Saturday, February 17, 2007

Worldliness

2 Corinthians 6:17 "Be ye separate..."

A story is told of a gentleman who had a splendid singing canary. A friend wanted to see if he could teach his sparrows to sing by keeping the canary with them. He borrowed it and placed it in the cage with the sparrows. Instead, however, of teaching them to sing, the poor bird got so timid among the strange birds that it stopped singing altogether, and did nothing but chirp like the sparrows. The owner then took it back, but still it would not sing. It then occured to him to put it beside another canary which sang well. This had the desired effect, and, regaining the old note, it sang as well as ever.
Many Christians go, like the canary, into the strange company of worldlings, and consequently, they not only do not teach the world to sing their happy glorious note of praise, but they cannot sing the old songs of praise in a strange land themselves, and soon they learn the sorrowful note of the world.
The best thing for such is to go back again into the more genial society of happy, rejoicing Christians, among whom they will soon learn to sing the glorious notes of praise again, making melody in their hearts.
We see what contact with the world does in the following examples:
Worldliness robbed Abram of communion and joy when he went down to Egypt. Genesis 12:10-20
Worldiness vexed Lot and caused him to escape only with his life from Sodom. Genesis 19:17; 2 Peter 2:7
Worldliness emptied Naomi of her store and satsifaction. Ruth 1:12
Worldliness nearly cost Jehosaphat his life when he joined affinity with Ahab. 1 Chronicles 18:1, 31
Worldliness blighted and blasted the life of Demas. 2 Timothy 4:10
Worldliness tripped Peter up to his hurt and sorrow. Luke 22:54-62
Worldliness cursed and damned Balaam. Jude 11; Numbers 16:1
If we resist the devil he will flee from us, but if we resist the world it will flee at us; therefore, ignore it!

6 comments:

Ethel said...

That's a really good post guys. How true it is, the world can utterly destroy a soul.
Keep up the good work. I really enjoy reading your posts.

Anonymous said...

Good Post! I am glad that there our still preachers preaching stay out of the world and be seperate. You would be amazed how many churches that use to stand for standards in dress, and other things have dropped that standard. The Bible is still our authority and it tells us not to love the world neither things that are in the world.
Bro Tim

The Good Reporters said...

Sis. Ethel,

Thanks for your comment.

Bro. Tim,

It is sad to see churches that used to be strong in their standards, all of a sudden drop them to the things of this world. Thanks for your comment.

Sis. Julie said...

Our home church is a church that dropped their standard of dress (they aren't as strong on that now) and on divorce (they don't say anything against it anymore) and I'm not sure what else but that is enough for me. How sad!!

Anonymous said...

It is true that churches have declined... even though the preacher preaches his heart out against worldliness, the people do what they want. I've seen this happen and it is sad that they don't listen to the Lord's heeding through the preaching!

Good post!!! I'm glad to see you writing again :-)

NoHayNada said...

I enjoyed the canary story. I'm single and in the Army where there are pressures to do wrong and live a worldly life style, but thanks be to God that He keeps His children (I Peter 1:3-5)when they submit to Him. Remembering and meditating on these verses Ephesians 5:10-11 and Proverbs 4:23-24 it helps.