WORLDLINESS IS ENMITY WITH GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2023.

SUBJECT: WORLDLINESS IS ENMITY WITH GOD!

Memory verse: “Adulterers and Adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with world is enmity with God? Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4 vs 4.)

READ: First John 2 vs 15 - 17: 

2:15: Do not love the world or things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

2:16: For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

2:17: And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

INTIMATION:

Worldliness is the love and care of the things of this world, that is, having friendship with the world. The materialist is an adulterer in that he has wedded himself as a member of the body of Christ to that which is of this world. He has broken the covenant he made with Christ in order to give himself to the world. It’s to be carnally minded—living according to the desires of the flesh, that is, setting our mind on things of the flesh. And it drives the love of God out of you, and puts you up as enemies of God. 

Worldliness is characterized by both internal and external behaviors. The internal worldliness which begins in the heart, are specifically expressed in three forms: (1) lust of the flesh—preoccupation with gratifying physical desires; (2) lust of the eyes—coveting and accumulating things, bowing to the god of materialism; and (3) pride of life—obsession with one’s status or importance. The external worldliness is predominantly displayed in class consciousness, and attraction to pleasures.

By contrast, God’s value system is quite different from the world’s system. God hates pride, but values humility, self-control, meekness, gentleness, and generosity. And because of His value system, that is quite distinct from the world’s value system, loving the things of the world, is putting oneself up as an enemy of God because they lure us into wrong doing. In the world there are temptations that are produced wherein one is drawn away from the love of God to satisfy the the desires of the flesh in an ungodly manner. Pleasure that keeps us from pleasing God is sinful. However, there is nothing wrong with wanting a pleasurable life. God gives us good gifts that He wants us to enjoy (First Timothy 6 vs 17). 

Those who love activities and possessions of this world do not love the Father, for they are obsessed with the things of this world. One cannot love God with the love with which God seeks to be loved, and at the same time, engage himself in the pleasures of this world. That does not mean that the rich must forsake their riches, for many rich brethren have the gift of making money for the benefit of the work of the body of Christ. Therefore, the rich are not obligated to give themselves into poverty. However, those who have been consumed with the things of the world have taken their minds off that which is to come. And that which is to come is the destruction of all that for which one has worked in this world. 

Christians are not to attach themselves to the thinking of the world in a way that they are diverted from keeping their minds on those things that are above (Colossians 3 vs 1 - 2). Those who would pattern their lives after the world, therefore, have forgotten that they have attached themselves to something that will not exist forever. If they have not patterned their thinking after that which is eternal, they will not be prepared to exist in eternity. It is for this reason that the worldly minded people will not inherit eternal life. Whenever there is a compromise in one’s relationship with the world and God, lukewarmness or apostasy in reference to the truth results. One’s relationship with the world must be defined and controlled by his love of God,

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world that are usually selfish and often corrupting. Wise Christians decide that worldly behavior is off-limits for them. Our refusal to conform to this world’s values, however, must go even deeper than just behavior and customs; it must be firmly planted in our mind. Allow the Holy Spirit of the living God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. The Spirit will renew, reeducate, and redirect your mind to be truly transformed. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the humble spirit of total obedience to Your precepts, and to put away the desires, cares and pleasures of this world that are contrary to my obeying and serving You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!