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The Curse and Cure of Worldliness
Worldliness is a terrible problem for mankind. It is a problem
that reaches everyone: preacher, politician, parent and the youth of our land.
Worldliness is to be secular, unspiritual, materialistic,
and irreligious. Paul described worldliness in these
words, "in which you once walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in
the sons of disobedience." (Eph 2:2) Worldliness is "ungodliness and
worldly lust." God's grace teaches us to, "deny
ungodliness and worldly lusts." It shows us how to "live soberly,
righteously, and godly in the present age." (Tit 2:12) Jesus,
"gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and
purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." (Tit
2:14)
The curse of
worldliness: Worldliness relates to that which is not heavenly or spiritual. Many problems and much suffering result
from worldliness. James wrote what are likely the
strongest words in the Bible about worldliness when he said, very flatly and
very plainly, "...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." (Jas 4:4) We all must
realize that a worldly Christian is a useless Christian. We are to supply the
hands and the feet and the
voices that Christ
works
through today. Therefore, there is
no room for worldliness in our life!
Worldliness leads to murder. The daily murders
that you read about and hear about are the result of worldliness. Think about
the hurt caused in families where murders have taken place. "And even as
they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a
debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all
unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;
full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,
evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing
the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are
deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice
them." (Rom 1:28-32)
Worldliness leads to a materialistic society where people cheat,
steal, extort, and leave God out of every aspect of life. The scriptures teach
us to "love not the world, nor the things of the world." By
inspiration of God John wrote, "Do not love the world or the things in the
world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all
that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is
passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides
forever." (I Jn 2:15-17)
Worldliness has resulted in immodesty, pornography,
dancing, thefts, drugs, immorality, rapes, child abuse and divorce.
The cure of worldliness: Our escape from the world is through
Jesus Christ. There is no other one to whom we can go to find an answer to the
problem of worldliness. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of
eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Jn 6:68-69)
To escape worldliness Christians must make a conscious decision
not to be squeezed into the mold of the world. "I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, accept-able to God, which is your reasonable service. And do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God." (Rom 12:1-2) There are places Christians cannot go, people to be
avoided and practices that Christians must not involve themselves in.
To escape worldliness Christians must use God's way of escape.
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God
is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but
with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to
bear it." (I Cor
To escape worldliness Christians must develop a strong faith.
"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory
that has overcome the world – our faith." (I Jn 5:4) Faith comes as God's
word is implanted into our hearts. (Jas 1:21) Christians must do all they can
to strengthen their faith. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God." (Rom
To escape worldliness Christians must abandon sin. As we renounce
worldliness and have no more to do with it we are able to "put off,
concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you
put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness
and holiness." (Eph 4:22-24)
To escape worldliness Christians must come out and be separate from
the world. "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what
fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with
darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has
a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the
To escape worldliness Christians are taught: (1) to be steadfast
and unmovable in God's service (I Cor 15:58), (2) to avoid a love of the world
(I Jn 2:15-17), (3) to keep yourself pure and clean (I Tim 5:22), (4) to put to
death sinful habits (Col 3:5-6), (5) to bear the fruit of the spirit (Gal
5:22-23), and (6) to be a light for Jesus. (Phil 2:15-16)
Those that follow Jesus must choose to serve Him. (Josh 24:15) To
become a Christians you must hear the gospel (Rom
- - - - Charles Box
News & Notes
1. Prayer
List: In Need Of Prayers: Michelle Bagents, James Barr (brother of
Jerry Barr), Linda Bender, Dawn Bradley, Emily Cain, Marie Curlee (awaiting
surgery), Evie Fisher (friend of Dennis Phillips Jr.), Roy Goodwin, Ramona
Gravely, Montine Hardin, Jean Harrell, Latrell Harrell, Evan Hartsell, Tommy
Hunt (son of Jimmy & Betty Hobbie), Darrell Jones, Mary Lawrence, Susan
Murphy, Steve Osborne, Mary Powell, John Reynolds, Joe Smith (student at GHS
suffering kidney failure), R.B. Stabler (awaiting surgery), Peggy Stabler,
Roger Strange, Raisa Tarosava
(mother of Lena & Anastaria), Doris Taylor,
Winston Temple, Brittany Till, Corrine Till, and Leroy Waller. Crowne
Health Care: Kathy Johnson, Myrtle Perdue, and Iva Lou Wright.
2. Please Pray For: The
following people are serving in Iraq: Sam Sanders, son of Jerry Sanders, Jason
Godwin, son of Barbara Walker, Michael Howell, grandson of Clifford and Ella
Mae McCarter, Kimberly Williams, cousin of Marie Owens and Brenda Herring, and
Taylor Bodie, grandson-in-law of William & Margaret Pierce. Pray for them
often!
3. Sympathy Expressed:
Our love and sympathy is expressed to the family of Brother V.P. Black Brother
Black will truly be missed by so many.
4. Jason Godwin Back To
5. Birthdays: Celebrating
birthdays this week are: February 11th Jerri
Davis, February 13th Anderson Bagents, February 15th Nell
Davis, and February 16th Lora Gail Bagents.
6.
7. Visiting Speaker: One of
our new endeavors for 2007 is to support Kelly Windham as he attends Northwest
Florida School of Biblical Studies. We will have an opportunity to know him he
will preach for us on Sunday night, March 4th.
8. 2007 Church Budget: Our
Elders have challenged us with a weekly budget of $6,427.38 for 2007. If we all
give as God has blessed us that will be no problem. “But this I say: He who
sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also
reap bountifully.” (II Cor. 9:6)
9. Thank You: Cage and I
thank you for being at the hospital during my surgery. Thanks for the prayers
before, during and since the surgery. Thanks for the food, cards and phone
calls. We are blessed to be a part of this church family. In Christian Love, Jean
Harrell
10. Resource Room: (a) The resource
room is missing a large black notebook with bulletin board ideas in it. If you
have this or know where it is please return it. (b) The resource room is in need of a few items: strawberry
baskets, detergent scoops, clothes pins, calendars, plastic oranges or
grapefruit bags, and magazines. If you have any questions please see Lisa
Bagents. (c) Supplies for new
bulletin boards are in the resource room. Please try to have the bulletin
boards completed by the end of the month.
11. Thanks: (a) Thanks to all who participated in
the After School Special activity last Thurs-day. A special thanks to Jason
Owens and the teen helpers for helping to make it a success. (b) Thanks to
Jim & Tiffany Till for hosting our teen get together Sunday night. We had a
great turn out and a wonderful time.
12. Put These Dates On Your Calendar: (a) Mar. 5-8, 2007 – Faulkner University – Annual Bible Lectures – Theme: Our God, He is Alive (c) Mar. 25-29 – Memphis School of Preaching – Theme “Epistles To Corinth” – See the bulletin board for speakers and schedule of events. (d) April 27-28 – Marriage Seminar – Walnut Street Church of Christ – Speakers Glenn & Cindy Colley (e) Sept. 24-26, 2007 – Regions University – Spiritual Enrichment Forum – Embassy Suites, Montgomery.
Do You Sin
Against Your Parents?
Young people, have you ever noticed how easy it is to take things
out on your family? Often things that you would never say or do to anyone else,
you would say or do to someone in
your own family. While a certain degree of this phenomenon can probably be
chalked up to the high level of comfort most of us feel toward our family
members, we certainly don’t want to be guilty of committing sins against those
we love. When we sin against anyone, we are also sinning against the Lord (I Cor
You may be growing up, but you are not too
old to obey your parents. Lord willing the day will come when you will get
married, cleave to your husband or wife, and make your own decisions apart from
our parents. But until such time as you ARE an adult who lives away from home
you MUST OBEY them! Paul taught us that this obedience is well pleasing to the
Lord (
If you’re not careful, you will overlook an
important piece of Paul’s statement in Ephesians 6:1. “Honor” is just as
crucial as obedience for us to be pleasing to God. Obviously one can obey without giving honor. When was the last time you stopped to honestly think about
everything your parents do for you? This makes disrespecting them that much
sadder. You can disrespect and shame your parents by being lazy (Prov 10:5), by
mistreating them (Prov
John wrote, “I have no greater joy than to
hear that my children walk in truth” (III John 4). It must equally be true that
a godly parent has no worse grief than to hear that their child walks apart
from God. Don’t miss heaven because of sins against your parents.
- - - - Darrell Powell
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak Kindly. Leave the rest
to God.
Don’t just own a Bible; read it!
P.O. Box 551
Greenville, Alabama 36037-0551
(334-382-3001)