Sadly we, that's including myself, don't realize our spiritual condition because we don't really understand the definition of the word "worldliness." Let me start to define it by sharing with you the life of Abraham. In the book of Hebrews, Chapter 11: 8, it says "By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance." Abraham went on a big journey because God told him to. Imagine Abraham packing up and leaving, not even knowing where he was going! But Abraham trusted God. He went out not knowing where he was going. By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, dwelling in tents the same with Isaac and Jacob, as fellow heirs of the same promise. For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
God said, "I have something for you to do. I've got a plan for you, Abraham. But in order for me to fulfill my plan, you've got to leave here." Do you get the point of this passage? God is saying, "Follow me if you want to know where you're going. I'm not telling you until you leave where you are now. You can't stay here and follow me…You can't stay here and have me… You will never find out God’s will for you.
Just like Abraham, God often leads us beyond the confines of our comfort zones because it is there that our faith is truly tested and refined. In other words, God is saying to Abraham, stay with me if you want to see where I want you to go. Because I won't show you unless you move from your current location.
God wants all of us to leave behind things that keep us away from Him. God has called every Christian to leave worldliness. God does not call us to leave the world. What I mean to say is that God doesn't want us to isolate ourselves from the world like a hermit. He hasn't called us to completely exit the world—meaning, we are still meant to live in society, work, and have responsibilities within it.
God is not saying we can't be in the world, but He means we should stop doing things that push Him away. He has called us to leave worldliness. Worldliness is attitude and actions that leave God out. Worldliness is not only a place but a thinking or a philosophy.
Like the world of entertainments, world of music, World of finance, world of fashion, world of politics, world of sports. People can be in church
but if their thinking is on certain worldly things then what do we call them? What I mean to say is that we don't need to go to nightclubs, amusement parks, movie theaters, music concert venues,
sports stadiums, and arenas to be considered worldly, as it's a mindset or way of thinking.
Is this not being worldly when we spend five minutes worshiping or reading a devotional book and spend five hours watching Hollywood movies or sports on YouTube or Facebook? What do we call it?
Worldliness is about the exclusion of God in some of our activities. We may not be totally worldly as a church but we are lukewarm.
And remember, worldliness is about the exclusion of God. The enemy wants you to exclude God.
Abraham had a tough choice. He had to leave his home, where he was born, where his friends and everything were. It's not easy leaving what you know and the things you used to, but Abraham did it because God's plan was more important to him.
God has a special inheritance for us. But if we stay where we are right now….if we remain with our worldly condition, we will never get it.
God has something for you. He has a special purpose that He wants you to fulfill. But He will not show you your destiny if He can't get you to leave worldliness.
As long our affection is in the world, you won't get direction from God. If you're loving the world more than Him, that's because the world has your affections. It has your passions. I know, it's hard to leave world. But remember God’s inheritance is more important than our current location. I'm not talking physical location but your spiritual condition.
So, here's the question for all of us: Is what God has for us more important than where we are right now? Do you love the world so much that you're willing to lose your inheritance?
The world may offer pleasures, but God's plan promises an eternal legacy. God wants to give us eternal inheritance, but we have to get ready to say goodbye to things that keep us from Him. God bless you. Amen.
