WORLDLINESS AND WORLDLY AMUSEMENTS

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

Teenager’s Bible Sharing (29/9/2019)

Adapted from Deeper Life Bible Church -Junior School teachings

TOPIC:                     WORLDLINESS AND WORLDLY AMUSEMENTS (Part 1)

TEXT:                       1 John 2:15-17

Memory Verse:     1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the                                              world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

INTRODUCTION:

There is a dividing line across all humanity, past, present and future. On one side of this divide is the Church, the invisible assembly of all redeemed souls whose lifestyle, conduct, character, disposition and taste are fully dictated by Christ. On the other side is the world, the pervasive evil system orchestrated by the devil which is easily detected in the taste, lifestyle, character, disposition, language, dressing, amusements and recreation of its followers.

1.         WHAT IS WORLDLINESS?

Worldliness, therefore, is any kind of conformity with the worldly system, practices, dressing or adornment. There is no meeting point between the world and the Church; they are two irreconcilable systems. The world must not be allowed to come into the Church; but where it has surreptitiously crept in, it must be flushed out. Christ is coming for a pure Church without spot, wrinkle or any such thing. The Church and her entire membership must be completely free of the worldly value system and tradition. This is why the Bible says: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Worldliness begins in the heart. It is a secret, inward liking and, later, a craving for the fad, fancies and fashions of the world. It finally begins to show forth in the lifestyle of its victims.

We shall be answering series of questions in this teaching:

Question 1: What is worldliness and how does it begin? When the people of the world (friends, colleagues, relations, neighbors, etc.) dictate and determine your taste in dressing, you are becoming worldly. When your heart begins to yearn after the trends and contemporary vogue in the world, worldliness is setting in. When a supposed Christian marriage attracts all the traditions, styles, conduct and showy spirit seen in the marriage of sinners, the world is setting in. And God warns in His Word: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). Neither the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ nor the epistles of the Apostles grant the believer licence to be worldly. The believer must separate himself from the world.

QUESTIONS

1.         What are the evidences of worldliness?

2.         What do you understand by worldliness?

3.         Can you live in this world and yet still not wordily?

4.         How does worldliness begins in one’s life?

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

Teenager’s Bible Sharing (6/10/2019)

Adapted from Deeper Life Bible Church -Junior School teachings

TOPIC:                     WORLDLINESS AND WORLDLY AMUSEMENTS (Part 2)

TEXT:                       1 John 2:15-17

Memory Verse:     1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any                                    man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

2.         EXPRESSIONS OF WORLDLINESS:     (1 John 2:15-17; Isaiah 3:16-24; Matthew 24:38)

The Bible draws a picture of the world in its true colour. More than that, it declares, in many ways and in many places, that it is sensual, devilish, doomed and distorting. Dressing is one area where worldliness in the heart speaks loudly and clearly. Christians are not to dress like the world. The spirit that dictates the fashion of the world is that of the devil. It thrives on sinful passions or vices that do not rest until they set the opposite sexes lusting and making them to commit sin. This spirit and the fashions or designs it dictates are a continual constant digression from God, holiness and righteousness. Adornments copied from the world, which reflects the pride of life and the cravings of a carnal spirit must, like a plague, be avoided. Some Christian mothers pierce the ears of their female children. Had it been necessary, God would have done it from heaven. Had it been needful like circumcision, He would have given it like a commandment. One wonders how a Christian mother could watch her daughter being

subjected to a painful piercing exercise just to look like the world. A spirit is surely behind this! Worldliness is also seen in ceremonies. When a marriage is attended by all that goes on in the world – renting, borrowing or hiring of dresses; excessive spending which leads to indebtedness; immodest dressing – it is worldly. The guiding principle of a Christian is modesty and moderation. “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand” (Philippians 4:5).

Question 2: Mention some of the common expressions of worldliness.

Besides dresses, ceremonies and adornments, there are some assemblies or gatherings that are essentially worldly and sinful. When meetings are held to foster the carnal desires of the flesh, inflame the mind and make it to dance off godly sorrows that are necessary in preparing the heart for the seed of the Word, a

Christian must keep away. Whether it is outright disco gatherings or its religious equivalent “praisco”, it is worldly. A pilgrim to heaven has no business with the conferment of chieftaincy titles under whatever guise. Frequenting salons for trendy fashions, unspoken competitive social outlook, lust of the eyes and pride of life are worldly. These cannot help fix the gaze of a Christian heavenward. If anything, it blows cool the steam in the heart of the Christian and quenches the smouldering ‘flame’ in the young believer. “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22) commands the Lord.

Question 3: Why should a Christian avoid worldly gatherings?