Mahaney writes, “Today, the greatest challenge facing American evangelicals is not persecution from 
the world, but seduction by the world.” (Worldliness, 22) C. J. Mahaney (author of the Humility book we worked through in small group last year) and some others from Sovereign Grace Ministries released a book several months ago called Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World. The book’s purpose is simple, it is a call to pay attention to the warning of Scripture concerning worldliness. In particular, the Scripture that is discussed is 1 John 2:15-17:
“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.” (ESV)
From this text, the following simple definition of worldliness is formed: Worldliness is a love for this fallen world. This love, is to the exclusion of God.
Over the next few days it is my intention to make several posts through this book. These posts will in no way take the place of the value that you will get from reading the book, they are intended as a means to get you into the discussion and thinking about these things. These are the issues that are addressed in the book: Media, Music, Stuff, and Clothes. There is then a chapter which describes the way in which we are actually to love the world.
You can purchase the book here.
Why this is important for you!
I know what you may be thinking, a discussion on worldliness sounds like it will be a legalistic one, full of “don’t do this” and “don’t do that”. However, that response and that focus on externals is precisely the problem, and something that can cause us to be dull to worldliness, until it is too late and we have been seduced by the world. Mahaney makes this point clear, and this is why this is so important for us, “[worldliness] exists in our hearts. Worldliness does not consist in outward behavior, though our outward actions can certainly be an evidence of worldliness within. But the real location of worldliness is internal. It resides in our hearts.” Worldliness is so important because it is not simply about what you do, but what you love. And when we love ourselves or something above God, then we worship idols and we don’t worship Him.
So I hope that you will follow these posts. Increasing in our love for God and decreasing in our love for the fallen world will honor God in Trinity Church. So I hope that you will join the discussion, and encourage your brothers and sisters to battle worldliness to the glory of God.
