Turning Your Back On The World (Clip)
Zac Poonen teaches that true conversion requires a complete turning away from the world's lusts and pride, fully orienting one's life towards God.
This sermon emphasizes the concept of making a complete 'about turn' in our lives when we are converted to God. It highlights the need to fully turn away from the world and sin, specifically described in 1 John 2 as the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, and instead, direct our focus entirely towards God.
Full Transcript
When we are unconverted, our faces are towards the world and sin. The world means, like it says in 1 John 2, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. Those are the three things describe the world in 1 John chapter 2. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.
And everybody's eyes are in that direction to a greater or a lesser extent. About turn means I turn completely around from that. Not halfway, where I'm sometimes looking at there and sometimes looking at God.
God is behind us when we are unconverted. When we turn around, we've turned our back to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, and we are turned towards God. So if you find yourself in your life after you say you were born again, looking occasionally at these other things, you can be pretty sure you didn't do an about turn.
Sermon Outline
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I. Understanding the World
- The world is defined by lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life
- Everyone's natural orientation is towards these worldly desires
- These desires are the root of sin and separation from God
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II. The Meaning of an About Turn
- An about turn means a complete 180-degree change in direction
- Partial turning is insufficient for true conversion
- God is behind us when we are unconverted
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III. True Conversion
- Turning your back fully on the world’s lusts and pride
- Facing God completely after conversion
- Occasional looking back indicates incomplete conversion
Key Quotes
“The world means, like it says in 1 John 2, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.” — Zac Poonen
“About turn means I turn completely around from that. Not halfway, where I'm sometimes looking at there and sometimes looking at God.” — Zac Poonen
“God is behind us when we are unconverted. When we turn around, we've turned our back to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, and we are turned towards God.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- Examine your life to see if your focus is fully on God or still partially on worldly desires.
- Commit to a complete turning away from all forms of lust and pride to experience true conversion.
- Regularly remind yourself that partial commitment is not enough; God calls for a full about turn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Zac Poonen mean by 'turning your back on the world'?
He means completely rejecting the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life, which define worldly living.
How can one know if they have truly converted?
True conversion is evident when a person no longer looks towards worldly desires but fully faces God.
What are the three things that describe the world according to 1 John 2?
They are the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.
Is partial turning towards God enough for salvation?
No, Zac Poonen emphasizes that only a complete about turn away from the world is true conversion.