How can Christians avoid the temptations described in Revelation 18:16 today? Reading the Warning “ ‘Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls.’ ” (Revelation 18:16) The verse pictures a society so obsessed with wealth, status, and sensual luxury that it draws God’s judgment. Today’s world markets the same glittering promises. Here’s how to stay clear. Spotting Modern Echoes of Babylon • Designer labels and luxury branding that feed pride • Social-media lifestyles glamorizing excess • Entertainment normalizing sexual indulgence • Business cultures that reward greed over integrity • “Retail therapy” and compulsive spending to numb emptiness Guardrails for the Heart • Treasure Christ above stuff – “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) • Choose contentment – “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) • Guard the eyes – “The lust of the eyes…is not from the Father.” (1 John 2:16) • Remember the outcome of Babylon – Her collapse is swift and final (Revelation 18:17-19). Practices That Keep Us Free • Budget with generosity in mind; give first (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). • Keep a gratitude journal to fight envy. • Fast periodically from unnecessary spending or media. • Serve among the poor to reset values (Proverbs 19:17). • Meet regularly with believers who ask hard questions (Hebrews 10:24-25). Encouragement from Other Passages • Hebrews 13:5 – “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.” • Colossians 3:2 – “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” • 1 John 2:17 – “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” Living Set Apart Babylon’s dazzle is temporary; the Lamb’s kingdom is eternal. Investing daily in holiness, generosity, and loving fellowship guards us from the same temptations—and points a watching world to the far better riches found in Christ. |
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