Foundational Series: 3. Freedom from the World (勝過世界的生命)
Primary texts: Matt. 4:8-10, 6:19-24, 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 4:5-8, 9:25, 16:13; John 15:19, 16:33, 17:14-18, 18:36; Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 4:4; Gal. 6:14; Eph. 6:12; Phil. 3:7-8; 1 Tim. 6:10; 2 Tim. 4:10; Heb. 11:38; 1 John 2:15-17, 4:4-6, 5:4-5.
1. The World and its Characteristics
- Being worldly does not necessarily mean a great ambition for money and things, a Christian is worldly as long as he is not passionate for God. Although he may not crave material things and fame like others, but he is worldly in his own ways. His complacency and lukewarmness are his worldliness. (1 John 2:15-17; Matt. 6:19-24)
- There are certain things and activities in the world that are neutral in themselves: money, material things, certain activities and entertainments etc. God created the world for us to enjoy and utilize. (Genesis creation account; 1 Tim. 6:10)
- Since the fall of man, the devil tries to make us love the world more than God. He does this by corrupting and deceiving our thinking, thus making us place a higher value on the things of this physical world than God and relationship with Him and others. There’s a vast hole in every single person born on this earth (because of the Fall and separation from God), so people are constantly looking for meaning, happiness and love. The devil makes people believe that the world in itself will satisfy this emptiness. But the fact is even when we have the whole world, we’ll not be happy. In fact, it will only make us more unfulfilled and miserable at the end. (2 Cor. 4:4; Matt.16:26)
- Although Christians have the power to overcome the devil, the world, and their sinful nature, but it’s not automatic and, sadly, many Christians are carnal and world-loving Christians. (1 John 4:4-6, 5:4-5)
- We either love the world or God, there’s no middle ground and we can’t have both.
2. Who is a Worldly Christian?
- We will know whether we love the world by our fruit: what we are and produce says more than what we claim to be. Two groups of Christians that love the world more than God: 1) Lukewarm Christians who love the world in the world’s way, or in their own ways, 2) Christians who want both God and the world. This is not a fact to condemn people, but speaking the truth in love so we will see the need to change.
- Christians who love the world in the world’s way tend to see God as an Aladdin's lamp (they may not know it). They want God to provide and protect them, but they don’t really want to change and don’t care about God’s Kingdom. Their lifestyles are so similar to many worldly unbelievers that it’s hard to differentiate the two.
- Christians who are worldly in their own ways may not care about material things as much, but their lack of passion for God is still their worldliness because the world isn’t passionate about God. It’s hard for this group of people to recognize their worldliness and need for change since they don’t have strong ambitions for money and worldly success. Their lifestyle and speech may not seem worldly but their lives do not have an actual positive impact on others, and sometimes they may think they’re more spiritual than Christians who are after riches and fame, but they are not. (Rev. 3:15-19)
- Christians who want both the world and God may follow God passionately, but they also desire the world. But since the values of God and the world are contradicting each other, at the end, they will have to choose between one, or they will become lukewarm.
3. The Way to be Free from the World and Avoid Pitfalls
- We will never overcome anything if we’re under its influence in the first place; we are in the world, but not of the world. (John 16:33)
- Experiencing God and knowing the truth will renew our minds and lives back to the original state of glory, blessedness, and right-mindedness. (John 17:14-18; Rom. 12:2)
- The focus is not on “not loving the world,” but “loving God.” We’ll only lose our sight of the world when we gain sight of the beauty and true riches in a lively relationship with God. E.g. darkness is the result of the lack of light. (Phil. 3:7-8; Gal. 6:14)
* Finding the Balance: watch out for 2 major pitfalls in pursuing freedom from the world.
- The first is to watch out for greed and pride. Many Christians started out loving God, but as they gained positions either in the world or in the church, they lost their first love. Hence, these world-loving Christians will abuse their gifts and influence for worldly gains and recognition. They may be passionate in their external services, but their hearts are not right. These folks can have very high positions, or fulltime church workers, or even renown figures in Christendom or the world (e.g. King Saul, Judas Iscariot, the Pharisees, Demas). Remember, fame and wealth are not signs of spirituality.
- The second pitfall is legalism. There are two types of legalists. Both try to work their spirituality by outward rules, regulations and actions. They classify certain things, activities or relating to certain people as being spiritual or not spiritual. The first group of legalists is judgmental on other Christians and non-Christians. They enjoy their rules, like the Pharisees, because they think they’re more “enlightened” and “spiritual” (though they may not admit it). The second type of legalists is legalistic due to their ignorance of true spirituality. Many in this group do not enjoy the Christian life, and some in this group relate and serve God out of fear and religious duties because they don’t really know God.
- Being spiritual is not so much about our outward actions but more about our hearts. When our hearts love the world, all that we do, including Christian services, are done with impure motives. When our hearts truly love God above all else, everything in the world are just there as means for us to experience God, because we live a lifestyle above the world and we have overcome it. That’s why some Christians can’t find God no matter what they do, but some Christians hear God in all things, even in trivial matters and recreational activities. (Col. 3:23-24)
Concluding Remarks:
- Jesus’ example in the desert and His life of simplicity. He had a mission to fulfill when He came to the earth, and so are we. (Matt. 4:8-10; Heb. 10:7)
- After all, who wants to worship this “crazy world”? So many are destroyed by greed for money and power, apathy, and all kinds of pain and delusions. The ones who live above this world will shine forth the Light, the Way, the Truth and the Life, in a crying world.
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