Rule #2: Guard Against Worldliness (8 Rules for Growing in Godliness)

March 30, 2017 #sanctification #worldlinessSHARE

There are certain words and ideas that, over time, fall out of favor. Once they have fallen out of favor, it
is not long before they fall out of common parlance. Sometimes, when words are archaic or their ideas
unbiblical, this is the church’s gain. At other times, though, this is the church’s loss, for words may be
useful and their ideas key to the Christian life and faith. At such times we do well to reclaim them, to
introduce them to a new generation.

Worldliness is a word and idea that has been recently neglected. Perhaps this is because it was abused
in the era of fundamentalism, when innocuous pleasures were held to be dangerous distractions. Or
perhaps this is because we prefer not to feel the weight of its conviction. Perhaps this is the work of
Satan, who wishes to mask one of his masterpieces. Either way, the Bible has much to say about the
world and its influence upon us. It has much to say about how we can and must refuse to be of the
world, even while we live in the world.

In this article, we continue our “8 Rules for Growing in Godliness,” a series of instructions drawn from a
great preacher of days gone by. Together these rules teach how we, as Christians, can be ever more
conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The second rule for growing in godliness is this: Guard against
worldliness.

The World and Worldliness

In his first letter, the Apostle John lays out the challenge and the danger of worldliness. “Do not love the
world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John
2:15). There is a stark contrast here between two opposing options: We can love the world, or we can
love God, but we cannot love both. We can follow and obey the world, or we can follow and obey God,
but we cannot serve two masters. Only one will own our heart, only one can claim our ultimate
allegiance. That choice lies before us.

What is the “world”? In days past, some Christians took it to mean the earth and everything in it, as if
there is something intrinsically wrong with experiencing pleasure in God’s creation. But this cannot be,
for John would not contradict Paul who insists, “everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be
rejected if it is received with thanksgiving…” (1 Timothy 4:4). The “world,” then, is not a place but a
system. It is a way of thinking and living that rejects God’s rule. It is enthusiasm for the temporal and
apathy for the eternal. It is living as if this world is all there is. To love the world is to value what
unbelievers value, to foster ungodly desires and attitudes, to indulge in what is delightful to those who
refuse to delight in God.

Worldliness is a failure to renew our minds by the Word of God so we can live in a manner pleasing to
God.

Those who love the world naturally succumb to worldliness. Worldliness is a failure to renew our minds
by the Word of God so we can live in a manner pleasing to God. It is the failure to think and live in
distinctly godly ways. It is the failure to become who God has called us to be through the gospel.

Worldliness is first a matter of the heart’s desires, then the mind’s meditations, then the hands’ actions.
We all enter this world as lovers of the world who are in desperate need of salvation. It is only God’s
work of saving grace that allows us to see our captivity, only the light of the gospel that frees us from
our former blindness. Every Christian must then put off the old worldliness to embrace the new
godliness. Thus, we have the choice before us: Will we be worldly, or will we be godly? Will we remain
conformed to this world, or will we be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2)? We
make the decision once and for all when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, and we make the decision
again day by day as we battle to work out our salvation by putting sin to death and coming alive to
righteousness (Philippians 2:12, Colossians 3:9-10).

Christians who mean to grow in godliness must be vigilant to guard against worldliness, for worldliness is
a wily foe and a constant tempter. Few who profess Christ set out to be worldly, yet multitudes bear the
world’s imprint. Just as some jump off the dock into a cold lake, while others creep down the ladder so
their bodies can adjust, some who profess faith plunge into worldliness rapidly, while others become
worldly through a long and slow immersion.

Some make a close study of the world and its ways, then deliberately imitate what they observe. We see
this often with those raised in Christian families, ready to gain their independence. They purpose to be
worldly and easily achieve their goal. They inevitably drift from the faith. Tragically, many are lost
forever.

More commonly, though, Christians become worldly by neglect. We fail to be watchful, to maintain an
offensive posture against the world’s attraction and intrusion. We neglect the means of grace, allowing
ourselves to lose confidence in the ordinary means of Word, prayer, and fellowship. Having lost our
confidence in them, we soon forsake them altogether. We neglect to approach ungodly entertainment
with due caution, so that what at first shocks us soon amuses and delights us. We neglect Christian
friendship and instead ally ourselves with people who have no affection for God and no desire for
holiness. Through such neglect we slowly lower ourselves into the waters of worldliness. Soon, we find
sin has begun to look attractive and holiness has begun to look futile.

Expelling Worldliness

To be healthy and growing Christians, we must maintain a close watch, guarding against the least
encroachment of worldliness. We must be aware of its existence and its allure. We must be aware of its
ease, for while godliness requires tenacity, worldliness takes only apathy. Whereas we can easily coast
into worldliness, we will not attain the least godliness without persistence. And we must be aware that
either godliness will drive out worldliness, or worldliness will drive out godliness. They cannot coexist
any more than light can mingle with darkness, than God can cohabit with devils.

Ultimately, it is our love for Christ that will overcome our latent worldliness.

Ultimately, it is our love for Christ that will overcome our latent worldliness. Our new affection for Christ
has what one Puritan referred to as an “expulsive power,” an ability to expel whatever competes with it,
diminishes it, or threatens to supplant it. Thus it becomes our duty and delight to fix our eyes on Christ.
“In this duty I desire to live and to die,” said John Owen. “On Christ’s glory I would fix all my thoughts
and desires, and the more I see of the glory of Christ, the more the painted beauties of this world will
wither in my eyes and I will be more and more crucified to this world. It will become to me like
something dead and putrid, impossible for me to enjoy.”

Conclusion

The first rule of godliness warned us of our tendency to lose our confidence in the means God has
provided for our sanctification. The second rule warns us against spiritual slumber, of failing to maintain
a close watch against a fearsome, cunning enemy. If you long to be godly, determine not to be worldly.
Guard against the least encroachment of worldliness and fight for every appearance of godliness.

The “8 Rules for Growing in Godliness” are drawn from the work of Thomas Watson. Here are the words
that inspired this article: “If you would be godly, take heed of the world: it is hard for a clod of dust
become a star, 1 John ii. 15. ‘Love not the world:’ many would be godly, but the honours and profits of
the world divert them; where the world fills both head and heart, there is no room for Christ; he whose
mind is rooted in the earth, is likely enough to deride godliness; when our Saviour was preaching against
sin, the Pharisees, who were covetous, derided him, Luke xvi. 14. The world eats out the heart of
godliness, as the ivy eats out the heart of the oak; the world kills with her silver darts.”

10 Everyday Life Examples Of Conformity

Man is a kind of super-dense living atom in the system of social reality. We all are guided and
surrounded by several social rules and regulation, which we have to follow to live in society. We follow
these rules throughout our life, like behaving well in the class, respecting elders, following norms of the
community and many more. When we deviate from these norms that are present within the culture,
environment, family or social groups that we belong to, we often feel pressure from others to conform
to the beliefs and values that members of the group believe in.

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Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a
group or go along the people around you

Compliance– It involves changing our behavior while we are still internally disagreeing with the group. It
is shallow conformity.

Internalization– It involves changing our behavior, also internally as we believe in the viewpoint of the
group. It is deep conformity.