How can we guard against being "worldly" in our church community? Seeing the Warning in Jude 1:19 “These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.” Worldliness is not a harmless trend; it is a sign of being “devoid of the Spirit.” Where the Spirit’s influence is missing, division soon follows. Guarding the church, therefore, begins with guarding the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit among us. Recognizing the Markers of Worldliness 1. Divisive attitudes • Gossip, party-spirit, turf-protection (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:3). 2. Carnal priorities • Comfort, entertainment, image, and numbers matter more than holiness (cf. 1 John 2:16). 3. Diminished hunger for Scripture • Sermons become motivational talks; Bible study gets replaced with “life tips.” 4. Compromise in morality • What once shocked now feels normal (cf. Romans 12:2). Guardrails that Keep a Church from Sliding • Anchor every gathering in the Word – Teach, read, and sing Scripture. – Acts 20:32: “Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up…”. • Cultivate Spirit-led worship rather than performance – Ephesians 5:18-19: “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs…” • Establish accountable relationships – Hebrews 3:13: “Encourage one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” • Practice church discipline lovingly but firmly – 1 Corinthians 5:6: “Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?” • Prioritize prayer meetings – Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” – Prayer tunes our hearts away from the world and toward God’s agenda. • Model sacrificial generosity – 1 Timothy 6:18-19: “Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous…” – Generosity weakens materialism’s grip. Pursuing the Opposite Spirit • Walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) – Daily surrender keeps fleshly cravings at bay. • Bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) – Love counters self-promotion, joy counters cynicism, peace counters quarrels. • Set minds on things above (Colossians 3:2) – Regular reminders of eternity re-align present priorities. • Love not the world (1 John 2:15) – A conscious, ongoing choice; worldliness fades when affection for the Father grows. Continual Self-Check for Every Ministry Team Ask: • Is this decision driven by biblical truth or by cultural trends? • Does it produce unity in the Spirit or feed personal agendas? • Will it showcase Christ or our own brand? Encouragement to Stay Vigilant Worldliness infiltrates quietly, but the Spirit guards powerfully. Stay in the Word, stay in step with the Spirit, and the church family will shine as a counter-culture that draws the world to Christ rather than mirrors it. |
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