Understanding worldliness is crucial for helping someone resist its seemingly trendy and normal allure. The New Testament of the Bible addresses the concept of the world, not about its people, but to the prevailing mindset and behaviours. It cautions believers against loving the world (1 John 2:15), befriending the world (James 4:4), and conforming to the present age (Romans 12:2). These warnings are not meant to deter Christians from loving the world’s inhabitants but to alert them to the dangers of attitudes and behaviours that Satan, the ruler of this world, promotes. Thus, the ideas of worldliness represent a profound threat to the spiritual health of believers.
The term “world” pertains to the state of planet Earth. For example, gravity anchors us as physical entities to the world. To survive, we must consume the world’s offerings or face starvation. The pursuit of wealth for security can be compelling. Yet, the most potent lure to worldliness is pride, propelled by its sovereign, referred to as Satan, masquerading as the angel of light. A prevalent misconception among many believers is the belief that Satan is synonymous with the negative occurrences in our physical existence.
Worldliness is generally inescapable. A person requires the world for survival; it is futile to discuss survival without mentioning the necessity of hard work in the world. A person’s worldliness is directly tied to their need for the world concerning survival. Following Adam’s sin, God decreed that survival would depend on diligent labour and cultivating the land. The reward of hard work is prosperity, casting the individual in a positive light compared to others. A diligent worker often garners admiration from peers.
How can one avoid worldliness while still surviving in this world? This suggests that Christianity was not intended for the majority to embrace. To avoid deception, one must rigorously examine the Scriptures before considering conversion. A prudent individual should recognize that Christianity holds no inherent allure. Although Christianity’s love is widely praised, Jesus’ warnings are frequently neglected, by most people.
“Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Luke 14:31-35 NKJV).
The words of Jesus in the aforementioned Scripture leave no room for ambiguity. Worldly allure is inescapable for those who are of this world. As long as one aligns oneself with worldly matters, claiming to be a Christian is merely an illusion. A true Christian is described as someone who has renounced worldly ties. It is not an overstatement to say that the world does not welcome such individuals. Jesus advocated for the renunciation of everything before following Him. This renunciation does not spare even one’s own well-being (Luke 14:26).
Truth remains inflexible, often disregarding the struggles of those in desperate situations. However, its severity may shield the vulnerable from being lured into ill-prepared circumstances, which could result in adversity. Jesus demonstrated empathy towards those caught in a web of sin. Yet, He refrained from using dubious means to free them from their transgressions. Rather, He employed parables in His teachings, guaranteeing that ordinary people were not to be attracted to Christianity without sufficient readiness.
Physical survival demands strenuous effort, often precluding the pursuit of pleasure. Yet, some may argue that it is prudent to find shortcuts to acquire desirable things with less effort. Having money can facilitate the attainment of desirables without strenuous labour. Thus, in the struggle for survival, the pursuit of monetary accumulation becomes essential. However, Jesus cautioned against an excessive preoccupation with amassing wealth, equating it to idolatry.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:19-24 NKJV).
The common belief is that wisdom is found in wealth accumulation for future generations. However, Jesus contradicts this idea, likening it to foolishness. This perspective might not align with the average individual’s goal to provide for their family and avoid poverty. Currently, a movement across African nations encourages wealth accumulation; challenging Jesus’ teachings. Seen from a secular viewpoint, such proponents’ reasoning seems logical. This underscores the conflict between two opposing viewpoints, perceived as fundamentally incompatible.
The perception of Christianity is often diminished to mockery due to the Scripture, mentioned earlier. Similarly, the cross is mocked by some, through a worldly lens, which contrasts Godliness. That Scripture was not intended for the worldly; but directed at Jesus’ disciples, who had answered the call to abandon all and follow Him. To them, Jesus conveyed the folly of accumulating earthly treasures. His disciples had severed their ties with the world. This is different from those still under the curse of sinfulness. While many claim to be followers of God, often it is the god of this world they would be following.
Regrettably, such individuals use Scriptures to refer to the common man, leading to widespread deception and diminishing the Lord’s name to a subject of mockery. The stark reality of poverty makes it challenging to uphold Christianity. Yet, for those earnestly seeking truth, it becomes clear that Jesus’ teachings resonate with those who forsake all to follow Him. These individuals stand apart from the world, frequently overlooked and subjected to poor treatment, yet they are spiritually safeguarded. They dedicate their lives to serving the divine, rendering the end of their earthly existence a matter of indifference to them.
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:25-34 NKJV).
The above Scripture is not intended for the general populace. It is aimed at God’s children, who are no longer considered as part of this world. Not recognizing this distinction is a grave mistake. God’s children are exempt from the edict to toil for survival, as was mandated to Adam. They have returned to their status as God’s offspring, despite confronting the harsh conditions of the sinful world. God may not always shield them physically, but He ensures their spiritual safeguarding.
Paul gave a specific directive to the Thessalonians, who might not have fully grasped the principle of God’s Kingdom. He advised them to work, or else not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Open invitation to Christianity might have led to misunderstandings, as some could interpret God’s call as an endorsement of idleness. However, the children of God are inherently industrious, guided by divine direction in their dedication to labour. Their work transcends the mere pursuit of material gain for survival; it becomes a meaningful endeavour to serve humanity.
Hard work is a divine principle that emphasizes serving over being served. The children of God have various roles within the Church, each serving according to individual spiritual gifts. When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He exemplified the principle of hard work for His followers to emulate. Jesus seldom had time to rest, professing that His work was a virtue. “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (John 5:17 NKJV).
Entry into God’s Kingdom begins with the principle of diligent work for the benefit of others, distinct from business endeavours to earn profit. Hard work is spiritually motivated as if God were acting through the individual. A person with such motivation does not seek recognition for their service to humanity. This aspect of Christianity may seem unappealing to the secular mind. Secular individuals are preoccupied with survival, whereas the believer focuses on achieving as much as possible before death. The believer embraces the prospect of death, while the secular person strives to extend longevity.
Physical survival is paradoxically a death condition, albeit unbeknownst to living beings. A person who does not acknowledge death inevitability is, essentially dead, as declared to Adam. Death signifies a lack of awareness of being alive. While physically alive, the physical body mirrors a spiritual death, rendering one unaware of their divine origin. Such an individual is essentially lifeless. As introverts, their purpose in life passes unnoticed. The remembrance of their existence in this world fades from memory, eventually to be forgotten. The children of God may also be overlooked at times, but their future rewards are secured for their divine service.
Worldliness often entices those lacking spiritual awareness, whose survival instincts are akin to animals’ instincts. Even though they are divinely created, they perish like beasts. The attraction to worldly things stems from pride, which originates from Satan. This growing pride often leads individuals to abandon their spiritual calling, in favour of a materialistic existence, often without their awareness. The problem with spiritual blindness is that those affected think they have sight, yet they are blind (John 9:41). Such blindness is exacerbated by the belief that one is superior to others.
“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV).
Observing how a fish is lured to bait culminating in its trap is intriguing. Similarly, when Christianity is employed as an enticement, it can lead to misunderstandings. Christianity is only meaningful when seen as transcending physical existence. The propagation of misconceptions in Christianity has often been fueled by a focus on materialism over spirituality. In impoverished conditions, the acquisition of wealth is often deemed as a blessing, regardless of how it is obtained. Even thieves are considered as blessed by God. The issue is the scarcity of God’s servants emphasizing God’s truth.
The notion of worldliness may be regarded as the life force. The world’s inherent pattern is to endure for a set period before facing an inevitable conclusion. Those who cling to the idea of eternal life in this realm are misguided. Worldliness denotes a transient state, a trap from which humans ought to seek escape. Humanity’s worth surpasses any worldly scale, for its essence lies beyond this realm. Although this perspective may not be universally accepted, it resonates with those whom Christ endeavours to awaken. We are tasked with being our brothers’ guardians, not their overseers, though. Offering what we deem beneficial to them is the modest duty expected by God. Witnessing the demise of humanity is as distressing, as it is to God.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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