Grow Up To Grow Out Matters of Maturity, Part II Worldliness Vs. Spirituality 1 John 2:15-17 Jim Beasley Sunday, December 5th, 2010

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Review Three things that will help us bring glory to God: Resist the temptation to gravitate towards the negative. Think before you act! Spend much time in prayer. Make a pearl out of the situation.

Scriptural Warnings Against Worldliness 2 Corinthians 6:14a "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers...." "Therefore, 2 Corinthians 6:17 “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Scriptural Warnings Against Worldliness James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 2 Timothy 4:10 "for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica”

Making Our List and Checking It Twice 1 John 2:16 "All that is in the world ... is not of the Father,"

Characteristics of Worldliness Nine characteristics that indicate if a person is falling into the trap of worldliness Preoccupations With Earthly Concerns Colossians 3:1-3 "Set your thoughts on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Pride 1 Corinthians 10:12 "If anyone thinks he stand, let him take heed lest he falls.” I Peter 5:5-6 "God humbles the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Characteristics of Worldliness Pleasures Romans 8:6-8 "The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” Possessions Matthew 6:24 "Do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” Popularity Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Characteristics of Worldliness Power Obsession 2 Corinthians 12:7 “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Position Seekers I Corinthians 3:1-5 "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, "I follow Paul and another, I follow Apollos, are you not mere men? What, after all is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe- as the Lord has assigned to each his task."

Characteristics of Worldliness People Pleasing I Corinthians 4:3, 4 "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” Privileges Seen As Self-centered Rights Psalm 107:9 "He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with what is good.