Worldliness

by Hoyt Smith

If we are not careful, it is easy to fall into the trap of worldliness, As Christians, we live "in" the world, but are called not to be part "of" the world, as Jesus stated in John 15:19: "...you are not of the world..." Worldliness is also a reason people reject the Gospel. We see an example of this in John 12:42-43: "Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God."
Most Christians probably don't intend to become worldly, but the cares and pleasures of the world can occupy so much of our thoughts that we eventually don't leave room for God in our lives. For this reason, the Bible admonishes us to "...be not conformed to this world..." ( Romans 12:2). The apostle John, in 1 John 2:15-17 explains why worldliness is so dangerous:
"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."
This world will pass away, but the soul of man lives forever. Therefore, we should live our lives with a view towards eternity.
How can we focus on godliness and avoid worldliness? I believe the key is to set aside time every day for prayer, Bible reading, and meditation on the goodness of God and what He has done for us. Find a quiet place each day and "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." ( James 4:8).