Worldliness

WORLDLINESS

"Do not love the world or anything in the world ..." 1 John 2:15

I just started reading a book that I think is going to be added to my "must read" list. It is simply called "Worldliness - Resisting the Seduction of This Fallen World." The book is written by C. J. Mahaney and is published by Crosseway.

The premise of the book is that we as Christians have allowed worldliness to creep into our lives in ways that we haven't even thought about. And we find ourselves loving the world more than we could have dreamed or imagined.

C.J. Mahaney writes: "A love for the world begins in the soul. It's subtle, not always immediately obvious to others, and often undetected by the people who are slowly succumbing to its lies. It begins with a dull conscience and a listless soul. Sin does not grieve us like it once did. Passion for the Savior begins to cool. Affections grow dim. Excitement lessens for participating in the church, Eagerness to evangelize starts to wane. Growth in godliness slows to a crawl ... The person who was once genuinely passionate for Christ -like Demas - is, over time, taken captive by sin."

Quoting from Joel Beeke, Mahaney says, "the goal of worldly people is to move forward rather than upward, to live horizontally rather than vertically. They seek after outward prosperity rather than holiness. They burst with selfish desires rather than heartfelt supplications. If they do not deny God, they ignore and forget him, or else they use Him only for their selfish ends. Worldliness ... is human nature without God!"

Here are some questions to determine if you are struggling in this area:

1. What dominates your mind and stirs your heart?
2. Is it discontentment with your life?
3. Longings for earthly pleasures?
4. Does prosperity appeal to you more than growth in godliness?
5. Is your prayer life characterized by heartfelt supplications for God's will to be done and his kingdom to come?
6. Do you relate to God as if he exists to further your selfish ambitions or are you convinced that you exists to glorify him?
7. Are you trying to live without God?
8. Do you covet the esteem and crave the approval of those around you?
9. Do you go to great lengths to avoid looking foolish or being rejected for your Christian faith?
10. Do you consider present and material results more important than eternal reward?
11. Have you departed from God and adopted idols instead?
12. Are you at war with God?

Interesting questions. In fact, they will help diagnose whether or not worldliness has crept into our hearts. C.J. reminds us that "worldliness does not consist in our outward behavior, though our actions can certainly be an EVIDENCE of worldliness within. But the real location of worldliness is INTERNAL. It resides in my heart.

I am taking a long, hard look at this in my own life right now. How about you? Take some time today and think through the twelve questions. How's your heart? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 7; Isaiah 28-29; Philippians 3

A Quote Worth Considering: One day as he was walking by the sea, he saw a small boy who, with the help of a shell, was emptying water from the ocean into a hole he had dug in the sand. "What are you doing, son?" asked Augustine. He was impressed by the naive answer, "I'm going to empty all the sea into this hole." Augustine smiled. An inner voice, however, was saying to him, "You are trying to do the same thing by thinking you can understand the depths of God with your limited mind. -- Augustine