Worldly or set apart?

[B-A-C]

Are there worldly Christians? Sure non-believers are worldly, and believers can know worldly ways. But are you "OF" the world?

1 Jn 2:15; Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 Jn 2:16; For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
1 Jn 2:17; The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

Is it possible that some have returned to the worldly ways they were supposed to have left behind?

2 Pet 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
2 Pet 2:21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

Is it possible that some of us have forgotten why we were saved and what we were saved from?

2 Pet 1:4; For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
2 Pet 1:5; Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
2 Pet 1:6; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
2 Pet 1:7; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
2 Pet 1:8; For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Pet 1:9; For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

Do you ask God for things with worldly motives?

Jas 4:3; You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Jas 4:4; You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Have you kept yourself unstained by the world?

Jas 1:27; Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Are you content with the things God knows you need, or do you still wants the things of the world?
Does it do us any good to hoard the treasures of this world?

1Ti 6:7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
1Ti 6:8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

Matt 6:19; "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Matt 6:20; "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

Matt 16:26; "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matt 16:27; "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.

Have you crucified the worldly fleshly desires? Are you set apart? Are you Holy?

Gal 6:14; But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Do you know the ruler of the world better than you know Jesus? Which one are you following?

John 14:30; "I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me;

John 14:17; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

I wonder how much in secular television, or secular music, even secular educational institutions knows "the Spirit of truth" or do they simply know the world?
How many professed "experts" on evolution, atheism, inner peace, karma, really think they have the answers? How about college professors and scientists that claim
to know how life began, and even the purpose of life?

1 Cor 3:18; Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.
1 Cor 3:19; For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS";
1 Cor 3:20; and again, "THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS."

Some day they will have to stand before the Lord, I wonder how their wisdom will stand on that day?

Many people claim to have the Holy Spirit, but does everyone who claims to have it and be led of it really have it?

Act 5:32; "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

Is obeying God chasing the world? Becoming worldly? Or have some of us lost our salt? Have some of us forgotten to be Holy? Have some of us forgotten we were set apart?
Have some of us forgotten why Jesus died for our sins? It wasn't so we could just return to them.

1 Pet 4:1; Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sinning,
1 Pet 4:2; so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
1 Pet 4:3; For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the world, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.
1 Pet 4:4; In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;
1 Pet 4:5; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Its amazing how close the fruit of the Spirit is to what love is.

Gal 5:22; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23; gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Cor 13:4; Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
1 Cor 13:5; does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
1 Cor 13:6; does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
1 Cor 13:7; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Cor 13:8; Love never fails; ...

Both passages above mention love, kindness, joy (rejoicing) and faithfulness (bears, believes, endures all things).

If we aren't loving the world, our brothers, our neighbors, fellow Christians, our families, fellow workers and even unsaved friends.. what are we doing?
Are we going back to being just like the rest of the world?

Luke 18:8; "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

We may not be able to do miracles and prophesy and heal people when we want to, but we can show love joy and patience when we want to, and even when we don't want to and people don't deserve it.And if that leads people to Jesus, isn't that the real miracle?

 

[james1523]

Even an apparently harmless, even good, thought of man is in fact worldliness from Satan (Matt 16:23). Sometimes worldliness is seen as being somewhat neutral between God and Satan, as if movies, music, and such do not matter, and are neither right or wrong. However the Bible indicates that a worldly person is a Satanic person (Matt 16:23, John 8:44), there is really no middle neutral ground.

A worldly Christian is an unhappy Christian. Only God can give us the satisfaction and enjoyment that we long for. The things of the world satisfy for a moment but then leave emptiness and dissatisfaction in our soul. John 2:10.

 

[Travis]

Hi B-A-C,

Being a worldly Christian sounds like a really scary thing,

Hebrews 12: (TLB)
5 And have you quite forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his child? He said, “My son, don’t be angry when the Lord punishes you. Don’t be discouraged when he has to show you where you are wrong. 6 For when he punishes you, it proves that he loves you. When he whips you, it proves you are really his child.”
7 Let God train you, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children. Whoever heard of a son who was never corrected? 8 If God doesn’t punish you when you need it, as other fathers punish their sons, then it means that you aren’t really God’s son at all—that you don’t really belong in his family. 9 Since we respect our fathers here on earth, though they punish us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to God’s training so that we can begin really to live?
10 Our earthly fathers trained us for a few brief years, doing the best for us that they knew how, but God’s correction is always right and for our best good, that we may share his holiness. 11 Being punished isn’t enjoyable while it is happening—it hurts! But afterwards we can see the result, a quiet growth in grace and character.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands, stand firm on your shaky legs, 13 and mark out a straight, smooth path for your feet so that those who follow you, though weak and lame, will not fall and hurt themselves but become strong.​

If someone is truly born again, their spirit is quickened by the Holy Spirit, then they are a son of God (whether they are a female or a male in the flesh). And if one is a son, but one who is being disobedient and worldly, then chastisement and correction are not far around the corner.

The Lord has taken me out to the woodshed more than a couple times. I probably even got it light compared to some, yet as I look back on it, I never, ever, ever want to do the things that got me whipped in the first place ever again. Never.... Plus, as I look back on it from the present time, I am very grateful that the Lord did this for me, and I can see his love and mercy in it. It was hard to see those things at the time I was in pain.

A good father will discipline and correct his children so that they become the men and women he desires them to be. If I see someone who claims to be a Christian, but lives the same as the rest of the world, and is not being corrected by the Lord, I assume that they are not a son of the living God at all. But, God is much more patient than myself, and even when I have given up on someone, he may still have plans for them. I try not to write people off too quickly.

So ya, I think there are some worldly Christians out there. But if they really are Christians, they won't be worldly for too long, because our Father always disciplines those who belong to him. I don't envy what they have coming their way. Not one bit.

Also,

2nd Peter 1: (ESV)
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.​

God gives us the faith, and then with that faith he brings about the succession of qualities to perfect his love in us. So I agree, if we allow God to work his will in us, we will see his love pour out from us and it will keep us from being ineffective and unfruitful, and God will provide a grand entrance for us into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Grace to you,

Travis

 

[LoveStory]

Its amazing how close the fruit of the Spirit is to what love is.

Gal 5:22; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23; gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Cor 13:4; Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
1 Cor 13:5; does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
1 Cor 13:6; does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
1 Cor 13:7; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Cor 13:8; Love never fails; ...

Both passages above mention love, kindness, joy (rejoicing) and faithfulness (bears, believes, endures all things).

If we aren't loving the world, our brothers, our neighbors, fellow Christians, our families, fellow workers and even unsaved friends.. what are we doing?
Are we going back to being just like the rest of the world?

Luke 18:8; "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

We may not be able to do miracles and prophesy and heal people when we want to, but we can show love joy and patience when we want to, and even when we don't want to and people don't deserve it. And if that leads people to Jesus, isn't that the real miracle?

Amen! God's love is Like a breath of heaven that uplifts the soul.

Great post!