke 16:15 that what man highly
esteems is an abomination to God! This ought to factor more heavily into our
understanding of worldliness.
The latter part of James 3 tells us that worldliness has a
wisdom of its own that is earthly and “devilish.” James 4:1 says that the lusts
of the flesh are the cause of strife in the body of Christ and that to be a
friend of the world is enmity against God.
Jude verse 23 says that we are to “hate” the garment that is
even “spotted” by the flesh. We are to hate the smallest taint of the world on
our “garments” and the garments of others.
The last verse of James 1 tells us
that keeping ourselves “unspotted” from the “world” is an essential part of
true religion.
With all the weighty truths listed above, worldliness ought
to be preached with much more sobriety and frequency than it is! When is the
last time you heard a message about worldliness? When is the last time your
pastor preached that we ought to hate even the garment that is “spotted” by the
flesh? God help us! This issue of worldliness is the issue of whether we have
“holiness without which no man shall see the Lord!”
From the Scriptures above we can see that worldliness has to
do with the lusts of the flesh. Every unbeliever is bound by his lusts. Nothing
a sinner does is disconnected from the lusts of the flesh. This is why we must
be careful about imitating or taking part in things that the world highly
esteems. It very well may be an abomination to God.
If we are not consciously seeking to be free from the lusts
of the flesh (worldliness) we can be sure that the flesh is having it’s way in
us. It is a conscious battle to look to Jesus and submit to His Headship rather
than our lusts.
What are the practical implications for us in light of the
seriousness of worldliness?
1. The lusts of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of
life are the roots and building blocks of Satan’s kingdom. Whenever we choose
to follow our lusts rather than submitting to Christ, we are contributing to
Satan’s kingdom. We must embrace a life of consistent denial of the flesh.
Keeping ourselves pure from worldliness is a constant battle. In a large sense,
Satan is much less of an enemy than our fleshly desires. His tactics are to
seduce us through our lusts to disobey God.
2. Both the Old Testament and the New instruct God’s people
to shun the customs of the heathen around them. We don’t have the benefit of
having a whole nation who are “God’s people.” The “heathen” and their “customs”
are all around us. This spirit of the world shouts at us in the store and
through the media. If what man highly esteems is an abomination to God we must
be careful what we imitate from the majority around us. Why is it that we think
we can take on the language, clothing and entertainment of the world around us
when the whole world lies under the power of the evil one?? There is a reason
that worldlings dress and act the way they do, they are under the power of their
sinful lusts! Why do we think we can be like them when they live for the flesh?
Come out and be separate! Be not conformed to the pattern of the world!
3. We must shun teaching that overtly or subtly teaches us
that we don’t have to daily die to self. Such a teaching is a doctrine of
demons. It is impossible to be a disciple of Christ and refuse to deny the
flesh.
4. We are to be different. The way we talk, do business,
love others, dress, entertain ourselves and lead our families ought to be a
declaration and demonstration of the righteousness of Christ! We are not
supposed to fit in! We are to be a holy abrasion to the world! A representation
in flesh and blood of the righteous life of Christ that left no cloak for the
world’s sin. As HE was in the world, so are we. If we say we abide in Him, we
ought to walk as He walked. Such a life of holiness will be a proclamation of
the holiness of Christ and His law and will lead men to a Holy Christ.
5. If we love the world, we do not love God. And if we don’t
love God, we don’t love others. A “worldly Christian” doesn’t know God’s love
and will likely be the first to call an act of God’s love “unchristlike” and
“unloving.” God’s love has man’s eternal best interests in mind. That is
why God’s love sometimes comes across as severe. He is trying to save us from
something much worse in the next life. God’s love is both good and severe.
Worldly love is deceptive and mushy.
6. We must be consistent. If we truly hate violence, carnal
attitudes, nakedness, witchcraft or any other sin, we will also hate it on the
TV screen. We are hypocrites if we say we hate sin but we enjoy watching things
that are sinful. Love rejoices not (is not entertained by) iniquity. Do we
truly hate sin and love righteousness?
Separation from the ways of the world is not an option for
believers. Fleeing from worldliness is not just an Anabaptist distinctive or
the pursuit of the “conservatives.” It is the pursuit of every child of God who
loves Christ and His holy character. Which will it be? Will you submit to
Christ or to Satan’s kingdom? Are we seeking to conform every part of our lives
(inwardly and outwardly) to the image of Christ? Or are we believing the lie
that we can fit in with the world but still be a Christian?
