The Believer and Worlds
To be a follower of Christ, one must turn their back on the world and have no fellowship with it, as the New Testament teaches.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the necessity for believers to turn away from the world and its influences, highlighting the clear distinction Jesus made between the kingdom of God and worldly pursuits. He points out that true discipleship requires a critical examination of one's relationship with the world, as there is often confusion among Christians about what constitutes 'the world.' Tozer stresses that understanding this distinction is vital for living a life that honors God, as two contrasting worlds exist: one created by God and the other shaped by human hands into a flawed imitation.
Text
The New Testament teaches that to be a follower of Christ it is necessary that a man turn his back upon the world and have no fellowship with it. Our Lord drew a sharp line between the kingdom of God and the world and said that no one could be at the same time a lover of both. This was also the teaching of Paul, James and John (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17). It is therefore of critical importance that we who claim to be disciples of Christ should check our relation to the world. The question of the Christian and the world is not, however, as simple as it might seem. There is much difference of opinion among Christians as to what constitutes the world.
Before we can be sure of our relation to something we must first know what it is.
The fact is that two worlds coexist around us. One God made out of nothing; the other man made by taking the materials that originally came from God and fashioning them into a moral caricature of the original.
Sermon Outline
- I. The World and the Christian
- A. The New Testament teaching on separation from the world
- B. The sharp line between the kingdom of God and the world
- II. The Dangers of Worldliness
- A. The impossibility of loving both God and the world
- B. The consequences of being a lover of the world
- III. The Importance of Understanding the World
- A. The need to know what constitutes the world
- B. The difference between the world God made and the world man made
Key Quotes
“Our Lord drew a sharp line between the kingdom of God and the world and said that no one could be at the same time a lover of both.” — A.W. Tozer
“The fact is that two worlds coexist around us.” — A.W. Tozer
“The world God made is the original creation, while the world man made is a moral caricature of the original.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- As a Christian, it is essential to check your relation to the world and ensure you are not in fellowship with it.
- Understanding the difference between the world God made and the world man made is crucial for living a life pleasing to God.
- Separation from the world is necessary to be a true follower of Christ.