Scripture Reading: John 17:14-19
Overcome Worldliness
Intro.
1.
Jno. 17:14-19:
As we live by the word of God we are 1) "not of this world",
17:14;
2) Kept "from the evil one",
17:15;
3) In fellowship with Christ,
17:16);
and 4) Sanctified,
17:17, 19.
2. Are these songs we sing a true reflection of our heart? (Col.
3:16)
-"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through…"
-"Anywhere with Jesus…is home sweet home"
-"Here We Are But Straying Pilgrims"
-"I've a home prepared where the saints abide, just over in the glory
land. And I long to be by my Savior's side, just over in the glory land."
3. Worldliness is rampant among God's people!
a. Frightening thought: Worldliness makes us God's
enemy…lost! Jas.
4:4
b. Forceful
temptations: Struggle with Satan,
1 Pet. 2:11.
c. Fortunate timing: Time to examine and repent,
2 Pet. 3:9.
d. Faithful transformation: From darkness to light,
2 Pet. 1:3-4.
4. Are we guilty of worldliness? 2
Cor. 6:14-7:1
a. Some indignantly respond, "No!"
b. Lacking confidence, some answer, "I don't think so"; "I hope not."
c. Some may even answer, "What do you mean by worldliness?"
I.
GOD'S DEFINITION OF WORLDLINESS.
A. World:
System Of Evil in Opposition to God,
1 Jno. 2:15; Jas.
4:4. The
dominion of Satan,
1 Jno. 5:19.
1. When our motives, attitudes, values and conduct are shaped and molded
(patterned) after the world, then we are worldly! Rom.
12:2
2. Our objective: In Christ, we overcome the world, live for Jesus and
please God,
Jno. 16:33; Rom.
8:37; 1 Jno. 5:4.
II.
THE THINGS OF THE WORLD,
1 Jno. 2:15-17.
A. All Sins of the World Broadly Fall into these Categories:
1. Lust (desire) of the flesh: Carnality.
a. God has given some desires that are good within themselves:
1) Desire for food: Good and natural, but
gluttony is sinful (Prov.
23:20-21).
2) Desire for drink: Good and natural, but drunkenness is sinful
(Eph. 5:18).
3) Desire for sleep: But laziness is sinful (Prov.
6:10-11).
4) Desire for sexual pleasure: Lawful place, but without
marriage it is sinful (1
Cor. 7:2; 1 Ths. 4:3).
b. Desires of sin lead to spiritual death,
Jas. 1:14-15.
2. Lust of the eye (wanting what the eye sees): Covetousness.
a. Look to lust after,
Matt. 5:28.
b. Selfish consumption to please self,
Jas. 4:1-3.
c. Life is not the things we possess,
Lk. 12:15;
Matt. 16:26.
3. Pride of life (desire to impress, be noticed, admired): Conceit.
a. The drive of selfish ambition and self-interest,
Phil. 2:3-4.
b. Must seek honor from God, not people, Jno. 5:44 (Lk. 14:11).
III. THE CARES OF THE WORLD,
Luke 8:14
(Mk.
4:18-19).
A. As Thorns Choke a Good Plant, there are things that Choke
Out Spiritual Life.
1. Cares (anxiety, distracting care) of this life (over
physical needs),
Matt. 6:25-33;
Phil. 4:6-8.
2. Riches (deceitfulness of riches,
Mk. 4:19),
Materialism,
Matt. 6:24; 1 Tim.
6:10, 6 (Col.
3:5;
Phil. 4:11-13).
3. Pleasures of life,
1 Tim. 5:6 (Heb.
11:25).
a. Some pleasures are wrong because God declares them wrong, 1 Pet. 4:3-4 (Heb. 11:25). [Licentiousness, lust and that which leads to it: Pornography, immodesty, media filth, social drinking, dancing, etc.]
-The world views such things as the normal way of life!
b. Some pleasures are not sinful unless we put before God, cf.
2 Tim. 4:10.
Many are too busy to pray, study, visit the sick, have home classes, come to all
worship services -- What we choose shows what we take pleasure in, and whether
we are pleasing God!
Jas. 4:17
(Josh.
24:15; Heb. 2:2-3)
IV.
VICTORY OVER THE WORLD,
1 Jno. 5:4-5.
A. You
have Control Over Your Mind,
Rom. 8:5; Col.
3:1-3.
1. Choose to occupy minds with spiritual things; word of Christ.
2. Declare war on worldly thoughts!
Phil.4:8;
Col.3:16; 2 Cor.10:4-5
B. You have Control Over your Body,
Rom. 6:13-14
(what you
do).
1. Obey the will of God,
1 Jno. 2:17.
2. Glorify God with our body,
1 Cor. 6:19-20.
C. You Must take Inventory of Yourself,
2 Cor. 13:5.
1. What is on our mind most of the time: evil or good?
2. On what are we spending our time: temporal or eternal?
Conclusion
1.
The spiritual mind is key to overcoming worldliness,
Rom. 12:2.
2. Jesus died to save us from the present evil world,
Gal. 1:4.
3. We escape the pollution of the world "through the knowledge of the Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ",
2 Pet. 2:20.
Both initially and how we continue to do so.
4. Reap what we sow; Don't stop doing good - Eternal life.
Gal. 6:7-9
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: July 3, 2014