Worldliness

We are beginning this journey by emptying us of us. The Bible tells us, as followers of Christ, those who have been bought with the blood of Jesus, who are filled with the Spirit, that we are not to love the things of this world. I know this is a stark contrast to many of the things being taught today, but we must know that, as followers of Christ, we are to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.

The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12 that we are not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. This word, renewing, comes from the Greek word, anakainosis, which means to renovate. In this context, it means we are to get rid of all of our old worldly ways of thinking, acting, and living, and begin to replace these with the things of God.

In 1 John 2:15-20, it gives us some stern warnings about those who love the world, what it will cause, and what it truly means. It says if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. It also speaks to the temporariness of the world and its desires. But those who do the will of God live forever.

As we start this 21-day plan, we must strive to rid ourselves of love for the world. We cannot serve two masters – we must choose God or the world. Once we choose God, we must rid ourselves of the ungodly love that still may reside in our hearts.