Can you define worldliness? As Christ-followers, it should be clear to us what God considers worldly. I grew up in what was at times a legalistic environment. From home to church, the standards were high, and at times, it felt everything was worldly. As I matured in my faith, I had a difficult time reconciling what the Bible taught and what I was told God expected.
Thankfully, the Bible does not leave us to ourselves to determine these things. Scripture is quite clear on its definition of worldliness. Being able to define what is worldly is crucial in our pursuit of discipleship. First John 2:15 commands us to, “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” How can we obey this scripture if we cannot define what is the world?
It was John Wesley’s quote from the late 1700s that helped me the most. He said, “Worldliness is anything that cools my affections for Jesus.” First John 2:16 gives us the most accurate definition. “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” Can you see how embracing the desires of this world cools your affections for Jesus?
Furthermore, James 4:4 warns, “whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Can you see why the stakes are high to not allow the influence of the world to cool your affections for Jesus? Perhaps the Lord will show you the worldliness that is in your life. Now that you can define it, you can more easily identify it and ultimately remove it. These things are possible because Jesus reminds us that while we are in the world, we are not of it (John 17:11).
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