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bradfreeman

How worldly is your church? How churchy is your world?

Acts-dicted Posts: 9027 **6/2/16 8:34 am**

Most of the church doesn't have a clue what "worldly" even means.

Most of the church thinks you're worldly if:

1. You're tolerant. Romans 2:4 says its God's tolerance that brings repentance.

2. You refuse to condemn sinners. Jesus offered no condemnation to anyone - John 3:17; John 8:11; Rom. 8:1

3. You hang out with whores, drunkards and other sinners. Jesus did - Luke 15:2

4. You drink. Jesus did. Mat. 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

5. You don't keep their set of religious rules - Gal. 3:1-14; Gal 5:21

The worldliness Jesus' rebuked was the churchy idea that you can scrub the outside of the cup enough to be righteous.

The worldliness Jesus' cursed was that cursed fig tree of religion that could only cover shame and couldn't produce any fruit.

The worldliness Jesus' denounced was the self-righteousness of believing (like the pharisee in Luke 18) that because you go to church, fast, pay tithes, pray, thank God and avoid sin, you are OK with God.

Luke 18:9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Most of the church still has its mouth so full of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil that it's blind to the Truth.

Worldliness is listening to the god of this world and relying on Moses (your self-righteous rule-keeping) and not turning to and relying on Christ (His righteousness and free gift of eternal life).

2 Cor. 3:15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away... 2 Cor.4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Worldliness is finding and measuring your life by the rules of this world.

Col. 2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

The world hated Jesus.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you." John 15:18

The world that hated Jesus wasn't the whores, drunkards and tax collectors...they loved and ate with Jesus. They washed His feet with tears of love.

The world that hated Jesus was the self-righteous, the churchy, those who trusted in their own behavior to earn God's approval, acceptance and blessing.

The world that hated Jesus was the group that loved to throw rocks at the guilty, condemn sinners and look down on those whose behavior didn't meet their standards.

John 11:53 So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

The church is worldly alright. But it's not because our hair is too short, or too long or we wear make-up or drink coffee or listen to Miley Cyrus or subscribe to HBO.

If the church is worldly it's because it's self-righteous, mean-spirited, arrogant, condemning, judgmental, intolerant and proud.
_________________
I'm not saved because I'm good. I'm saved because He's good!

My website: www.bradfreeman.com
My blog: http://bradcfreeman.tumblr.com/

wayne

guilty

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1274 **6/2/16 9:54 am**

My church is worldly. We have people come to church in their dirty work clothes, in flip flops, pants, short hair, jewelry and!!! we even have drunks, people that are high on who knows what and women who are not wearing dresses or skirts! Shocked

Cojak

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **6/2/16 4:31 pm**

I agree Brad. Some of us 'old folk' have learned what our righteousness is. Some of us old folk remember the list of rules, smile at some of them and are glad there was a change (in our denomination). However (there always seems to be a however or a but), when 'the list' is learned from childhood as if it was given by God Himself, some seniors (and others) CANNOT change, it is embedded. 'tis so in every religious movement, you know that. I still understand and love 'em. I think, even the Lord understands 'em, and still loves 'em.

Smile

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Re: How worldly is your church? How churchy is your world?

Acts-perienced Poster Posts: 11849 **6/4/16 1:18 pm**