The Trap Of Carnality

Nine Marks of Worldliness - I John 2:15,16 (Preoccupations that are wrong, pride, pleasures, possessions, popularity, power obsession, position oriented, people pleasing, and privilege for selfish reasons)

Illustration: That evening, the assassin John Wilks Booth stopped in a saloon near the Ford Theatre and used alcohol to nerve himself for what was to be his date with history. One drink, two drinks, three drinks and on…

Later that night Lincoln’s bodyguard John F. Parker was distracted while the president and party were comfortably enjoying the performance of “Our American Cousin” in the Ford Theatre. Charles Forbes (Lincoln’s footman) and Francis P. Burke (Lincoln’s coachman) left the Ford theatre with Parker for a drink at presumably the same saloon as John Wilks Booth had just left. While Parker was distracted in the saloon the door to the presidential box was left unguarded. John Wilks Booth went on the attack and slipped into the presidential box during the performance and shot Lincoln.

Those two saloon visits just could be the most costly drinks in American history!

It’s just like the enemy to distract us from our duties and then take advantage of the situation to wreck havoc. Happens to me all the time. Just when I am comfortable in a situation along comes Satan to mix things up. It could be relationships, ministry events or my marriage. His plan is to distract and attack.

Quote: "Too many people forget that Satan desires to sift us like wheat so he can steal, slaughter, kill and destroy us and everything that is good. Worldliness opens to the door to all forms of evil in our personal life, relationships and ministries."

Definition of Worldliness:Worldliness is the lust of the flesh (a passion for sensual satisfaction), the lust of the eyes (an inordinate desire for the finer things of life), and the pride of life (self-satisfaction in who we are, what we have, and what we have done). Worldliness, then, is a preoccupation with ease and affluence. It elevates creature comfort to the point of idolatry; large salaries and comfortable life-styles become necessities of life.

Worldliness is not just about reading certain magazines of people who live hedonistic lives and spend too much money on themselves and but secretly wanting to be like them. But more importantly, worldliness is simply pride and selfishness in disguise. It’s being resentful when someone snubs us or patronizes us or shows off. It means smarting under every slight, challenging every word spoken against us, cringing when another is preferred before us. Worldliness is harboring grudges, nursing grievance, and wallowing in self-pity. These are the some of the ways in which we evidence a love for the world.

Dave Roper, The Strength of a Man, quoted in Family Survival in the American Jungle, Steve Farrar, 1991, Multnomah Press, p. 68.

"Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see and the pride of our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world." (I John 2:15,16)

Too many people think that worldliness is something limited to external behavior. Other think worldliness is hanging out with the wrong kinds of people. Worldliness is a wrong attitude of the heart that indicates a lack of a totally consuming love for the Lord God.

It is important to remember that the Lord hates sin. God’s wrath is directed toward all forms of the sins of worldliness. Those who fail to commit themselves to the Lord Jesus will not only miss God’s blessings but experience God’s displeasure. There are many ways that worldliness dilutes, pollutes and distorts the thinking of billions to their own detriment.

The following are nine characteristics that indicate if a person is falling into the trap of worldliness. Let us focus on loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength and mind so we can avoid any speck of the love of this world and have to suffer the consequences.

Be open to letting the Spirit of God help you evaluate, expose and eradicate any traces of worldliness in your life. Be careful that you may not be evidencing the love of the Father in all areas of their life, relationships and activities.

1. PREOCCUPATIONS WITH EARTHLY CONCERNS. Americans are busy people. We like to stay active but are tempted to get preoccupied with things that distract us from Christ and His kingdom priorities. Things things preoccupy our minds so there is little room left over for what is best. Paul wrote, "Set your thoughts on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Col. 3:1-3)