Worldliness vs godliness
“Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,” (Titus 2:12 ESV)
Comparing worldliness with godliness
Worldly people:
Worldly people are devoid of the Spirit
“It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” (Jude 1:19 ESV)
Worldly people love the things in the world rather than doing God’s will
“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. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17 ESV)
Worldly people who wish to be friends of the world makes themselves to be enemies of God
“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4 ESV)
Worldly people are loved by the world and godly people are hated by them
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19 ESV)
Worldly people may appear Godly but they deny its power
“Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Tim. 3:5 ESV)
“For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4 ESV)
Godly people:
Godly people are not conformed to the world but are transformed by the renewal of their mind
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)
Godly people have their minds set on things above
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:2 ESV)
Godly people aren’t conformed to passions of their former ignorance
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,” (1 Peter 1:14 ESV)
Godly people are effective and fruitful
“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 5:1-8 ESV)
Godly people will be persecuted
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” (2 Tim. 3:12 ESV)
Godly people have great gain in godliness with contentment
“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” (1 Tim. 6:6 ESV)
Therefore…
“No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (2 Tim. 2:4 ESV)
“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 15:15-16 ESV)
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27 ESV)
Quotes:
“We must meet the uncertainties of this world with the certainty of the world to come.” - A. W. Tozer
“May the things of this world so lose their power over us that we do not in the slightest wish to be "worldly"; nay, we even delight in not remaining "in the world.” - Watchman Nee
“The best means of resisting the devil is, to destroy whatever of the world remains in us, in order to raise for God, upon its ruins, a building all of love. Then shall we begin, in this fleeting life, to love God as we shall love him in eternity. - John Wesley
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