TOPIC: WORLDLINESS WITH WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD

MEMORY VERSE: “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” James4:4.

TEXT: Ephesians 2:1-7; 1John 2:15-17.

INTRODUCTION

As believers, having been regenerated from ourfallen state through Christ redemptive Blood, we are not of this world anymore. John 17:14-17. We live in the world, but we are citizen of another country whose foundation is not made by hand and whose builder is the Almighty God. The believer’s affections are expected to be set on things above (heavenly) and not on things below (earthly). Colossians 3:1-3.

The tripartite personality of man is a key proponent in the adaptation of man to his earthly sphere where he lives. I Thessalonica 5:23.However, in this present world, the resultant influence of theWorld’s system on fallen man has produced the earthly pattern under Satan’s control called Worldlinesswhich before God is Idolatry.These are the inherent natural senses of sight, touch, feel, smell and tastethat God has endowed man with. .They are the elemental medium of interaction with the outside (world beyond the human physical boundary) and they have been found to present potential challenges to Man in discovering and aligning with his true essence. Hence Apostle Paul lamented “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”Romans 12:1.

The human mind; the second part in the“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto god, which is your reasonable service” Romans 12:1.Tripartite entity is equally known to possess the capacity to interact with the intellectual environment and outer space of abstract thinking. The mind of man is his organ of thought. Through it he is equipped to know, think, imagine, remember, and understand and it occupies a large place in his life because his thought easily influences his action. Therefore, it can be corrupted by the worldly system of thought resulting into a reprobate condition before God.(Romans 1:21,28). Hence, scripture admonishes us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind rather than conforming to the World’s ungodly system. Romans12:2.

The third part in the tripartite entity is the human spiritwhich isdesigned by God to govern the entire man. Unfortunately, in man’s fallen state, the human spirit is degenerated into a fleshly position of which no religion of this world, ethics, culture or law can improve her nor anything from himself can return him to a spiritual state especially in the face of the ever increasing assault of the worldly system.

You cannot having been born of God (spirit, soul and body)yet become a friend of the world at the same time. Friendship with the world is referred to as spiritual adultery, unfaithfulness or infidelity in God’s sight. It puts you in conflict with God, makes you an enemy of God. This is a major conflict between the Satan-controlled world and God’s Universe.

QHow could your Body, Mind and Spirit be under the control of the god of this World and its system?

  1. DECEITFULNESS OF THE WORLDLY SYSTEM: COUNTERFEIT REALITY. Romans 1:18-32.

The Bible used the word - the World in different ways across the scriptures. “For God so loved the World…..” John3:16. “Go ye into allthe world, and preach the gospel…”Mark16:15. “The world was made by Him…” John1:10. Others are “this present evil world” Gal1:4, “the kingdoms of the world and the glory” Matthew 4:8-9, “the cares of this world” Luke 8:14, “the bondage under the elements of the world”Galatians 4:3, “the god of this world”2Corinthians4:4. Therefore a proper understanding of the terms and its usage in scriptures is instructive to discerning the deceitfulness of the world’s system.The supposedly promising realities of the glamour of the worldly system are counterfeit, transient and deadly to the soul of man. Many Churches and Believers have made shipwreck of their Faith by presumed unequal yoke with the world.

QWhy is Satan so interested in having the Human Soul as aLegal Tender for trading in the Worldly System institution? Matthew 16:26.

Jesus who co-created the world (Hebrews 1:2) with all thehuman and material resources therein was tempted with the world’s allurement and glory by Satan, but could not be faltered by the tempter. Matthew4:8-11.Similarly and because Satan wants to usurp and take whatbelongs to God (souls of men), everyone passing through the world is likewise at risk of being lured away by its deceitfulness and counterfeit reality whichscriptures says would soon perish and be found no more.2 Peter 3:11-14. “And the world passeth away and its lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” 1John2:17.

From time immemorial Satan had constituted a powerful network of systems and people across the globe with intent to trap the souls of men. These network cuts across every facet of human endeavour, Organizations, Business, Economy, Government, Industries, Social Society, Fashion, Sports, Entertainments, Pleasure Clubs and Associations, Various Institutions – Traditional, Educational, Religion, Marriage, Family, Culturaletc.“ …and the whole world lieth in wickedness” 1John5:19. Believers must make concerted effort and take care not to be entangled by the snare of the worldly system and become defiled by its deceitfulness.

Worldliness is seemingly harmless in appearance and not easily noticed as being evil. It represents an unsuspected monstrous personality with strong sense of attraction and powerful seductive pull on the human earthly members. Worldliness is a satanic agent mandated to turn men away from God; and against the true WAY using disguised subtlety.

QFor Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica, 2Timothy 4:10. Why did Demas forsake Paul?

Ordinarily the world has a corrupting influence. Anyone who befriends the World and embraces worldliness is at risk of making himself an adversary of God- (1John 2:16; James 4:4). Worldliness is a forerunner of the sin such as fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, idolatry (mammon worship), occultism, inordinate affections, evil concupiscence and every form or shade of deceitful, hypocrisy and lies-(Galatians 5:24,19-21). Worldliness enlists it’s captives to rebel against God and His revealed Will and Word. The heart (mind) can be deceived being inherently deceitful just like the World- (Jeremiah 17:9). Christian Beware!

  1. DANGER OF WORLDLY LIFESTYLE - James 4:4;Ephesians 3:6; Galatians 5:21b;Revelation 22: 15; Romans 1:18-21.

Our Lord Jesus Christ denounced the world’s system and declared that His followers are not of this World - (John 17:15-16).

It is important to note that to be worldly is to be under the control of Satan who controls the world and it starts from within and then becomes expressed outwardly. The following outlines some evidence and examples of elements that constitutes friendlinesswith the world.

  1. To accept and embrace the principles of the sinful world.(Bribery and Kick-back in Business, School and at Work)
  2. To follow the practice of Satan-controlled world. (Fashion and worldly adornment, Cultism, Fraternity and Ethnic Culture)
  3. To be influenced by the politics and perversions of this corrupt world.(Corruption, Tribalism, Nepotism, Racism, Fraud, Embezzlement and Injustice)
  4. To indulge in the pleasures of the world.(Holly & Nolly Wood Entertainments, Revelling, Sexual Immorality, Drunkenness, Gluttony and Unchecked passion for Sports).
  5. To learn and live by the profanity of the world. (Gambling, Pool Betting, Satan Inspired Music).
  6. To manifest the prideof Satan-influenced world. (Ungodly egotism, seeking traditional chieftaincy title and lust for fame and position at the soul’s expense).
  7. To walk and work in the pattern and philosophy of the world. (Free-Thinkers, Intellectual godlessness and inventors of evil things).

We were told of a story that illustrates the danger of worldliness; a frog was placed in a bowl of normal cold water and underneath was a little flame of fire meant to heat up the water at an unnoticed incremental temperature. The Frog continued to enjoy himself in the bowl of water and did not know until the temperature got too hot resulting to Mr. Frog’s death even when he had the opportunity to escape by jumping out to safety. That is how worldly lifestyle draws men and women to Hell daily.

QHow do we distinguish ourselves from the world and its corrupt system?

“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. It is clear that we are living in an invaded earthly sphere controlled by satanic powers and influences, also demanding our allegiance at all cost. We must do work, eat, marry and give in marriage, but all these must be done without the overbearing and unsolicited influence of the world and its system upon all who believed. We are different now and called unto holiness and not unto uncleanness and worldliness. “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness”- 1Thessalonians 3:7

  1. UNCOMPROMISING STAND IN A CORRUPT WORLD: 2 Peter 1:3-10; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: 7:1;Colossians 3:1-10.

“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins”- 2 Peter 1:9.The passage clearly states that a proper understanding of who you are now (as New Creature in Christ) gives you the confidence that you are of a different species of humans, made by God’s divine power with capacity to be partakers of the divine nature of God. You have been purged from old sins and escaped the corruptive influence that is in the world through lust.

Now that our fellowship is with the Light and not Darkness of Worldliness, we should be attracted to the things of light. Resolve to remain detached from the defilement of the world (arising again from the lust of the flesh).” “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you..”

QEnumerate the acts that constitute worldliness amongst believer today?

Just as no man can serve two masters, in the same vein no man can be a friend of the world (live worldly) and maintain a close walk with God. It is an outright case of compromise for a believer to be unequally yoked together with the worldly system. The seduction from the world continues to be heightened by Jezebel. Nonetheless, with diligence and consistent effort to add to your faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity, walking circumspectly with the Lord; you can make your election sure. 2Peter 1:5-10.

Through the Lord’sAtonement and Sacrificial Death, wehave forgiveness, restoration and sanctification. It is our responsibility having these promises therefore, to separate and cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles the flesh (body) and spirit (mind and heart) and bring our consecration to completeness in the reverential fear of God.

QFrom the listed verses of Colossian 3, what do you understand by the following phrase?

  1. Set your affection (verse 3)
  2. Mortify your members (verse 5)
  3. Put off (verse 8)
  4. Put on (verse 10)

To be spiritually healthy and strong, we must keep ourselves “unspotted from the world”- James 1:27. Partnership with the world in marriage, in business, in politics, in fraternities and worldly clubs is friendship with the world. It does not help the believer’s spiritual life; rather it hinders and destroys it. Cultivating intimacy with Satan, his agent, cults and the worldly system would not only lead to loss of both material and temporal things, but eventually to total spiritual loss now and in eternity.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” Romans 12:1.

1 Bible Study: Wednesday; 7:30pm; Prayer Meeting: Friday; 7:30pm; Sunday Service: Sunday -7:30pm

ECF Bible Study-November@2014