Worldliness +
Franklin Camp (1915-1991)
Worldliness is conforming to the world. Worldliness is anything that is opposed to being transformed. Worldliness is “world-like-ness” in anything. Worldliness is anything that is not Christ-like or that hinders “Christ-likeness.” Worldliness is sin.
After careful study, I have come to the conclusion that worldliness is the greatest threat facing the church today. I am fully convinced that the majority of our problems, individually and collectively, are rooted in this one problem.
I believe that at the bottom of the problems of attendance, small contributions, and the lack of development of Christians, will be found in worldliness. Just a moment in reflection will show this is true. Who attends the services of the church faithfully —the most spiritual, or the worldly members of the church? Who is most concerned with their development in the Christian life —the spiritual, or the worldly member?
I am also convinced that our definition of worldliness has been too narrow. If this is true, then I am afraid that preachers and teachers have contributed toward worldliness by leaving the wrong impression on some. Too often we have confined the term to some few things, which were certainly worldly, but were far from covering everything that should be included in the term.
Many members of the church think that because they do not dance, or wear immodest clothes, play bridge, and a few other similar things, they are not worldly, yet in God’s sight they are. I do not mean to suggest by this that these things are not worldly and that they should not be condemned, but we should not leave the impression that worldliness is confined to these.
Jesus said in John 17:11,16, “these are in the world...they are not of the world.” How broad is the phrase, “not of the world?” Does it not include ALL THAT BELONGS TO THE WORLD? When John says, “Love not the world” (1 John 2:15), just how broad is that? Is it confined to some few things, or does it cover all that belongs to the world?
Have you ever wanted any particular thing more than all else in the world; and, been willing to go to any extreme to attain it? Have you decided what you want your life to count for or have you ignored such a decision? Would not either of the above be worldly when measured by God’s standard?
What is worldliness? Worldliness is sin. Worldliness is conforming to the world. Worldliness is anything that is opposed to being transformed. Worldliness is “world-like-ness” in anything. Worldliness is anything that is not Christ-like or that hinders “Christ-likeness.” Worldliness is a wedge that sin drives into the heart of the member of the church, disuniting his own will and God’s will for him, making his actions incompatible with his spiritual potentialities, because he allows selfish interests to usurp the place of God in his life.
Worldliness, the opposite of spirituality, is an obsession with temporal, material things, to the exclusion of spiritual growth and to the neglect of spiritual interests. Worldliness is a force that sidetracks the Christian from his greatest function —fruitful service.
When one persists in worldliness, he will inevitably decrease in spiritual perception. Worldliness is majoring on the temporal rather than the spiritual, for habits, attitudes, and inconsistencies that produce barriers, minimize influence, and make the permanence of our fellowship with God less vital.
Worldliness is a cancer which creates an indifference to moral values, a “no difference” attitude about right or wrong, and ordering of lives without reference to Christian ideals. Worldliness is anything that leads away from God rather than closer to God. It makes a person insensitive to real abiding values and, in most cases, unsteady in Christian life.
Worldliness is one of the primary stages of vice (though it is not vise in every instance). Immorality is worldliness, but not all worldliness is in immorality. Worldliness splits an individual’s loyalties, making him selfish, spiritually indifferent, careless, nearsighted, and complacent. These are all unbecoming qualities that nourish unchristian attitudes and belong to the world.
What is your primary concern? Is it to be a social leader, prominent, comfortable, wealthy, popular, living in ease, spending all of your free time in some sort of pleasure that may be right in itself, or is it to be the best Christian possible —whether these other things come or not? These things may be worthy of attainment, but not to the neglect of spiritual growth. Their proper place, if they come, are by-products in the life of one who’s major interest is to make Christ supreme in his life.
Let us keep in mind that worldliness is the opposite of spirituality; and obsession with temporal and material things to the detriment of spiritual growth. One does not have to be knee-deep in sin to be worldly. The person who considers himself a “pretty good fellow,” but whose ideals are material and self-centered is, according to the Bible, a worldly person.
I would say the first cause is a failure to properly evaluate life. Too many members of the church have not learned the real values of life. They are interested in finding happiness, but do not know where it is to be found.
It has never dawned on them that happiness is determined by what one is. Look at the beatitudes and note the emphasis on character. Substitute the word “happy” for the word “blessed” and re-read the beatitudes.
Someone describes Paul in prison as follows: “with life and all that men count dear behind, and with the horrors of a barbarous death before him, alone, unfriended and suckered, he is yet the happiest man in Rome. Among the millions within her wide walls, not another heart is so buoyant with hope, so lifted with you.” This was true of Paul because he had learned life’s value. He was happy because of what he was.
A second reason so many members of the church are worldly, is that they have never tried to reach their potential in Christian living. Life will not remain a vacuum. It will be filled with something.
If all Christians would make a determined effort to fill their lives with good, there would not be any place for the worldly. Too many are satisfied to just “get in” the church, and then just do as little as possible! The natural result from such is to fill the void that is left with worldliness.
God knew what he was doing when he said, “seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33) This is not just an arbitrary command. It has as its basis the building of a life that is spiritual. The way to get worldliness out, is to put something in its place! Just as long as there are members of the church who refuse to fill their lives with service for God, there will be worldly members.
A third reason for so much worldliness in the church is indifference. This is perhaps one of the greatest hindrances to the solution of the problem. It is so much easier to travel the path of least resistance, to take the road mapped out by others, than it is to find out whether it is right or not. So many members of the church live day after day not caring that they have no influence for good and are not interested in learning why. They are afraid if they got interested it would upset their own lives and they just do not want this to happen. Let the preacher present any lesson and they refuse to give it even a passing thought.
A fourth reason for worldliness in the church is that there are some who do not want to pay the price that is necessary to be spiritual. The story is told of a young woman, who having observed the charming life and broad influence of a fine Christian woman, went to her and said, “I would give the world if I could only have your influence.” The lady replied, “that is exactly what it costs.” There is a price for everything, and spirituality is no exception. Until more Christians are willing to pay the price of spirituality, the church will be filled with worldliness.
A fifth reason for worldliness in the church is that many are guided by custom rather than the Bible. There are many members of the church who want the Bible on the plan of salvation, the church, its organization, and worship; but, they do not want the Bible on worldliness.
Do they ever give chapter and verse for their worldly practices? No. Their theme song is: “everybody else is doing it,” “I can’t see any harm in it.” That is exactly what denominational people say about instrumental music. Why reject their plea for instrumental music and then turn right around and use their old worn-out arguments for your worldly practices?
Then some say, “I can do it and it won’t hurt me.” Suppose you could. Can a conscientious Christian be happy when he knows he is giving his time and lending his influence in that which degrades more than it uplifts?
Let us face the threat of worldliness and build lives that are spiritual.
posted by HP | 6:21 AM
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