Worldliness in Christian preaching highlights the danger of valuing earthly appearances, possessions, and pleasures above spiritual truth and godly character (1 John 2:15-17). Illustrations often use images of emptiness, entrapment, and contamination to show how worldly pursuits choke spiritual life and limit vision, urging believers to seek lasting faithfulness and freedom in Christ (Romans 12:2).
A Jackass having heard some grasshoppers chirping, was highly
enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody,
demanded what sort of food they lived on to give them such beautiful
voices. They replied, "The dew." The Jackass resolved that he would
live only upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger.
If Christians attempt to live off the dew of the world, they will
surely experience their spiritual deaths!
How would you feel if your spouse, needing something for the house,
went to the next-door neighbor and got some money? Or if your child,
needing help, always went to another instead of coming to you? It
would break you heart.
This is what we do to God when we go the world's way in trying to
meet our own needs. It is as if we are saying, "Lord, you aren't
adequate. You don't know the best way for me. I'm going to have to
get what I want by myself.
Roy Jones, clerk in a hotel at Los Angeles, California, stumbled
over an embankment into a den of rattlesnakes, at the mouth of Eagle
Rock Canyon. He said, "It seemed as if a thousand pairs of eyes were
focused on me, the forked little tongues glistening in the sunlight.
I was almost paralysed with fear. One big rattler wound itself around
my camera, and then my friend Ben called to me. He climbed down to my
rescue with two big sticks, and we killed four or five snakes, and
then got out of the way in a hurry. That experience will remain fresh
in my memory as long as I live." Jones stumbled into the den of
snakes by accident. There are many that go down into dens of moral
evil intentionally, some of them being poisoned to death by the
serpent's bite; others, aroused by the call of a friend, make good
their escape from death.
- F.C. Iglehart, in {The Christian Herald}
A man had a dog that seemed to spend the whole day just waiting for
the Empire State Express to pass by. As it came in sight he would
brace himself. Then as it came by, he would dash with all his speed
along the tracks until the last coach went by.
One day a by-stander asked the owner of the dog, "What makes him do
that?" The owner replied, "I don't know, but I often wonder what he
would do with the train if he ever caught it."
Many people are pursuing worldly pleasure but never catch it. If
they did, they wouldn't know what to do next.
The world is like a drunken peasant. If you lift him into the
saddle on one side, he will fall off on the other side. One can't
help him, no matter how one tries. He wants to be the Devil's.
- Martin Luther
\reference{Genesis 3}{Genesis 3}.
Pierre Hurlat, one of the keenest eyed gunners in the French army,
gathered together by his thriftiness to buy a little cottage at Sevres
Bridge. Beautiful to look at was the cottage, the honeysuckle climbing
up the wall; and Pierre was proud of his home in which he and his wife
looked forward to spending their old age. But 1870 came, and the
Franco-Prussian war broke out and old Pierre, the most expert gunner
in the French army, was conscripted for the war. The Germans are in
possession of Sevres; and Pierre is at the back of the gun on the
heights of Valena that overlook the town. General Neil rides up to the
famous gunner and says, "Pierre." He salutes the general. "Do you see
that little house?" The cold sweat came over the poor, old gunner. "Do
you see that little house at the end of the bridge? Well, that is a
nest of Germans. I just want you to point your gun on that house, and
let us see what you can do." Pierre aimed his gun, and the old skill
was in his nerve, and muscle, and eye; and through the yawning
embrasure the gun is pointed at the cottage. Smoke! A roar! "Well
done, Pierre! Well done! It is demolished." The tears were stealing
down Pierre's cheeks. General Neil turned to him and said, "Pierre,
what is wrong?" Ah!" he replied, "it was my own house." Ah! point your
gun at your own house; your heart is a nest of devils. If you learn
that lesson, that alone is worth your gathering together this Lord's
day afternoon. Point your gun to your own soul, for the devil is
there; he has got entry to your heart, and there men feel him to be
most successful. -- Christian Scotsman.
[Transcriber Note: The advice of this illustration overlooks that
"aiming at one's own house" that makes possible the destruction of
carnal self, "the old man." but could be thus applied.]
By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."
It is said that in Japan there is a certain kind of spider which
throws its web over the telegraph wires, sometimes from tree to tree,
and frequently from the ground over the wire to the ground. When a
sufficient number of these webs have been spun it is impossible to
send a telegraph message from one Japanese city to another, and so the
linemen must go out and snap the webs which seem so insignificant in
themselves, and instantly connection is again restored, but it is
likewise true that things in our lives, as insignificant as the
spider's web, have caused us to lose both peace and power, while many
of them together have shut us off from all communication with heaven.
Not until we come out from the world and be separate, can we expect to
know the secret of the Lord. -- J. W. C.
By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."
Christians today should be using popular culture to build bridges to
people who need Christ. To find the proper balance between holiness
and relevance we must remember that we are called to avoid all evil
and at the same time to follow Christ's example of eating with
sinners. Paul's example in preaching to the Athenians (\reference{Acts
17:16-23}{Acts 17:16-23}) can serve as a model. 1. We need to
keep up with what's going on in our culture. If Paul had not been
aware of the idol to the unknown god, he couldn't have preached about
it. 2. Our information must be first-hand and accurate. Paul saw the
altar himself and read the inscription. 3. We must demonstrate
compassion by avoiding a judgmental spirit. Paul's message did not
condemn them for being pagans, he just quoted the inscription. 4.
Turn the message of popular culture into a question for which Christ
is the answer. Paul simply compared the Athenian's beliefs to the
revelation of God through Christ and let them decide which way was
better.
Some possible areas for bridge-building in our
culture today include music, films, the news media, and television.
Many popular songs raise life-and-death issues that Christians can
discuss. Film also is a powerful medium for transmitting values. Some
movies and TV shows are worth seeing and discussing with friends.
Being informed about what is going on in the world is an effective way
to show the world that Christianity is relevant. Exposing yourself to
popular culture can be spiritually hazardous, however. Christians
should
1. critically evaluate rather than just soaking up everything, 2.
avoid talking like an expert on the basis of minimal knowledge, 3. be
aware of their particular weaknesses and avoid temptations, 4. stand
firm in their convictions and standards, and 5. try to give their
children a strong, Christ-centered framework for evaluating what they
see and hear.
Source: Steve Rabey, Are you watching enough TV? Discipleship Journal,
Sep/Oct 1990 (Issue 59). Pages 55-59.
see "Fresh Sermon Illustrations"
(http://www.sedona.net/~budman/illustr.html)
A Story About an "Eagle"
Observation
We may define it differently, but everyone wants the "good life." Unfortunately, many people miss it. A Story About an "Eagle" There is a legend among Native Americans in the west about a brave who found an eagle's egg and put it into the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life the eagle thought he was a prairie chicken, so he did what the prairie chickens did. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. He clucked and cackled. And he flew in a brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that's how prairie chickens were supposed to fly. Years passed, and the eagle grew very old. One day, he saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. Hanging with graceful majesty on the powerful wind currents, it soared with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings. "What a beautiful bird!" the eagle exclaimed to a prairie chicken who was his neighbor. "What is it?" "That's an eagle -- the chief of the birds," the neighbor clucked. "But don't give it a second thought. You could never be like him." So the eagle never gave it another thought. And he died thinking he was a prairie chicken. How Does This Apply to Our Lives? The eagle, made to soar in the skies, was conditioned by his surroundings to stay earthbound. There, he pecked at seeds and chased insects. Rather than trying to achieve his full potential as an eagle, he adopted his neighbor's standard for life: "Hey, don't worry about flying. . .let's scratch around in the dirt and find us some bugs." So he never attained the "good life" of an eagle, even though he had the capability of doing so. Where do the standards for your life originate? Are you being conditioned by others, or by society as a whole? Oscar Wilde, a great nineteenth century author, accurately observed that "Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation." That is not the "good life" for which you were made. But God wants you to enjoy a good life. Evidence of this truth was voiced by Moses, who said that God told him to teach God's commands so the people and their descendants "may enjoy long life." (\reference{Deuteronomy 6:1-2}{Deuteronomy 6:1-2}) Don't be like the eagle. The eagle missed the good life intended for him because he adopted others' standards, which were wrong for him. Instead, live by principles that are designed to produce not just the good, but the best, for you. Those principles are God's principles -- not those of other people, what you see on T.V., or read about in the newspaper. So the question for you is, in what, or whom, will you place your trust and hope? Decide today to trust God, no matter what. Then soar! "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
The army of Alexander the Great was advancing on Persia. At one
critical point, it appeared that his troops might be defeated. The
soldiers had taken so much plunder from their previous campaigns that
they had become weighted down and were losing their effectiveness in
combat. Alexander immediately commanded that all the spoils be thrown
into a heap and burned. The men complained bitterly, but soon came to
see the wisdom of the order. Someone wrote, "It was as if wings had
been given to them -- they walked lightly again." Victory was assured.
As soldiers of Christ we must rid ourselves of anything that would
hinder us in the conflict with our spiritual enemy. And to fight the
battle effectively, we must be clad only with the armor of God
(\reference{Eph. 6:11-17}{Ephesians 6:11-17}). --Encyclopedia of 7700
Illustrations
"Yes, I saw considerable of John," said the member of the family,
who had been away among friends. "John is getting on in the world."
There was a moment's pause, and then the grayhaired mother by the
fireside asked, "Which world?" --Sunday School Times
It is a dangerous thing to be an imitator. Ralph Waldo Emerson, in
his famous essay on self-reliance says, "Imitation is suicide." This
means, I believe, that if you try to be anyone other than yourself,
you kill your own personality and you actually kill your own soul. I
sometimes think we ought to bring a bill into Congress changing our
national symbol from the eagle to the buffalo, because we are more
like the buffaloes today than we are like the eagles. The eagle is a
powerful bird. He flies alone. He rises up with authority into the
sky. He is master of all he surveys. He is an individualist and was
selected in the old days from among the rest of the birds to be our
symbol. But the buffalo was never alone. He always ran in a herd
with the rest of the buffaloes. And, friends, I call to your
attention that the buffaloes are gone from the open range, but the
eagles are still here.
The lesson is clear. Any nation that becomes a nation of the herd
ceases to produce great figures. If ever the idea comes to your mind,
"Don't be different, because people will think you are peculiar,"
remember what Emerson said: "Imitation is suicide." If you try to
imitate someone else, you become second-rate. All great thinkers are
people who dare to be themselves. --Norman Vincent Peale
Once a spider built a beautiful web in an old house. He kept it
clean and shiny so that flies would patronize it. The minute he got a
"customer" he would clean up on him so the other flies would not get
suspicious.
Then one day this fairly intelligent fly came buzzing by the clean
spider web. Old man spider called out, "Come in and sit." But the
fairly intelligent fly said, "No, sir. I don't see other flies in
your house, and I am not going in alone!"
But presently he saw on the floor below a large crowd of flies
dancing around on a piece of brown paper. He was delighted! He was
not afraid if lots of flies were doing it. So he came in for a
landing.
Just before he landed, a bee zoomed by, saying, "Don't land there,
stupid! That's flypaper!" But the fairly intelligent fly shouted
back, "Don't be silly. Those flies are dancing. There's a big crowd
there. Everybody's doing it. That many flies can't be wrong!" Well,
you know what happened. He died on the spot.
Some of us want to be with the crowd so badly that we end up in a
mess. What does it profit a fly (or a person) if he escapes the web
only to end up on the glue? --The Log
G. Campbell Morgan heard this statement made: "The preacher must
catch the spirit of the age;" and gave the following answer: "God
forgive him if he does. The preacher's business is to correct the
spirit of the age." --Watchman-Examiner
Once upon a time there were three monkeys standing on a seesaw.
Above them hung a bunch of bananas. The three monkeys all scampered
toward the high end of the board in order to reach the bananas. As
they did, the high end tilted downward and became the low end. The
monkeys then scampered back to the other end, with the same result.
Whereupon, the brightest of the three had an idea: he would stay at
one end of the board and wait for the other two to run to the other
end and raise him up. Consequently, the bright monkey reached the
bananas by not conforming to what the others were doing.
Brazil is home to a plant which forest-dwellers call the "matador,"
or "murderer." At first its slender stem creeps along the ground. But
once it meets a vigorous tree, the matador cleaves to the tree and
climbs it. As it climbs it sends out arm-like tendrils that continue
to grow larger and clasp tighter. The matador climbs the tree until,
as if in triumph, it shoots a huge, flowery head above the strangled
tree's summit. From there this "murderer" scatters its seeds to
repeat their work of death.
Like that vine, worldliness will choke the spiritual life of any
believer who allows it to grow and send out its tentacles.
"I think a Christian can go anywhere," said a young woman who was
defending her continual attendance at some doubtful places of
amusement. "Certainly she can," rejoined her friend, "but I am
reminded of a little incident which happened last summer when I went
with a party of friend's to explore a coal mine. One of the young
women appeared, dressed in a dainty white gown. When her friends
remonstrated with her, she appealed to the old miner who was to act as
guide to the party. "Can't I wear a white dress down into the mine?"
she asked, petulantly. "Yes, mum," returned the old man, "there is
nothing to keep you from wearing a white frock down there, but there
will be considerable to keep you from wearing one back." --L. A. Banks
One look, and Lot's wife was a pillar of salt. Just a look! There
is "life for a look." There is also death for a look.
Augustine, in his Confessions, relates the story of a young man at
Rome who had been won from a life of sin and licentiousness to Christ.
He forsook his old ways. One day, some of his friends persuaded him to
go with them to the Colosseum. He took a seat with his companions far
up on the topmost bench of that colossal ellipse.
As soon as the trumpet rang for the spectacle to commence, he
firmly closed his eyes, resolved not to look upon the unholy sights.
So the spectacles passed. But at one act, or conflict, the excited and
blood-intoxicated thousands put up a mighty roar of acclaim. At the
sound, Alypius opened his eyes, just for a moment. But by the one look
he was lost. He forsook Christ and went back to the world.
Do not imagine that it is safe to take even one look at sin, just
for a moment to caress it with the touch of furtive imagination. One
look turned Lot's wife to a pillar of salt. --McCartney
Is sincerity the only thing that really matters concerning religious issues? God requires obedience to His Word and does not accept man’s sincere disobedience. Moses was very sincere before God, but when he struck the rock instead of speaking to it, God judged him and refused to allow him to enter Canaan (Num. 20:7-14). When Aaron’s sons offered strange fire, God struck them dead, paying no attention to whether or not they were acting sincerely (Lev. 10:1-7). When Saul disobeyed in the seemingly minor matter of refusing to destroy all of the cattle belonging to the Amalekites, God judged him and removed the kingdom from him (1 Samuel 15). When Uzzah steadied the cart holding the ark, God struck him dead (1 Sam. 6:6-7).
Dr. Frank Garlock, who has a doctorate from the respected Eastman School of Music, observes: “Sincerity and motivation have never been a test of real spirituality or even of Christianity for that matter. The Word of God is that which will abide forever, and it is upon His Word that God hinges all spiritual truth. It is not right to ignore the Bible, to become worldly in philosophy and practice, to call things Christian which are not, nor to disobey the Word of God, even to try to win people to Christ.”(1)
________
1. Dr. Frank Garlock, CAN ROCK MUSIC BE SACRED? 1974, p. 39.
*
[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #12001]
A man once said to D. L. Moody, "Now that I am converted, have I
got to give up the world?" Mr. Moody replied, "No, you haven't got to
give up the world; if you give a good ringing testimony for the Son of
God, the world will give you up pretty quick; they won't want you
around."
Some tourists were planning to visit a coal mine when the guide noticed that one of the women was wearing a fancy white dress. “Lady,” he said, “it’s awfully dirty down in the mine. We have some special clothes to protect visitors if you would like to change.
“Sir,” she replied haughtily, “no one tells me how to dress.”
“Very, well,” he said, “but your dress won’t be white when you come back out of the mine.” And he was right. Her beautiful dress was smudged and covered with coal dust, and no amount of brushing could make it clean.
A boy came out of the kitchen eating a sandwich. He playmate asked
for a bite and was refused. At that instant the boy dropped the
sandwich. Then picking it up covered with dirt, he said, "Here, now
have a bite." The hungry lad replied, "I don't want it since you got
it all dirty."
If our religion is to appeal to the spiritual hunger of others, it
will have to be "kept up out of the dirt."
It is not the ship in the water but the water in the ship that
sinks it. So, it is not the Christian in the world but the world in
the Christianthat constitutes the danger.
Anything that dims my vision of Chirst, or takes away my taste for
Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work
difficult, is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from
it.
- J. Wilbur Chapman, { In Touch}
The essence of the worldly man is, as someone has said, that "he knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." The world's motive is profit; the Christian's dynamic is the desire to serve.
My Source:
Berean Bible School Handout
November 8, 1999
North Marshall church of Christ
Author: John T. Polk, II
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
LIFE WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
by John T. Polk, II
READ Galatians 5:13-26
1) The Spirit has ordained:
a) Liberty--license limited by love (v. 13).
b) Love--all the law (vv. 14-15; cf., Matthew 7:12; Matthew 22:34-40).
i) Why did Paul write of the Spirit's work, if written
word is not essential? (1 Corinthians 14:37).
ii) Wrong works are proof the individual needs to
learn more Scripture.
iii) Without the Spirit, one never develops from
within, which is necessary.
c) Life--positive goal avoids negative pitfalls (vv. 16-21).
d) Loveliness--fruit shows the kind of tree (vv. 22-26;
2) The works of the flesh are manifest/evident...
a) The Expense of Experience
i) ADULTERY--Grk, "moikeia"--unlawful sexual
intercourse with another's spouse.
(1) By act (John 8:3; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22; Deuteronomy 5:18;
Exodus 20:14; Js Exodus 4:4).
(2) By attitude (Matthew 5:27-30; 2 Peter 2:14).
(3) By acceptance in marriage (Matthew 5:31-32;
Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; Hebrews 13:4).
(4) By apostasy (Jeremiah 3:6-11).
ii) FORNICATION--Grk "porneia"--improper sexual
conduct, ingeneral.
(1) Disregard for God's Law of Safe Sex
(2) Designed for heathen backgrounds (Acts 15:20, Acts 15:29;
(3) Prostitution; modelling sex--whether on screen or
off screen; abuses in marriage.
iii) UNCLEANNESS--Grk, "akatharsia"--without cleansing,
unwashed.
(1) Whitewashing doesn't change inner rottenness
(2) Without pure motives (1 Thessalonians 2:3).
(3) Willful waste (Ephesians 4:19; Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:7).
iv) LASCIVIOUSNESS--Grk, "aselgeia"--without moral
restraints, "anything goes."
(1) Contrasted with having moral scruples (Romans 13:13;
(2) Conduct of Sodom & Gomorrah (2 Peter 2:6-7).
(3) Conduit of Christian ruin brought by false teachers
(2 Peter 2:1-2, 2 Peter 2:18).
b) Ignorant Idolatry
i) IDOLATRY--Grk, "eidololatreia"--worship or service
to idols.
(1) Devotion lifestyle allowed by idols (1 Corinthians 10:1-14).
(2) Dedication to the "Dollar" (Colossians 3:5).
ii) WITCHCRAFT--Grk, "pharmakeia"--the use or
administering of drugs for spells.
(1) Relied upon by idolaters for "divine insight
and power" (Exodus 7:11, Exodus 7:22; Exodus 8:18).
(2) Ruined forever by The True God (Revelation 21:8).
(3) Rx is NOT condemned, unless persistently used to
avoid moral decisions.
c) Seven Steps to Schism
i) HATRED--Grk, "ekthrai"--hostile, hating, and opposing
another.
(1) Sinners' general attitude toward God (Romans 5:10;
(2) Satan's position and work against God (Matthew 13:28, Matthew 13:39).
(3) Saviour's general attitude toward the sinful (Js 4:4;
ii) VARIANCE--Grk, "ereis"--contention, strife, wrangling.
(1) Evidence of carnality among brethren (1 Corinthians 1:11-13;
3:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20-21).
(2) Exercises in uselessness (1 Timothy 6:3-5; Titus 3:9).
(3) Excused for "soundness" (Philippians 1:15).
iii) EMULATIONS--Grk, "zealoi"--fervor, excitement in
defending anything.
(1) Approved when for the right thing (John 2:13-17;
2 Corinthians 7:9-11; Colossians 4:12-13).
(2) Awful when aimed at the church (Philippians 3:6;
(3) Arrogant when aimed away from one's self
(Js 3:14-16).
iv) WRATH--Grk, "thumoi"--explosive anger, quickly
subsiding, breathe violently.
(1) Aggressive, even against Jesus (Luke 4:22-30;
(2) Apparently only God can control properly its
expression (Romans 2:8).
(3) Adverse effect on Christians (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:8;
v) STRIFE--Grk, "eritheiai"--electioneering, courting
distinction, partisanship.
(1) Personal interests must be kept aside in
preaching (Philippians 1:15-18).
(2) Personalities must be kept aside in "membering"
(3) Promotion of ANY GOOD WORK must not
"lapse" into this.
vi) SEDITIONS--Grk, "dikostasiai"--to stand apart, create
two parties.
(1) There are NOT two sides to truthful obedience
(2) There is NO spirituality in doctrinal splits
(3) The church becomes worldly when it divides
vii) HERESIES--Grk, "haireseis"--capturing or choosing
a particular tenet.
(1) Choosing the lesser of evils is still evil (2 Pt 2:1-2).
(2) Combining with "the faithful" is "SECTARIANISM"
(Acts 5:17; Acts 15:5; Acts 26:5; Acts 24:5, Acts 24:15; Acts 28:22).
(3) Crucifixion occurs all over again (1 Corinthians 11:19-20;
cf., Hebrews 6:4-6).
d) There's No Stopping It Now.
i) Destruction.
(1) ENVYINGS--Grk, "phthonoi"--pine away, wither,
decay.
(a) Self-inflicted sickness over another's good
(Titus 3:3-7).
(b) Short-sighted ambition (Matthew 27:17-18, Matthew 27:21-23).
(c) SHOULD NOT BE DIRECTED
TOWARD OTHER BRETHREN!
(2) MURDERS--Grk, "phonoi"--slaughter of human life.
(a) ALONE CAN GOD direct this (Joshua 7;
Exodus 21:28-29; Exodus 22:18-20; Leviticus 22:18-20;
(b) Always, God has said this crime must be met
with death (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13; Romans 13:1-4).
(c) AMONG CHRISTIANS, THERE IS NO
PERMITTING THIS!! (Matthew 5:21-26, Matthew 5:43-48;
(d) ATTITUDE counts! (1 John 3:11-15; 1 John 2:7-11;
3:16-19; 4:7-13, 16-21).
ii) Drinking
(1) DRUNKENNESS--Grk, "methai"--softening up,
loosening of judgment.
(a) Causes cares to be too great (Luke 21:34).
(b) Cerebral dullness (Romans 13:13; Proverbs 20:1;
23:29-35).
(c) Certain amount not specified!
(2) REVELLINGS--Grk, "komoi"--riotous parade,
obnoxious party.
(a) Late-Night is made for "drunks" (Romans 13:12-13;
cf., 1 Thessalonians 5:7).
(b) Left-over looseness in a Christian (1 Peter 4:1-4).
(c) Listen, if you see one of these, you may be
too late!
3) So Manifest is God's Judgment (v. 21).
4) The HOLY SPIRIT LEADS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
--John T. Polk II, 125 The Trace, Dover, TN 37058
Jjttjll@aol.com
My Source: COWAN CHURCH OF CHRIST MESSENGER
Volume 3, #26, 29 June 1997
Cowan, TN
Author: Allen Webster
=========================================
WHO HAS THE "GOOD" LIFE?
by Allen Webster
Entering a foreign culture is cause for reflection and opportunity for comparison. Sitting on the plane returning from Tanzania, Africa, and then waiting for a delayed connecting flight in a busy Dallas airport, several thoughts began to formulate in my thought processes and this article is the result.
Though Americans and Tanzanians live on the same planet, they live in different worlds. In so many ways we are a hundred years ahead of them--medically, technologically, educationally, and materially. We would not trade places with them for the world. In areas like transportation, food preparation, hygiene, farming, and word processing, their lifestyle does not even register on the same scale with the American way of life. For these reasons, we feel sympathy for them.
But in other ways, they still have what we left behind. They seem to enjoy life and laugh a lot more than most Americans (cf., Proverbs 17:22). They still have time for Bible classes and preaching (1 Corinthians 1:18). They have large families with plenty of kids playing all around (cf., Psalms 127:3-5). They still enjoy the simple pleasures we gave up long ago. They aren't rushed and have time enough to "stop and smell the roses." For these reasons, we find ourselves a little envious.
So, who has the "good" life?
> They worry about getting enough vitamins and
protein in their diet; we worry about getting too
much cholesterol and fat.
> They wear their clothes out because they wash
them on a rock; we throw ours out because they are
last year's fashion.
> They worry about chasing rats away; we worry
about winning the rat race. --"Come ye yourselves
apart into a desert place, and rest a while. For there
were many coming and going, and they had no leisure
so much as to eat" (Mark 6:31).
> They live in mud huts because they cannot afford
better houses; we live in better houses that we cannot
afford. --"...and beware of covetousness: for a man's
life consisteth not in the abundance of the things
which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15).
> They are poor and humble; we are rich and proud.
--"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that
thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked" (Revelation 3:17).
> They die at forty with disease and poor medicine;
we die at fifty with heart attacks and lung cancer.
--"...know ye not that your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost ... therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
> Their women never wear pants in public (only
dresses); ours hardly wear anything at all. --"In like
manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest
apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety"
(1 Tm 2:9).
> They bathe naked (nearly) in a river for lack
of indoor plumbing; we have it and (sun)bathe naked
(nearly) on a beach. --"...whosoever looketh on a
woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with
her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). "... that no man
put a stumblingbolck or an occasion to fall in his
brother's way" (Romans 14:23).
> They are glad to have any clothes without
holes; we don't wear clothes unless it has the right
name on it. --"... not with broided hair, or gold, or
pearls, or costly array" (1 Tm 2:9).
> Their children are poorly dressed but sit
quietly through two-hour services; ours are
immaculately clothed but get a drink of water
every ten minutes and won't behave. --"Children,
obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right"
> We've wiped out malaria and typhoid; they
are not bothered with hypertension and lung
cancer.
> They worry about malnutrition, under-
nourishment, and starvation; we worry about
anorexia, obesity, and bulimia.
> They are poor and satisfied; we are rich
and discontented. --"But godliness with
contentment is great gain" (1 Tm 6:6).
> They have little and want little; we have
a lot and want more. --"For we brought
nothing into this world, and it is certain we
can carry nothing out. And having food and
raiment let us be therewith content"
(1 Tm 6:7-8).
> They ask for extra preaching services at
night; we complain if the preacher goes over
five minutes. --"Blessed are they which do
hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they
shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).
> They know nothing of TVs and VCRs;
then again, they know nothing of dirty movies
and seven wasted hours a day. --"Blessed are
the pure in heart: for they shall see God"
(Matthew 5:8). "Redeeming the time" (Ephesians 5:16).
> They don't have telephones; but they don't
have prank calls and telemarketing either.
> Their pace is slow; but they have time to
talk after services; ours is fast but we have
little time for each other. --"... tarry one for
another" (1 Corinthians 11:33). "... let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and to good works"
> They have no cars so they walk everywhere;
we drive home and then walk in the park for
exercise.
> Their men marry seven wives at a time; ours
marry seven wives: one after another.
--"Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it
be for fornication, and shall marry another
committeth adultery" (Matthew 19:9).
> They live in misery and long for heaven; we
live in luxury and doubt the afterlife. --"Even so,
come Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20). "And these shall
go away into everlasting punishment: but the
righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:46).
> Their kids play with homemade toys for
hours, ours tire of electronic games ten
minutes after opening them.
> They are poor, and steal; we are rich, and
covetous. --"Let him that stole steal no more..."
(Ephesians 4:28). "Mortify therefore ... covetousness,
which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5. Note also, "Will a
man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye
say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings" (Malachi 3:8).
> They believe in superstition and witchcraft;
we have motels with no thirteenth floors and
read our horoscopes. --"Now the works of the
flesh are manifest, which are these... idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred..." (Galatians 5:19).
> They live in mud huts with no doors, but
are unafraid; we live in mansions with alarms and
fear for our lives.
> They have no Bibles but beg for them; we
have several that we rarely open. --"Study to show
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth" (2 Tm 2:15).
We need to thank God for the many things we do have; and pray for the things that we do not have.
Bret Easton Ellis’ novel, "Less Than Zero," offers an unsettling depiction of the moral and spiritual poverty behind the contemporary façade of wealth, success, and fame. The book describes the vacuous life of sex, drugs, and violence among the teen-age children of super-rich entertainers. Though fictitious, the book captures a scene tragically all too accurate. Ellis depicts a bankruptcy of the human soul, which is by no means unique to this particular lifestyle. The cry itself is clear and can be heard throughout the story, and heard throughout our own stories: Is there anybody who really loves me? Is there anyone who can help me?
Yesterday we dealt with the account of Christ and the paralytic man from the gospel of John. The man had been ill for 38 years and was found sitting at a pool he believed had the power to heal him. And still, Jesus approaches him with the seemingly needless question: "Do you want to get well?"
As I shared, I have come to know deeply that when God asks a question it is never in vain. Indeed, it is often the greatest hint! The cries of the human heart echo throughout history, generation after generation. Sometimes a bitter cry of loneliness, many times a weary cry of emptiness, but always a cry for help. Yet, often our actions and attitudes contradict the cries closest to our hearts, justifying the question: Do you want to get well?
Consider the powerful words of poet W. H. Auden :
We would rather be ruined than changed;
We would rather die in our dread
Than climb the cross of the moment
And let our illusions die.
You see, where Christ asks, "Do you want to be well?" isn’t he also asking, "Do you prefer your pain, to the possibility of change?" His question gently pierces the heart of the human condition we all share, bidding us to receive the very thing we ask from the only One capable of giving it.
Dear friends, where you seek meaning, are you willing to be changed by meaning? Where you seek understanding, do you really want to find the truth? Where you seek help, are you willing to receive instruction? Where you seek healing, are you willing to be transformed?
You see, to every cry of every heart, Christ calls out, "Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." That’s His invitation. The question that you have to ask yourself is really clear, isn’t it? And think about it carefully as you ask it: "Do I want to get well?"
_________________________
Copyright © 2002 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
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In speaking on the text, "Adam, where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9) a preacher said, "I make three divisions to this text. First: Every man's got to be somewhere. Second: Some men are where they ought not to be. Third: They that are where they ought not to be are going to find themselves where they do not want to be."
If we want to find out what sin is by experience, we shall find ourselves where we do not want to be; but if we seek to discern it by a sanctified, God-honoring reflection, then we shall never taste to find out, because we shall know the results beforehand.
Remember Adam? He found himself where he did not want to be after he had tasted of the forbidden fruit. Oh, for wisdom to know the forbidden trees!
"Wisdom" may best describe our present scientific and cultural plateau, yet spiritually we are foolish indeed. Many men, seen as wise in the eyes of the world, are fools in the eyes of our God.
The atheist who audaciously affirms, "I know there is no God," is elevated upon the pedestal of intellectualism and wisdom by the world of pseudo-science, yet God calls him a fool (Psalm 14:1).
Humanists, who deny the existence of sin, and contend that one's conduct should best be determined by the circumstances in which he finds himself, are applauded and lauded as the wise men of our age.
God, in no uncertain terms, has said, "Fools make a mock at sin" (Proverbs 14:9).
The world cries out, "Do what makes you feel good; do your own thing!"
God has decreed, "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool" (Proverbs 28:26).
The rich farmer in the twelfth chapter of Luke, who found comfort in his accumulation of worldly goods, would be seen by many among us today as a wise man indeed. God called him a fool (Luke 12:20).
How does God see you, my friend? Our nation seems to be floating with the tide of moral and spiritual corruption. Are you drifting with the tide, or are you willing to stem the tide? I would rather be a fool in the eyes of a foolish world, than a fool in the eyes of my all-wise Creator.
Three men, a surgeon, an engineer, and a politician, were arguing about whose profession was the oldest.
"Mine is," said the doctor. "Remember that Eve was carved out of Adam's rib."
"Admitted," said the engineer, "but remember that the earth was created out of chaos in six days. That obviously was an engineering job."
"Yes," said the politician, "but who created the chaos?"
A certain titled gentleman was converted. He loved the Lord a great deal, but he was not well taught in the Scriptures. He thought that he could continue in some of his worldly engagements and still bear a good testimony. On one occasion some weeks after he gave his heart to the Lord, this man accepted an invitation to a rather worldly party.
Upon his arrival, one of the guests greeted him with these words: "I'm so glad to see you and to know that it isn't true." "I beg your pardon," he replied, "but I don't think I quite understand you." "Why," said the other guest, "rumors were around that you had been converted a few weeks ago; I'm so glad you're here and to know the rumor was unfounded." "But it is true!" the man exclaimed. Hesitating a moment, he added, "I see that you think this party is no place for a Christian to be, and you are right. You will never again see me at such an affair, nor will anyone else."
Danny Dodd tells this story:
"Theophilus Kimble was his name. He was a big-footed, clumsy, loud-mouthed mutt of a dog. Smart as he was large, T.K., as we called him, had a way of bringing many valuable lessons to life.
"I remember once he got through the fence. He thought he had invented the trash can. He ran and jumped and bounded over and into everything.
He was free at last! All the things that looked so alluring to him in the far regions of the other side of the fence were now his to explore, and explore he did. There was no sign of him for days. I kept a close watch on the local news for a report of a half-crazed, bent-on-examining-the-contents-of-every-trash-can dog, but there was nothing. Just when I thought I had lost him for good to the charms of three-ply Hefties, here he came. He had his tail between his legs, whimpering, wanting to come back home. I let him, of course. He was my dog, and I did care for him regardless of the number of trash cans I had to replace. He was home.
"Does this story sound familiar? It should. T.K. was playing the canine role of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). All of the elements were there: The enticement of the forbidden in a far-off country (the trash cans on the other side of the fence); the opportunity to leave (the open gate); the wasting himself in riotous living (one too many trash cans); The realization of mistake (probably when he missed his Milk Bone); and the humble return."
A group of young people were about to explore a coal mine. One of the girls was wearing a white dress. A friend urged her to go home and change. Not liking the interference, she turned to the guide who was to conduct them and asked, "Can't I wear a white dress to go into the mine?" "Yes, ma'am," was his reply. "There's nothing to keep you from wearing a white dress down into the mine, but there'll be plenty to keep you from wearing one back."
A man said to D. L. Moody, "Now that I am converted, have I got to give up the world?" Mr. Moody answered, "No, you do not have to give up the world; if you have a good ringing testimony for the Son of God, the world will give you up pretty quick; they will not want you around."
There is a story about a little eagle that fell out of its nest and landed in a turkey farm. The eagle grew up among the turkeys and, although he looked a bit different, he learned to waddle like a turkey, bob his head like a turkey, and act like a turkey.
One day the young eagle looked up into the sky and saw a beautiful eagle soaring above. The little eagle in the turkey yard thought, Oh, I would love to be able to do that! As the eagle soared overhead, it looked down and saw the young eagle below. Suddenly it swooped down to the ground and asked, "What are you doing here?"
The little eagle replied, "I am just here in the turkey yard where I have always been."
The great eagle looked and said, "Spread your wings, boy. You do just what I do. Follow me." Then he flapped his wings and lifted off the ground.
The young eagle tried it, too. "Wheeee! This is all right!"
"See," the mature eagle said, "you have been living among these turkeys so long that you were beginning to believe you were something you are not! Follow me, and you will find out what you really are."
So the little eagle began to soar and fly. He loved it. But the turkeys down below called out to him and said, "Hey, little guy, what are you doing up there? You belong down here."
"No, I don't," called the young eagle. "I used to belong there, but now I am what I was created to be. I do not belong with you anymore."
A man standing on the bank of the Niagara River saw a dead sheep being swept down by the current. An eagle lighted upon that sheep. The body sank for a moment under the weight and then came to the surface again. The day was bitter cold and the wool wrapped around the talons began to freeze. Meantime, the sheep was being swept more and more rapidly toward the falls. But the eagle had not the slightest fear. Had you shouted a warning, he would probably have laughed at you. He would have said, "Do not disturb yourself. Do you not see these great wings? There is not the slightest danger."
By this time, the great falls were but a few feet away. The time for action had come. The eagle spread his great burnished brown wings and fanned the air. But the wings did not lift him. The frozen wool held his talons fast, and while his great wings frantically beat the air, he was swept to his death.
Now there was a time when the eagle could have saved himself. He was not made for such a terrible death. But he held on to the sheep so long that, in the end, he could not let go.
Do not hold on to the world so long that you will not be able to let go!
I knew of two brothers who had a quarrel. The mother could not reconcile them. She could not sleep. Her prayers went up night after night. One of the sons saw how she felt and was sorry for her, so he bought a costly gift and took it to her. "I don't want any gift," she said; "I want you to be reconciled to your brother." God doesn't want your gifts until you are reconciled.
Representative Norris, of Nebraska, was on a streetcar one Sunday morning when there entered a white-haired woman, a man of about thirty and a well-dressed young woman. The conversation soon made it apparent that the young man and his mother were from a farm, and that they were visiting Washington for the first time. He was starting home, leaving her to visit longer with the young woman, who was her daughter. When the brother arose a little later to say goodbye at the point where he was to leave the car, his mother threw her arms around his neck, and stood for some moments delivering a motherly message, while the conductor waited patiently with his hand on the bell-cord. Embarrassed, the son still held his arm about his mother's waist.
"Start the car!" called out a man in a silk hat. "It's church-time now. Why can't people do this sort of thing before they start for church?" he grumbled.
It had gone far enough for Mr. Norris. "Young man," he said to the one who was now the center of all eyes, "you just take all the time you want to say goodbye to your mother. You don't know when you will say it to her for the last time. And if any of these people are so worried over their sins that they must hurry to church, why, they might get down on their knees right here and pray."
A gentleman had a lovely Chinese plaque with curious raised figures upon it. One day it fell from the wall on which it was hung, and was cracked right across the middle. Soon after, the gentleman sent to China for six more of these valuable plates, and to ensure an exact match, sent his broken plate as a copy. To his intense astonishment, when six months later he received the six plates, and his injured one, he found the Chinese had so faithfully followed his copy, that each new one had a crack right across it. If we imitate even the best of men, we are apt to copy their imperfections, but if we follow Jesus and take Him as our example, we are sure of a perfect pattern.
A young lady was so very strongly moved under the pleading of the gospel that she often wept. Her pastor watched her with interest, to see her brought to Christ. After a time, not seeing her in church, he inquired concerning her of her mother. That lady was a widow, and she replied, weeping: "Ah, sir, I fear my daughter has met with companions who are leading her sadly astray."
The pastor did his best to restore the girl to right paths. His efforts were vain. She had given her heart to folly, and would no longer listen to the voice of duty. Not many weeks elapsed before this young woman, while busy over her sewing, suddenly dropped her needle, and exclaimed: "Oh, I am dying!"
The inhabitants of the house placed her on the bed. Looking wildly about her, she said: "I see heaven and hell before me. I can't get to heaven, for HELL IS IN MY WAY!" These were her last words.
After many weeks, during which his family, aided by the police, searched for him, a wealthy man of Ithaca, New York, was located at a poorhouse in New London, Connecticut. He had wandered away from home suffering from mental trouble, and, in spite of the efforts that were made, had entirely eluded his friends. While they were searching for him, desiring to bring him back again to his home of comfort and luxury, he was living in a poorhouse. How many people there are like that. Christ has purchased for them an inheritance of untold wealth. But while the Savior is seeking after them to bring them into the rich enjoyment of this peace and comfort, they are living in the poorhouse of worldliness. It is necessary to get such people to "look up" and behold the spiritual treasures before it is possible to lift them up out of their self-imposed poverty.
"And when he was come near, he beheld the city and wept over it" (Luke 19:41).
Tonight I heard on the same newscast that 1) another black church had been torched-this time in North Carolina; and 2) that a black youth and his two white friends (who had invited him to "youth night" services at their church) were sent home by men in the church...no reason given except that "youth night services have been canceled," though other young people continued their activities at the church facility after the trio were driven home in the church van.
The first incident is another grave danger signal of a sick society. The second is a signal of a sick church. I believe both caused our Savior to weep afresh, as He wept over Jerusalem. And I have to wonder if there are not many churches in which our Lord Himself would not be welcome. He was, remember, a Jew. Many churches warmly welcome Jews...but how many churches would not?
Would Arabs be genuinely welcome in your church? Would Hispanics? Would African-Americans? Would the homeless? Would the marginally-intelligent? Would Jesus?
What in the world have we done to Christianity, if we have so domesticated it that we can be comfortable in associating only with those just like ourselves?
There is an evil spirit abroad in our land-a spirit of meanness and arrogance masquerading as Christianity-preying upon our culture and our land. Not all of it is in the uniforms of neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. Some of it wears business suits and wouldn't miss a Sunday service for anything.
And Jesus still weeps.
-Ted Kyle
(Abridged)
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. — 1 John 2:15.
If you will go to the banks of a little stream, and watch the flies that come to bathe in it, you will notice that, while they plunge their bodies into the water, they keep their wings high out of the water; and, after swimming about a little while, they fly away with their wings unwet through the sunny air. Now, that is the lesson for us. Here we are immersed in the cares and business of the world; but let us keep the wings of our soul, our faith and our love, out of the world, that, with these unclogged, we may be ready to take our flight to heaven. — J. Inglis
Love not the world; it, with its lusts must pass away;
Its pleasures sweet, its !hopes so bright must all decay.
Its glories, too, must have an end, must pale and die,
And all its empty bubbles burst; they’re Satan’s lie.
But pleasures bright in courts of light will satisfy
A heart at rest, supremely blest, with Jesus nigh.
A young thug named Fernandinho had been a legend in the poorest neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro. His gang earned three hundred thousand dollars a month from drug sales, and perhaps even more from protection rackets. He had had many close calls with the police but they had never managed to capture him. In one attempt, a hundred armed policemen backed by two helicopter gunships and an armored personnel carrier came after him but he escaped by leaping from rooftop to rooftop. He was now the most-wanted fugitive in Rio, a city with one of the highest crime rates in the world.
Then Fernandinho became born again through the ministry of a Pentecostal preacher. He banned the practice of spiritism and African religious rituals in his neighborhoods. At 6:00 every evening, a pastor’s prayer is broadcast through the narrow alleys. Fernandinho had “Jesus Cristo” tattooed on one of his forearms in big letters and soon his neighborhood was covered with religious graffiti. The community swimming pool he had built now had a sign above it saying “This Belongs To Jesus Christ.”
Religious posters decorate the walls of his home. Fernandinho said he prayed a great deal and he even prayed for his enemies. As if to demonstrate the truth of his claim for a reporter, he closed his bedroom door, went to the edge of his bed, and got down on his knees. He prayed like a child, with his hands clasped, his eyes closed, and his lips moving in murmured prayer. He went and found his Bible and, sitting in front of the reporter on his bed, he opened it to a page where he had a tassel marker, about a quarter of the way in. He said that he was determined to read all the way through.
Fernandinho is saved. But he is still a thug. Even though he had reportedly ordered his gangs not to carry out “violent” crimes, at least four informants had been executed by them.
Reporter Jon Lee Anderson pointed out the contradiction between Fernandinho’s religious faith and his continued life as a drug trafficker. He asked him, “For you, where is the dividing line between right and wrong?” Fernandinho smiled, and said, “Who’s deciding?”
American Christianity has become so worldly, to use an old-fashioned word, that believers of an earlier age would barely recognize many of us as followers of Christ.
The ancient spiritual practices of extended prayer, fasting and silence are rare in a culture addicted to constant sensory stimulation. Abstaining from pleasures and entertainments for the purpose of holiness is rarer still.
Voluntary poverty and self-denial in our day sound so ... medieval.
They’re actually a lot older than that. “Do not love the world nor the things of the world,” wrote John, Jesus’ beloved disciple, to first-century Christians. “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” (1 John 2:15-16).
On the surface, that statement seems to contradict Jesus, who said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The difference: God loves the world with a holy and selfless passion. Our love, without His Spirit, is unholy and selfish.
The unholy love John warned against emanates from “people who love themselves, and who love things without regard to God,” wrote Francois Fenelon, who live in the 17th century. “When do we show that we love the world? When we are jealous of authority. When we love a reputation that we are not worthy of. When we spend idle time in the company of others. When we look for comforts that magnify the flesh. When we are weak and fainthearted in our Christian practices. When we do not take care to study the truths of the Gospel.”
Many Christians, and in particular evangelicals, are wary of the time-encrusted rituals of a season such as Lent, the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Lent has lost much of its meaning and solemnity even in the liturgical churches. Church members, if they still observe the season at all, often go through the motions of giving up some vice or beloved habit (double cheeseburgers, say), then revert immediately to unrestrained indulgence as soon as the 40 days are up.
That’s not the true spirit of Lent, which calls Christians to prayer, self-denial, self-examination and repentance. Think of Christ in the desert -- fasting, praying and resisting the devil as He prepared for His mission on earth. If you can’t handle 40 days, can you devote one day, perhaps two or three, to the undivided pursuit of God?
Rightly observing Lent in our hearts is about loving God more. If we do that, loving ourselves less will be a natural result.
“As you stand before God, think about the mercy He has shown you, the enlightenment He has given you ... the pitfalls of this world from which He has kept you safe,” Fenelon recommended. “Think about the crosses He has entrusted to you so that you may become a living sacrifice, because they are clear signs of His love. Let your gratefulness for the past inspire you with trust for the future. Be persuaded that He has loved you too much not to love you still....
“God has taken away the soft and comfortable things from your life. Why? Because you need to be humbled and to come to know yourself; because in vain you have sought elsewhere for help and comfort.”
If God has yet to remove the “soft and comfortable” things from your life, what if you voluntarily gave some of them to Him as an act of love and obedience?
When we love Him more, we love others more, particularly those who wander in darkness. It’s amazing how a heart like that of Jonah -- who wanted to see Nineveh destroyed -- can be transformed into the heart of God, who was passionately concerned about the 120,000 lost souls of that city.
A return to the true observance of Lent in our hearts could be a powerful impetus for missions, which is the lifting of God’s great name among all the nations.
Hosea, the prophet of a God heartbroken over the unfaithfulness of His people, delivered a beautiful Lenten appeal long before the beginning of Lent. Let’s make it our prayer:
Come, let us return to the Lord,
For He has torn us, but He will heal us,
He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.
He will revive us after two days;
He will raise us up on the third day,
That we may live before Him.
So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth. (Hosea 6:1-3)
If you read through 1 John, you’ll come across a short statement that might seem a little confusing: “Do not love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15). This is the same guy who wrote that “God so loved the world that he sent his only son” (John 3:16). Is John schizophrenic? Did he forget that he had written John 3:16? And what does it mean to “not love the world?”
First, let’s make clear what John is not saying. John is not saying that we should hate:
1. The created order.
Some Christians hate earthly pleasures, like nice food or comfortable clothing. But God created the world and when He looked at His creation, He said: This is good! When Jesus was here on earth, He was accused of being a “glutton” and a “drinker of fine wine,” which meant that He knew how to enjoy a good meal.
So it glorifies God when you enjoy great music or a prime cut of steak. That’s what these things were created for.
2. The economic and social structures of society.
I’ve known a lot of Christians who thought that we should avoid secular professions completely. They usually try to start “Christian” versions of business and entertainment, which while commendable, is not the point of this passage.
3. Culture.
When I grew up this verse was often interpreted to mean you shouldn’t listen to rock music, because rock music was “worldly,” even if you put Christian words to it. I heard people say (with straight faces), “The devil owns the drum set.”
We applied this to style, too. Christian guys were supposed to wear ties and have short hair. If a guy had long hair, it was proof of sin in his heart. Tattoos and piercings were out of the question. Christians were supposed to -- quite literally -- look different. But cultural style is not “worldly” in and of itself.
4. The people of the world.
Sadly, I’ve known some “Christians” who felt they were being godly when they expressed their hatred or disgust toward non-Christians. They can point to this verse all day long, but that’s clearly not an attitude that anyone who has experienced the Gospel could harbor.
So what is the “world” that we are supposed to hate?
When John says, “Do not love the world,” he means the world as it is arrayed in rebellion against God. He defines his own meaning in the next verse: “for all that is in the world, the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world” (2:16). The word translated “lust” is epithumia, which has the connotation of a desire that has taken on too much weight in your life. Lusts are cravings that control you.
So, for instance, “lusts of the flesh” take normally healthy desires for physical pleasures and wrench them out of context. You take the desire you have for sex and you raise it to the level of absolute obsession. “Without this,” lust says, “I just could not be happy.” So you disobey the laws of God to get it, no matter what the cost. Is sex the problem? No. But as a culture, we treat it as the ultimate good. And that is worldly.
How about “lusts of the eyes?” This happens when you see something good in the world that becomes so important to you that you sacrifice everything else for it. I see people do this all the time with money. They put themselves in bad financial situations, going into debt to obtain stuff that they think will satisfy. But like the lust of the flesh, this is worldly and fails to fulfill.
The “pride of life” consists in raising some aspect of your life -- which is not necessarily bad -- up to the level that it defines you. You can feel confident because of the number in your bank account. Or because of the number of friends you have. Or because of the talent you have. But when something other than God is your confidence for the future, you’re engaging in worldliness and giving glory to lesser things. The Hebrew word for glory (Kabod) literally means “weight.” To give something “glory” is to give it too much weight. False worship is often simply giving some lesser thing too much weight in your life.
John does not say, “Avoid these things in every way.” He says, “Don’t be consumed with these things.” Because if your life is consumed with things -- even good things -- then it shows that the love of the Father is not in your life. God has been displaced. God has been “outweighed” by some lesser thing in your life.
This is why John ends his book with the statement, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Because the essence of idolatry is when you love something more than God, depend on something more than God, obey something more than God. Like the lusts that John mentions above, it is when a good thing becomes an ultimate thing. But only God can support the weight that so many of us put into things. The tragedy of idolatry is not simply that we are simply disobeying, but that we are placing our ultimate trust in something that was not meant to bear that weight.
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J. D. Greear is the lead pastor at the Summit Church in Durham, N.C.
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