Springs Article 2024-05 (3)
2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Ephesians 5:1-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:22. 1 Corinthians 15:33, James 4:4, Psalm 1:1-6, 1 John 2:15-17
What is worldliness?
- The beliefs, customs, traditions and behaviours of an unbelieving world in contradiction to the Word of God
- Thinking, talking or behaving like unbelievers do
- Materialism (the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life)
- 1 John 2:15-17, Romans 12:1-2
What is wrong with keeping close friendships/partnerships with unbelievers?
- An unbeliever is someone whose thoughts, words, actions, values, desires and behaviours are not submitted to or regulated by the Word of God
- An unbeliever has the capacity to influence you negatively into sinful behaviour in your thoughts, words and deeds
- Friendship with the world is enmity with God!, James 4:4
What is wrong with worldly music?
- Worldly music consists of words and tunes that are ungodly, corrupting and stimulating for the works of the flesh
What is wrong with flirting?
- Flirting is playing in sin zone!
- Flirting is playing with sin boundaries
- Flirting is experimenting with temptation
- Flirting includes immodest dressing and ungodly chatter, 2 Timothy 2:16
- We are to abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thessalonians 5:22
What is wrong with worldly dancing?
- It is flirtatious!
What is wrong with drinking alcohol?
- Alcohol is a recreational drug that brings you pleasure by dulling your mind and numbing your senses
- To be drunk is to be under the influence of alcohol – any influence is some influence!
- Abstinence from alcohol is part of your consecration to the Lord, Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 5:18
- You are called to be sober and alert, so that you can glorify God in your body and in your spirit, 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
What is wrong with socialising in an atmosphere dominated by worldly music, flirting, ungodly chatting and/or alcohol?
- You risk being influenced negatively
- You risk falling into sin (in thought, word and action)
- You risk degrading your Christian influence and godly testimony
What is wrong with worldly dating?
- Worldly dating focuses on romantic experimentation and can often lead to unintended consequences such as sexual immorality and emotional heartbreak
- Worldly dating is the unbeliever’s way of exploring love and only a very small percentage of teenage dating leads to marriage
- Christian courtship focuses on marriage and is guided by a desire to please God and do His will
- Christian courtship requires divine guidance and spiritual/emotional maturity
- Christian courtship applies only to two genuine believers in Christ (male and female) who are old (mature) enough to think about and plan towards marriage, 2 Corinthians 6:14
What is wrong with selfish ambition (the pursuit of fame and fortune)?
- It will distract and steal your heart away from God – wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also, Matthew 6:19-24
- It will compromise your calling and destiny in Christ, Jeremiah 29:11
- It will hinder you from living by faith (trusting and obeying God), Hebrews 10:38
To find out more, listen to the audio sermon