Worldliness

[0:00] God says there is a love that He hates. A love that God hates.

[0:18] It's the love of the world. The love of the world. 1 John 2. From verse 15 it says, The love that God hates. The love of the world. Worldliness.

[1:05] The Lord Jesus says you can't serve two masters. Either you'll love the one or hate the other or vice versa. Some people try to straddle the fence and try to have this love of the world as well as the love of God.

[1:24] But they're contrary. You're torn between two allegiances. When the world gets a grip on people, it stifles their spiritual life.

[1:36] And we see that Satan in 1 John 14 verse 13 is called the prince of this world. The one who rules and reigns as prince over this world is Satan.

[1:51] John 14 verse 30. And we read that the unsaved, those who know not the Saviour, in Luke 16 verse 8, they're called the children of this world.

[2:03] We don't want to be children of this world. We want to be children of our Heavenly Father, of God Himself. Let me ask you a question.

[2:15] An important consideration. To whom will you give your love? To whom will you give your allegiance, your devotion, your affection? What is your driving passion?

[2:28] Is it the desire to please God? Or are you like some of the Bible says, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God?

[2:39] Pleasure and the love of it can take away from our loving of God. That's what you could call worldliness. So consider this, people, tonight.

[2:53] Whose influence are you living under? Of course we're all influenced in lots of ways. Positive and negative in many manifestations. But we've all got a question.

[3:04] What's the influence over my life? Over my family? Does Hollywood direct your lives? The movie stars and the mindset of Hollywood, of that worldly kind of mindset, does that direct your lives and the lives of your children?

[3:23] Of your family? Now when you're sat in front of the idiot box, as we so often call it, it makes you almost hypnotised, doesn't it, sometimes?

[3:34] And we can get messages there that really we wouldn't want our family to hear. But it's almost like an unleashed beast, isn't it, at times in people's lives.

[3:48] And whose will are you being shaped by? Is it the will of God? The will of God? The word says, the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, those desires and the ways that this world is going to pass away.

[4:03] But he that does the will of God, abides forever. The one who does the will of God, will abide forever. So, let me talk tonight about worldliness.

[4:14] The love of the world is worldliness. Worldliness. Worldliness. It's a preoccupation with the world, the mindset of the world, the influence of the world, of other things that take God's rightful place.

[4:28] And worldliness is a conforming to the world. It's where you could almost say you're squeezed into that kind of shape of the world, and you adopt its ways.

[4:39] Romans 12 verse 2, it says, What a contrast.

[4:54] Conformed to the world, or transformed, by the renewing of your mind. Now, this is one way to renew your mind, is to read the word, and let it be planted, and meditate upon it, and let it be engrafted, like, become part and parcel of your life.

[5:13] And worldliness takes away from that allegiance, and that affection, for the things of God, and replaces it with an allegiance, and an affection, for the other loves, other than the love of God.

[5:25] And we need to question ourselves. I urge you, as my brothers and sisters in Christ, to consider your allegiances. If it's an allegiance that's contrary to God, then let it go.

[5:39] Don't hang on to it. Affections can hinder our walk with God. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

[5:52] And so, let's consider some of these things today. And question for ourselves, does the world have a grip on me? Is the world that influence, that affection, that allegiance, that I need to let go of?

[6:07] And consider the world system. The world system, as we know it, it's driven. Many people are totally preoccupied, by materialism, and the lust for gain, the lust for vanity, the lust for worldly success, and are chasing after these things, such that their whole life is spent on this treadmill, this rat race, this chasing of the almighty dollar, that the world is preoccupied with, this mindset of fashion, of status, of feeding the ego.

[6:42] You know, this is what preoccupies the world, and the people of the world. Worldliness, it's where we get taken by this, this, this, this, temptation, this, this alluring device of the, the ways of the world, where carnality, and self-indulgence, and fleshliness, just, saps our spiritual energy, and takes all of our devotion, and love, and desire, and worldliness, it's like a pollution, where you could think, well, you know, this, this looks fairly, fairly pure, you know, I might just add just a, a 1% of arsenic to it, and, you know, it's, it's 100%, it's, what's 99% pure, would you drink it?

[7:29] You know, you wouldn't want to drink that. You want that, which is pure, and likewise, with our lives, we should consider, the pollution, of this world, and try to avoid it, that corruption, that perversion, that mixture, that mixing, of what is questionable, and corrupt, and ask ourselves, before God, how can I, choose that which is not, impure, but that which is pure?

[7:53] How can I get rid of such, worldly ways, when they take away, my devotion from God? So, in the context, of our opening text, the context here is, that the young men, are strong, because the word of God, abides in them.

[8:08] The Bible says, in the context of 1 John 2, young men, you are strong, why? Because the word of God, abides in you. And the word, counteracts the world, if we're let it.

[8:20] You know, that renewing of our mind, the Bible speaks about, how it's like a washing, of the water, by the word, there's a sense, where there's a good kind, of brain washing, where our minds, our thought life, can be washed, and nourished, and purified, by those living, streams of water.

[8:37] God's truth, can wash away, the impurities, of the word, and the word of God, can abide in us, and we can be strong, thereby. So what is worldliness? What is worldliness?

[8:48] We could think of it, in some, tangible, practical things, but it's more of a mindset, it's more of a, an attitude, an adoption of the ways, and thinking of the world.

[9:01] A preacher wants to find, worldliness like this. He said, anything that calls my love, for Christ, is the world. That's a pretty broad definition, isn't it?

[9:12] Anything, that calls my love, for Christ, is the world. So it's that anything, those other things, those things that, kind of take away, our love, that set our, energy, and our strength, and our devotion.

[9:30] It's anything that can come, between you, and your relationship, with God. Anything that hinders you, from being more godly. Anything that hinders you, from choosing God's way, of truth, and life.

[9:42] Anything that keeps you, from living, a wholesome, spiritual life. Another preacher, Wilbur Chapman, said this, anything that dims, my vision, of Christ, or takes away, my taste, for Bible study, or cramps, my prayer life, or makes, Christian work difficult, is wrong for me.

[10:04] And I must, as a Christian, turn away from it. This simple rule, may help you, find a safe path, for your feet, along life's road. Dimms your vision, of Christ, takes away, your taste, for Bible study, cramps your prayer life, makes Christian work difficult.

[10:24] Worldliness, worldliness is, it could be seen, in so many, garfs, in so many, ways, around, about us, and we may not even realise, what is worldliness?

[10:35] It's what distracts you, it's what detours you, it's what takes you away, from the word of God, takes you away, from God's will, to love the world, to love the world, is to adopt, that which is sensual, as pleasure, that which occupies, our heart, that takes first place, in our heart, in such a way, that we idolise it.

[11:00] Ask yourself, are there things, in my life, that I idolise, that takes me away, from fellowship, that takes me away, from the word of God, that takes me away, from growing, as a Christian, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, it draws you away, those things, that catch your attention, and catch your, desires, and takes away, from, that which is good, it draws you away, you know, in James, it talks about, how a man is enticed, you know, there's that seductive, kind of, aspect, that, there's an enticement, as such, that then, we're, fall, into sin, it draws us away, the pride of life, is, another aspect, where we, it speaks of arrogance, it speaks of that, lack of submission, of surrender, to God, you know, when we get, prideful, and, friends, the worldly, do not care, about pleasing God, they're full of pride, of self love, of self interest, and it's the pride of life, they will not bow, the knee to Christ, as Lord, and worldliness, leads to disaster, it's a dangerous path, a destructive path, so often, we see in the lives, of those, who tread this path, they're headed, to their own destruction, to their own damnation,

[12:25] Lot, is one example, of one, who chose worldliness, thankfully, he turned the corner, and, was saved, you know, the Bible calls, despite all of his, silly, decisions, the Bible says, he's just, it's called just, or righteous, Lot, but, Lot was, taken by worldliness, at one season, in his life, and worldliness, crept up on him, it crept up on him, just like, that enticing, nature of sin, it crept up on him, bit by bit, at first, he just, pitched his tent, towards Sodom, you know, he just, turned his tent, so that, it opened, overlooking Sodom, you could say, in Genesis 13, 12, then it goes on, in Genesis 14, that he dwelt, in Sodom, so he took up, his residence there, you know, he got a kind of, liking for the place, you know, he moved in, and then he sat, in the gate of Sodom, in Genesis 19, verse 1, so he actually, ended up, as one of the, governors of Sodom, he was sat, in the gate, and administering, the affairs, of the city, he felt so, at home, in this, obviously, sinful place, and yet, worldliness, cracked up, on lot, it ended up, that he was so, identified, with the ways, of Sodom, that eventually, he could scarcely, speak out, about the things, of the Lord, to his family, and he seemed, as one who mocked, the Bible says, so his testimony, was damaged, he lost his testimony, and he lost his family, and if you allow, the world, to come into your life, you will pay, the cost, as surely, as Lot did, another example, is Demas,

[14:10] Demas, in the New Testament, in 2 Timothy 4, verse 10, it tells us of Demas, Demas hath forsaken me, having loved, this present world, and is departed, unto Thessalonica, Paul said, Demas has forsaken me, having loved, this present world, what happened to Demas, he was walking with Paul, he was one, who was in the band, of Paul's, fellowship, was it the love, of pleasure perhaps, was it, that, there was the love, of popularity, the love of pride, was it the love, of riches, or materialism, you know, we must be careful, pleasure is not wrong, of itself, of course, there's, harmless pleasure, which is not, sinful, but it's when, the world gets a grip, on you, and it short circuits, your spiritual life, the draw of the world, but thank God, the magnetic power, of the world, can be resisted, by a greater power, there is a greater power, the power of God,

[15:16] God's power, the power of God, the power of the cross, Galatians 6, 14, Paul says, but God forbid, that I should glory, save in the cross, of our Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom the world, is crucified, unto me, and I, unto the world, so Paul said, that the cross, the power of the cross, short circuited, the drawing magnetic power, of the world, such that he had been, crucified to the world, and the world, had been crucified, to him, in other words, the world, was a dead thing, to Paul, and Paul, was a dead man, to the world, you know, have you ever seen, a corpse, that cold, body, it cannot be tempted, with sin, you can put, as much attraction, and worldly, influence, around that dead, body, but it is not, drawn towards it, and that's the picture, for you, for me, brother, sister, that we should die, to the flesh, we should die, to sin, we should die, to the world, be a dead man, to the world, yet sadly, the world, has got a creeping influence, and we're seeing it, in so many ways, all around us, in churches, the church, of the living God, we should be the pillar, and ground, of the truth, what we stand for, the church, should be rock solid, absolutely rock solid, grounded, founded, with the foundation, right, and we're seeing, worldliness creep in, here's what one preacher, of renown said, of old, he said, the more the church, is distinct, from the world, in her acts, and in her maxims, or her rules, or her standards, the more true, is her testimony, for Christ, and the more potent, is her witness, against sin, so as the church, is rock solid, standing for Christ, and against the world, and its ways, more true, will be her testimony, more powerful, will be her witness, against sin, don't we want, to be a church, like that, with God's power, and purity, not weakened, by worldliness, it will weaken, our witness, and blur our focus, it will stunt, your spiritual growth, if you're dilly dally, and play, with the world, you will, suffer, spiritually for it, and brothers, and sisters,

[17:51] I just want to urge you, one and all, to be alert, be alert, to these things, the word, often urges us, to take, caution, and take, guard, the word of God, says that the world's ways, are evil, and that the whole world, is captivated, and ensnared, by the evil one, but as a believer, we can be dead, to the world, and its attractions, they can lose, their grip for us, so for the meantime, let's maintain our guard, and here's some things, that we can maybe consider, and, in a way, it's a bit of light, to that scripture, that was referred to, before that, all things are lawful, for me, you know, we've got freedom, of conscience, about what we choose, there's a liberty, in Christ, whilst we want, to honour God, we want to honour God, and that is our, prime consideration, and so when we think, of all these things, that I'm just going, to touch on, what will honour God, the most, entertainment, entertainment, is one of these ways, entertainment, can have a subtle, creeping effect, on us, now entertainment, of itself, is not wrong, it's some of the aspects, of it, of where it can lead to, when it drags us down, to the level of the world, when you start listening, to smutting, filthy jokes, and innuendos, and such things, that seem kind of, place now, in modern comedy, we start to tolerate, the evil that is around us, there's a danger there, there's a danger, with entertainment, as we tolerate evil, we end up accepting it, and ultimately, embracing it, that's the danger, as we need to be, alert to such things, to entertainment, because brothers and sisters, we all can be, easily swayed, you know, bit by bit, inch by inch, it's a bit like, there's a creeper, in my backyard, that's strangling, one of my trees, needs to be hacked off, and worldliness, can be like that, we can get morally, desensitized, so entertainment, is an area to watch, drinking, drinking, this is another way, that worldliness, can ensnare us, in Proverbs 20, verse 1, it says, wine is a mocker, and whosoever, is deceived, thereby, is not wise, strong drink, is raging, wine is a mocker, we need to watch, drink, be careful, be very careful,

[20:32] I would urge you, to take, extreme measures, with drink, the language, of the world, dishonesty, in Ephesians 4, it says, let no corrupt, communication, proceed out of your mouth, but that which is, good, so the use of edifying, that it may minister, grace unto the hearers, corrupt communication, it says, let no, N-O, corrupt communication, come out of your mouth, there's no, there's no, no debate, on that one, God says, let no corrupt communication, come out of your mouth, but rather, that which is good, to edify, to build up others, to minister grace, modesty, is an area, immodesty, is a, a kind of, it's a feature, of the world, immodesty, where you see women, and men, not clothed modestly, and in 1 Timothy 2,

[21:34] Paul addresses women, he says, adorn yourselves, with modest apparel, adorn yourselves, with that which is modest, you know, wear feminine clothes, wear clothes, that are, are wholesome, and, and, that reflect integrity, and character, and strength, as women professing godliness, 1 Timothy 2, 9 through 10, and I've just touched on some elements there, but modesty is another area, you know, be modest in how you present, honour God, don't draw people to, to temptation, and, philosophy is an area, beware lest any man spoil you, through philosophy, and vain deceit, after the tradition of man, after the rudiments of the world, the kind of, thinking mindset, the patterns of the world, the philosophy, of the world, what do I mean by that, worldly thinking, worldly thinking, and behaviour, now this can be in all kinds of areas, for example, dating, we can adopt, the world's philosophy, about dating, you know, this kind of, on again, off again, and, no holds barred, kind of thinking that, you know, try them out, no, relationships, marriage, is a wholly honourable thing, dating, dancing, we can adopt, the world's mindset, about dancing, and end up, it's a slippery slope, debt, we can take on, the world's mindset, about debt, about family planning, our use of time, of leisure time, of how we use the internet, of music, of TV, of, what we fill our conversations with, what we plaster, all around social media, are we adopting, the world's thinking, or do we honour God, with our choices, and decisions, are we seduced, by the world, following the crowd, or do we say, no,

[23:38] I'm not going to go that way, I'm not going to go, the world's way, I'm going to do, what the word says, prove all things, and hold fast, that which is good, friends today, many Christians, are losing their, cutting edge, their faith is, blunted and weakened, because they've, had their strength, sacked by the world, like that creeper, around my tree, it's choking, the life out of them, and friends, we need to make choices, that are good, and godly ones, will it be, the trinkets, and toys of this world, that hold sway, over our lives, you know, there's a saying that goes, he who dies, with the most toys, wins, some people think that, you know, if you make a life, for yourself, and you go to your grave, with billions in the bank, that you somehow, made a life for yourself, no sir, it's a waste, you know, will it be, the vanities, and values, of this world, that hold us, or will it be, the love of God, the love of the world, to come, will we love, what the world loves, think like the world thinks, or will we have, that mindset, we're here to advance, the kingdom of God, that's why we're, on planet earth, not to feather our nest, and pamper ourselves, worldliness, will hinder this mission, you have a mission, is God's word fruitful, in your life, or will that creeping, compromise of worldliness, strangle your spiritual life, we see in Matthew,

[25:12] Mark 4, verse 19, he speaks of the, sower of the seed, he sowed the word of God, which is, like a, pictured as a seed, that was planted, and he pictured, how some were strangled, and how that, illustrates, and how the cares, of this world, and the deceitfulness, of riches, and the lusts, of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it, becometh unfruitful, what a graphic, picture that is, of what, worldliness can do, there was a preacher, who said this, today, the greatest challenge, facing, western evangelicalism, in other words, the church, in the west, is not persecution, from the world, but, seduction, by the world, that's what's going on, in churches, all around us, it's like, it's just a, a rock concert, where they, they use the, the word Jesus, now and again, that's about the only difference, it's not, the problem is not, persecution so much, at least not yet, but seduction, seduction, by the world, so the question, for all of us tonight, is, am I worldly, another preacher,

[26:22] Thomas Guthrie, said this, if you find yourself, loving any pleasure, better than your prayers, any book, better than the Bible, any house, better than the house of God, any table, better than the Lord's table, any persons, better than Christ, any indulgence, better than the hope of heaven, take alarm, take alarm, take alarm, take alarm, here tonight, make a stand, David Brainerd, a famous missionary, said, in his diary, and he only lived a short life, he was burnt out, for Christ, he said, farewell, vain world, my soul, can bid adieu, your saviour taught me, to abandon you, your charms, may gratify, a sensual mind, but cannot please, a soul, for God designed, forbear, or in other words, stop, to entice, cease then, my soul, to call, tis fixed through grace, my God shall be, my all, while he thus, lets me, heavenly glories, you, your beauties fade, my heart, has no room for you, and he was, picturing it, how, the world has charms, tries to allure us, it tries to entice, and seduce us, to call us away from God, but he says, no,

[27:39] I'm fixed, through grace, I'm fixed, I'm, I'm rock solid, I'm standing, strong and firm, by grace, because there's no, room in my heart, for you, he says, to worldliness, and, how is your heart tonight, how is your heart, what do you love, I urge you tonight, don't fall for the lies, and lure, of this present world, seek the one to come, live, now, live now, as if you were a Christian, as if heaven is your home, as if you have another sovereign, that's different from this world's ruler, live now, as if your allegiance, means something, not, that your allegiance, goes to another power, another ruler, the word says, come out, and be separate, the word says, 2 Corinthians 6, come out, and be separate, touch not, the unclean thing, friends, be careful, what you tune into, what is it, that you tune into, you know, sometimes,

[28:41] I think I want to skip to, something I wanted to say here, that I had written down, it's as if, some Christians, resort to worldliness, and effectively, they act like, practical atheists, heard that term, practical atheists, in other words, they, they pay lip service, they say, I'm a Christian, I'm following God, but they live, a different way, for what their lips are saying, they do not live, what they believe, if they believe, that God exists, they ought to live like it, so friends, I urge you today, don't be a practical atheist, in other words, it's just a Sunday religion, it's just a, you switch it on, on a Sunday, and then, you live, otherwise, the rest of the time, no sir, don't make that mistake, don't be a practical atheist, be a genuine, dinky dive, fair dinkum Christian, and live, as would be pleasing to God, set your affection, on God, and not to the world's conforming power, and friends, to close, the word of God, it says, if it abides in us, we'll be strong, the will of God, if you do the will of God, you're going to abide forever, consider your allegiances, consider your affections, question yourself, is it pride, is it the ego, am I like Lot, am I like Demas, how is your testimony, are you going to prove all things, consider your mission, why are you here, and your heart, and let it be that, you say, as David Bramer did, farewell, vain world, you've got no attraction to me,

[30:26] I look to him, I'm crucified, I'm dead to the world, just like a dead body, in a coffin, that's how much the world, can affect me, and touch me, because I'm dead to the world, and alive to God, let us pray, heavenly father, we love you, and praise you, we pray for each one, here tonight, help us Lord, to walk in truth, and life, help us Lord, to choose not worldliness, but your way of living, to choose to live for you, and most of all, to be saved, not that any working, of our own, can save us, but that everything, that you have done, makes salvation happen, Lord we pray, if there's any yet to trust you, they will even now, by faith, and say Lord forgive me, cleanse my heart, make me new, I live for you, I walk in your truth, help me, strengthen me, help me to make wise choices, in all these departments, of my life, that we can say farewell, to this world, and its attractions Lord, that it won't be, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, but it will be the will of God, that dictates how we live, and what matters, and what our allegiance, what our affection is, is on things above, let it be Lord, for each one, they'll make tonight, a decision point, a turning point, that you can help us live, because we know Lord, of our own strength, we so easily seduced, and taken away,

[31:48] Lord help us to be strong, by the power of your Holy Spirit, within us, by the power of your word, as it works, and abides in us, we pray, for your sake Lord Jesus, for your glory, I need.

[32:10] Thank you.