Sunday, March 4, 2018 am
NT CHURCH 2017-18 (49)
Purity (3) – Worldliness in the Church
We
have been addressing purity.
Our goal is to keep the church pure.
We have addressed what purity is and how it begins with us as
brethren. Last week we
addressed the need for discipline.
Today we want to examine another concern – worldliness in the
church.
a.
Defined - simply stated
it is loving the world more than God
b.
The word “worldliness”
is not found in scripture, but the idea is.
The word for
world IS found in the NT. The
Greek NT is κόσμος (kosmos) and obviously the word from which our
English word cosmos comes from. It
has several definitons including the creation (the world we live in –
Matthew 4:8), material things (of the physical realm – cf. Hebrews 9:1 -
earthly), all of mankind, OR a reference to the ways of the world in
contrast with the ways of God – a moral reference.
c.
1 John 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or the things that are in the world…
Lusts… This verse
gives us an idea of that which is worldly in this moral sense and leads
to worldliness.
d.
James 4:4
– friendship with the world is enmity with God.
e.
Romans 12:1-2
– Do not be conformed to this world (aion)…
f.
“Respectable worldliness”
– it is important that we understand what is involved in
loving the world. Some see
the term worldliness and think
of immorality – lusts and sinful behaviors.
But they fail to see other things as worldly – such as material
pursuits (making money), excessive recreation, imbibing in certain
behaviors “in moderation”, etc.
These are things that society in general do not see as worldly –
e.g. social drinking, premarital relations, divorce and remarriage,
immodest clothing, the lottery, being a workaholic, debt, etc.
They might condemn the drunk, or
the adulterer (for stealing someone’s wife), addictive behaviors, etc.,
but not the former things. In
the church, there may be those who are not doing things wrong within
themselves, but because they become their pursuit and consume them, they
become worldly.
That is what respectable worldliness is about.
The problem is that God doesn’t make the distinction – sin is
sin, whether its small or big, whether its considered acceptable in
society or not.
g.
We rightly apply these
passages to us as individuals, but what about the church?
What about a congregation exhibiting tendencies or the mindset of
these verses? That is our focus in this lesson.
h.
Clearly worldliness is
condemned in the above passages and as Christians we need to be working
at overcoming whatever worldly tendencies we have.
a.
Ultimately, worldliness
in the church is directly related to the worldliness of its members.
If members are godly and focused on heaven (Colossians 3:1-2), they will
not be worldly, and neither will the church.
b.
But what are some ways
we can be worldly as a church?
i.
When we are more concerned about pleasing men than God.
Far too many today are more concerned about their standing in society
than they are with their standing before God.
They seek to cater to what man wants as opposed to what he needs.
This is also true religiously. We
see religious bodies that are increasing in numbers, including
“mega-churches” that are so large, buildings cannot contain them.
We ask, “How do they do it?”
We want to grow like them.
Isn’t this like Israel of old asking Samuel for a king so that “we may
be like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:20).
It was not what God wanted, but what they wanted.
Are we seeking to imitate worldly churches?
Consider Paul in Galatians 1:10,
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I
still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
ii.
Loosened standards of fellowship and truth:
1.
Soft preaching – not addressing needed issues, including morality.
2 Timothy 2:2-3, Paul warned Timothy against this very thing.
Paul in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 said,
But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel,
even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
2.
Tolerating immorality – MDR, immodesty, social drinking, dancing, viewing sinful
entertainment, etc.
This often goes hand in hand with the failure to preach against such
things. In fact, fear of
repercussions from those caught up in such behaviors often leads to a
failure to preach on or challenge such. Again, I remind you of Corinth
and Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-21) which tolerated both the teaching of
and practice of immorality.
3.
Deemphasizing differences – I am convinced this is WHERE and WHY we are so divided in
the brotherhood (and at times within a congregation).
Too many want to redefine every (or most) difference as a matter of
one’s personal opinions.
They abuse Romans 14 and use it as a “catch all” passage (placing every
difference in this text, even though it is dealing SPECIFICALLY with
matters of liberty – matters about which God is indifferent – examples
include: what we eat and what days we observe (think Jews vs. Gentiles).
The PROBLEM is that if all things are subjective, why study?
It doesn’t matter.
The more LIBERAL MINDED a congregation is, the more worldliness it will
tolerate.
In scripture we are called upon to be different and expose those
teaching and practicing error.
4.
Redefining authority, approach to scripture, what is the church,
etc. How to establish authority
and a strict adherence to God’s pattern are often ignored subjects
today. No wonder, so many
are unable to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)
The NASB gives the sense intended here saying, “accurately
handling the word of truth.”
2 Corinthians 4:2, let us not handle God’s word
deceitfully, NOR let us be guilty of “peddling the word of God” (2 Corinthians 2:17)
iii.
Materialism – the pursuit of things.
1.
When a church is more concerned with externals
– the building (appearance), the externals of worship (e.g.
the worship experience) to the
exclusion of the heart, entertainment (appealing to man’s fleshly
wants), attendance (it’s about numbers, no matter what we have to do to
get them), etc.
NOTE: As good stewards, we do our best with the outward appearance (the
building is maintained as best it can be, we follow God’s pattern for
HOW we worship, and it can be pleasant without compromising God’s word,
we emphasize attendance (Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 20:7, etc.), but we MUST
always ask, what God is looking for in these things.
It’s about HIM, not our wants and desires.
2.
Redefining the work of the church to social pursuits
– as we have seen, there is great misunderstanding as to what the church
is actually about. God has
given us a simple work and simple organization to carry it out.
We don’t need to turn the work of the church into reforming
society, social causes, entertainment, fun and games, etc.
Remember Romans 14:17, for
the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
3.
Many churches today are
more interested in catering to what men want rather than what they need
– the pure (unpolluted) gospel
4.
Just be reminded,
if it takes such things to get
them in, it will take even more to keep them.
5.
What about prosperity preaching? Another
side issue, preaching a “health and wealth” gospel which says God wants
you to prosper materially and will give you whatever you ask for, even
if it is materialistic.
iv.
When we are selective in who we welcome –
Many churches practice prejudice – some racially, but more often based
upon social status. Heed
James 2:1-10, where he deals specifically with showing partiality toward
the rich and successful in society.
Are we willing to go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to
come in? (Luke 14:23)
v.
When as a church we are
filled with ungodly attitudes
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 – you are carnal and behaving like mere men
Selfish pursuits – bitter envy, self-seeking in your hearts, etc.
James 3:13-16. These
are “early and sensual” attitudes.
We have extensively emphasized the proper attitude of brethren toward
one another and toward our neighbors.
Know that when ungodly attitudes are present, there’s
worldliness in the church.
James 4:1-4, Galatians 5:14-15 – if you bite and devour one another.
vi.
When God is simply not
our priority
–
There is worldliness in the church when we are not striving to keep her
pure. This may involve many
of the above conducts, but what about attitudes of indifference?
Lukewarm – Laodicea was condemned for being that way.
Told to repent – Rev. 3:14-19
Lost its first love – Ephesus 2:4-5 – they were not as zealous as they
used to be.
Revelation 3:1-5 – Sardis thought they were fine, alive, but God saw
them as dead (or dying).
They too are called upon to repent.
Friends, we cannot merely pay lip service to God.
We may be doing everything (external) right, but if our heart is
not right, is there worldliness in our midst?
a.
Never forget who the
church belongs to
- We must be Christ
centered
Matthew 6:24 – no one can serve two masters.
We must ALL choose to serve God first.
Romans 12:1-2 – be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
As Jesus taught, we are IN the world, but not OF the world – John
17:14-16, 15:19-20
b.
Seek purity as
emphasized –
Titus 2:12 we are to be denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.
James 1:27 – pure and undefiled religion, keep oneself unspotted from
the world.
c.
Realize that we need to convert people to Christ through His word.
Any other means is introducing worldliness.
d.
Follow God’s pattern,
both in truth and spirit
(deed and heart).
a.
Its up to you and me –
the church is the individuals.
As the individual goes, so goes the church.
Colossians 3:1-2; Matthew 6:19-21 – where is your treasure?
If we desire purity in the church, EACH Of us must do our part.