Worldly Pollution
The world is defined as the familiar world of sinful human society, characterized by unbelief and impenitence, and is opposed to the love of God.
A.W. Tozer warns against the dangers of worldly pollution, emphasizing that the world represents a sinful human society that opposes the love of God. He identifies key characteristics of this world, including unbelief, where individuals reject the authority of Scripture, and impenitence, where people acknowledge their sins but lack genuine sorrow for them. Tozer stresses that true Christians should maintain fellowship with fellow believers rather than with those who live in unbelief. The sermon serves as a call to recognize and resist the influences of the world that lead to spiritual adultery.
Text
What, then, is that world against which we are warned by the apostles? That world whose friendship constitutes spiritual adultery, the love of which stands in opposition to the love of God?
It is the familiar world of sinful human society which swells about and beneath us as the waters of the flood once surged and churned around the ark of Noah. No Christian need fail to recognize it, provided he wants to know what it is and where it is located. Here are a few infallible marks of identification:
1. Unbelief. Wherever men refuse to come under the authority of the inspired Scriptures, there is the world. Religion without the Son of God is worldly religion. To have fellowship with those who live in unbelief is to love the world. The Christian's communion should be with Christians.
2. Impenitence. The people of the world will readily admit that they are sinners, but their lack of sorrow for sin distinguishes them from the children of God. The Christian mourns over his sin and is comforted. The worldling shrugs off his sin and continues in it.
Sermon Outline
- The World Defined
- The World's Characteristics
- Impenitence as a distinguishing feature
- Lack of sorrow for sin
- Continuation in sin
Key Quotes
“Religion without the Son of God is worldly religion.” — A.W. Tozer
“To have fellowship with those who live in unbelief is to love the world.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- As a Christian, we should be careful not to have fellowship with those who live in unbelief.
- We should mourn over our sin and be comforted by God's love.
- Religion without the Son of God is worldly religion and should be avoided.