Pastor Pusch

What does it mean to be worldly? I have heard it all my life and for the most part it has been made in reference to premarital sex, drugs, and alcohol. I am sure you have heard it preached, “be in the world and not of the world!” What does that mean? I drive a car. The world drives a car. Am I worldly? Sounds silly, but not in the Amish culture. If that is how worldliness is defined then the Amish have it right.

What does scripture say about being worldly? Here are two key passages that we tend to deal with when speaking on the subject of worldliness.

“I beseech (urge) you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (it is the right thing to do). 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.” Romans 12:1-2

I think I have pretty good understanding of what this passage is saying and I believe that we must make every effort to readily and willingly present our lives as a sacrifice to God and His service. I understand the concept of renewing our mind. It is the whole “garbage in, garbage out” adage. We will renew our mind if we continue to fill it with the things of God. But, what in the “world” are we not supposed to conform to?

“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.” I John 2:15

I know I have heard that scripture a thousand times. If I want the love of the Father in me, then I must not love the world. What could be worse than not having the Father’s love? Here is where I think this passage goes on to explain some more about this world we are not supposed to love.

“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 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 John 2:15-17

There lies the starting point. John makes reference to the things of this world. The lust of the flesh – the lust of the eyes – the pride of life. For the most part the first two have been hammered in life especially in regards to sexual sin. However, I think it goes beyond that. There is more to the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes than that which is sexual. What about fleshly desires? Selfish ambition? William Barclay went on to talk about how materialism fits into those two categories. I would submit that all those things would play into the “pride of life.” C.H. Dodd calls the pride of life pretentious egoism. It is one who uses others and ”things” (his or not) to bolster his pride; to show forth something he is not.

What I love about these two passages is that you can really tie the two together (Romans 12:1-2 and 1 John 2:15-17). To love not the world is to go against the worldly standards that 1 John lays out and become “living sacrifices” to God as Paul says in Romans 12.

This, I believe, is an issue of the heart, dealing with our attitude and approach in life rather than labeling items A,B, and C as being worldly. As Christians, we are to have a renewed way of thinking which is opposite of worldly thinking and more in line with a sacrificial living. It is a matter of the heart.

Comments?

To read part one click here.
To read part two click here.

Preface: This was by far the hardest one to write. Sometimes I just have a hard time wrapping my hands around the subject of Christ dying for me. Not to sound “super-spiritual,” but I know me. What you ’re about to read is just a slight glimpses of what God has done you and me. I would love to get your interpretation, your thoughts, of this verse of It is Well with My Soul.

My sin – oh the bliss of this glorious thought -
My sin not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed the cross, and I bear it no more:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

My sin – depending upon where you read the lyrics of this song, you may see something different leading into this verse. I have seen it start with “He Lives” and “My Lord.” I’m not sure about the reasoning behind the changes, perhaps one is equating sin as a blissful thought so they felt the need to change it. I personally think the writer began his writing and pondered the blissful thought of which he was about to pen down. My sin. What is sin in light of a holy God? Sin defined is “missing the mark”; the mark of God’s holiness and glory. Many of you are familiar with Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Sin carries with it the penalty of death (Romans 6:23).  God is Holy (perhaps another blog on this term)(I love how Isaiah 6:1-7 and Revelation 4:1-8 declare God’s holiness and glory). Because of His hoiness, sin can have no presence. The bottom line is that sin has separated us from God (I don’t think I need to break out the cliff or “one verse evangelism” drawing to show you). Sin has no place with a Holy God and His holiness owes us no explanation.

Oh the bliss of this glorious thought – I love that word bliss (another word that has been replaced in some hymnals with joy). What does the word ‘bliss’ mean or the phrase “blissful thinking”? I think the best way to describe the word bliss is to share with you its synonyms. Words such as, heavenly, wonderful, delightful, perfect, and peaceful. The writer is about to share with us the most blissful thought/event that happens in scripture. It is the story of the Bible: God’s Redemptive Plan for Man.

My sin not in part, but the whole - All. Very simple, yet profound. Christ, who knew no sin (Romans 5:21), took upon my sins and the sins of the whole world (I John 2). Take a moment and read through Psalm 103 as David remembers and praised God his forgiveness. David wrote in verse 12 that God has removed his transgress as far as east is to the west. Watch This! 

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it know more – While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He, who bore our sins, was taken and nailed to a cross that we may have life in him (Colossians 2:13-15). This is the glorious thought. This is blissful thinking. My favorite two words in the New Testament are found in Ephesians 2:4, “but God.” Paul describes our helpless estate as being dead in our sins, “but God who is rich in mercy and with His great love, even though we were dead has made us alive together in Christ.” To that I say… “Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord O My Soul!”

My sin has been nailed to the cross of my Savior
Where Satan has no power
For God has displayed His undeserved favor
He has taken my sin and he has naile it to the cross