So often we’re ignorant of the signs, the symptoms of worldliness.  People can be attending church, singing the songs, apparently listening to the sermons – no different on the outside than they’ve always been.

But inside, that person is drifting.  He sits in church but is not excited to be there.  She sings songs without affection.  He listens to preaching without conviction.  She hears but does not apply.

A love for the world begins in the soul.  It’s subtle, not always immediately obvious to others, and often undetected by the people who are slowly succumbing to its lies.

It begins with a dull conscience and a listless soul.  Sin does not grieve him like it once did.  Passion for the Savior begins to cool.  Affections grow dim.  Excitement lessens for participating in the local church.  Eagerness to evangelize starts to wane.  Growth in godliness slows to a crawl.

                                                                        Worldliness, C.J.  Mahaney

Does that describe you?  Are you a follower on the verge to being a deserter?  Are you drifting? 

I am sure some of us can think of a time when we were more passionate for God and the work of the ministry. How about now?

I am afraid that believers have gone down a slippery slope that we were warned about even back in Paul’s day in II Corinthians 10:12 “But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”  I believe that many Christian young people live this way.  We use other people to set our standards for living instead of going to the Bible.

One of the greatest challenges for Christian young people today is not persecution from the world for their faith, but the overwhelming seduction by the world!

The Bible clearly teaches over and over again for us to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” I John 2:15, and sadly for many believers today we have justified our own sin enough that many people in this world do not recognize us as believers.

How can I tell if I am a worldly person?  Joel Beeke writes,

             “The goal of a worldly person is to move forward rather than upward, to live horizontally rather                than vertically.  They seek after outward prosperity rather than holiness.  They burst with                          selfish desires rather than heartfelt supplications.  If they do not deny God, they ignore and                        forget Him, or else they use Him only for their selfish ends.  Worldliness….is human nature                       without God.

                       Joel Beeke, Overcoming the World: Grace to Win the Daily Battle

Lets strive to continue to live lives that Matthew 5:16 talks about, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”