“Warning Against Worldliness”
Sunday, June 29, 2025Key Verse
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2)
Text —Colossians 3:1-7
Message
According to Kevin DeYoung, “Worldliness is whatever makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange.” His statement underscores why Apostle Paul urges believers to focus on heavenly things, guard against worldly allure, and strive for holiness. Paul identified immorality, impurity, unhealthy passions, and covetousness as worldly qualities that believers must avoid. Worldliness encompasses thoughts, preferences, desires, emotions, and attitudes towards people and objects, and focusing on secular values rather than the spiritual. The Israelites were out of Egypt but their hearts still lusted after the leaks, onions and garlics of Egypt. That is worldliness. Symptoms include materialism, selfish ambition, pursuit of mundane things, and conformity to societal norms that conflict with Scriptural standards. Worldliness hinders spiritual growth and maturity.
Warnings against worldliness emphasize prioritizing spiritual values and aligning one’s life with faith teachings, and living out godly virtues like compassion, contentment, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love, thereby pleasing God in every aspect of our lives. The wrath of God awaits those who persist in worldly ways. Living with an eternal perspective helps us resist the pull of worldliness.
Quote
Worldliness hinders spiritual growth
Challenge
Focus on Christ and ignore worldly distractions.
Prayer for today
Dear God, help me to resist the temptations to worldliness.