Prop: The Bible speaks much about this world in which we live /and usually not in a good way.
Object: From this message I hope to illuminate our understanding about why God warns us about the dangers of getting chummy with this world….. 1. The World Defined 2. The world’s Design 3. The World’s Danger
I. The world defined -IJohn 2:16; 5:19 A. Gk. Xprts: “world” is a system that operates on the foundation of “The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.”
C. Worldliness is pursing the activities of life, with no regard or thought of God’s will… no consideration of whether God is pleased with our activities. 1. Even innocent activity pursued apart from God can be classified as worldly, not so much the activity itself, but the attitude of the the activity. 2. For example, I knew a man who was so taken up with dirt track racing, that he neglected his wife and children. His wife divorced him and his kids ended up in prison. a. There is nothing sinful about racing in itself, but his attitude towards it made it worldly.
II. The World’s Design
Ephe. 2:2 explains to us that Satan god of this world system is the prince of the power of the air and the spirit that now worketh in the children of (mankind) of disobedience
A. Who are these children of disobedience? Anyone who has not believed in Christ a personal Savior.
B. Anyone who pursues this world’s Godless system based on the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and pride of life.”
C. It doesn’t have to be something immoral such as adultery, ******* or some form of ****** transgression; it could be: * Self-centeredness * Selfishness * Lying/cheating * Arrogance * Unforgiveness * Jealousy *Just plain ol’ meanness IOW anything that breaks the bottom half of 10 comm. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.” b. Nor does the lust of eyes have to be limited to viewing immoral things, or Pride of life limited to bragging or acting superior to others. a. If truth was admitted, the underlying motive for most of our words are pride. b. One of the marks of the last days according to 2Tim.3;2 is pride - “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, boasters, proud and & high minded.” c. These words describes the world system of which Apostle Jn, warned against the believer in Christ of getting caught up in it.
III. The danger of the world. A. It is a danger to family unity. B. It is a danger to living apart from God and dying apart from God and suffering in agony forever in Hellfire. C. For the Believer in Christ as personal Savior, danger of the world is personal indifference towards Bible study, prayer, church attendance and soul winning.
Conclusion Sadly, many have been snared into his world system like a fly in a spider web, to their own spiritual detriment.
Falling into the sin of worldliness is like a slow leak in car tire; It start with a little compromise here and a little there, until before we realize it, our spiritual tires have all gone flat and the ride of life has lost its joy.
So let me ask you this. How’s your tires of life. ? How’s your fellowship with the Lord? Are you filled with the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit? Do you have concern for the unsaved?
Your answer to these questions will reveal to you, your relationship to God. By G.E. Parson