Chapter Twenty: Worldliness
CHAPTER TWENTY
Worldliness
Worldliness means different things to different people. For our Amish friends, it means such things as electricity, telephones, and automobiles. For the very conservative church in which I grew up, it was a list of prohibited activities, such as dancing, card playing, and going to movies. Without meaning to denigrate either of these views, we should understand that worldliness is much broader than a list of prohibited activities or modern-day conveniences.
Two passages of Scripture will help us understand the concept of worldliness. The first is 1 John 2:15-16, where John exhorts us not to love the world and then describes the things of the world as the [sinful] desires of the flesh and the eyes as well as pride in possessions. These three expressions seem to indicate that John has in mind desires and attitudes that we would see today as being clearly sinful. Since, however, we have been considering what I call more acceptable or subtle sins, there is another passage from Paul that will help us understand the “acceptable” aspects of worldliness.
That passage is 1 Corinthians 7:31, which is translated in the New International Version as, “… those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” Different translations use different expressions to convey the same thought. The warning, then, is that though we use the legitimate things of the world, we should handle them with care lest they become too important to us.
Based on Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 7:31, I define worldliness as being attached to, engrossed in, or preoccupied with the things of this temporal life. The things of this temporal life may or may not be sinful in themselves. What makes our attitude toward things that are not sinful worldliness is the high value we put upon them. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” The things we value most should be “things that are above” — that is, spiritual things such as the Bible, prayer, the gospel, obedience to God, the fulfillment of the Great Commission, and most of all, God Himself. These are the areas where our values should be focused, not on even the legitimate things of this life.
The non-Christian world clearly does not focus on things of God. Even our nice, decent, but unbelieving neighbors are focused only on this life. By definition, they cannot be focused on the things that are above. Yet their lifestyles are outwardly not much, if any, different from ours. They mow their grass, pay their taxes, and avoid scandalous sins just like we do. That’s why living among them makes worldliness look so acceptable to us. So we can further develop our understanding of worldliness by this secondary definition: Worldliness means accepting the values, mores, and practices of the nice, but unbelieving, society around us without discerning whether or not those values, mores, and practices are biblical. Worldliness is just going along with the culture around us as long as that culture is not obviously sinful.
Worldliness is a broad subject worthy of an entire book, and I’m devoting only a chapter to it. So I’m going to limit our discussion of it to three areas that I believe have become acceptable sins to us: money, immorality, and idolatry. This list may startle you because I have used two words — immorality and idolatry — that are clearly unacceptable. But there are certain aspects of both that have become acceptable, and it is those we will look at. And even with money, there are certain activities, such as stealing, fraud, and embezzlement, that are clearly unacceptable sins. So in all three areas, we will limit ourselves to what seems acceptable to us.
MONEY
America is the wealthiest nation in the world, and our prosperous middle class is unparalleled in all of history. But the way we handle money is scandalous. In 2004, the average household income after taxes was $52,287. And yet, as I mentioned in chapter 13, the average household credit card debt is $7,000. Even worse, from that income of over $52,000, the average household’s giving for all causes was a mere $794 — about 1.5 percent.1
The above statistics are, of course, based on our entire population. Surely, evangelicals do better than that. Yes, they do, but not by much. In a 2003 survey, members of eight evangelical denominations gave 4.4 percent of their income to God’s work. This was actually a decline from 6.2 percent that members of those same denominations gave in 1968.2 If those eight denominations are reflective of evangelicalism as a whole, it means that we are becoming less generous toward God with our money.
Not only are we giving less to our churches, but it seems that more of what we do give is spent on ourselves. In 1920, the percentage of giving to missions from total offerings was just over 10 percent. But by 2003, that figure had declined to just under 3 percent. That means we spend 97 cents of every dollar on our own local programs and ministries while sending 3 cents overseas.3
So, in summary, it appears that evangelical households are keeping more of their income for themselves and giving less to their churches. And churches are keeping more of what they do receive for their own ministries and programs and sending less of it to missions working overseas. Yet we are the richest nation in history.
If our giving is decreasing and our credit card debt is increasing, what are we doing with our money? We know we are not saving it, for our savings, as a percentage of income, is also quite low — somewhere around 2 percent. What all this means is that we are spending it on the things of this life — houses, cars, clothes, vacations, and expensive electronic products, just to name a few. With our money we have set our minds not on the things above but on things that are on earth. We have become worldly in our use of money.
So how much should we be giving? I believe a minimum benchmark is 10 percent — or, to use a biblical expression, a tithe. I know there is some disagreement as to whether or not tithing is a biblical standard in our New Testament era since it is not mentioned specifically in any of the New Testament letters. But there is the concept of proportionate giving — that is, according as God has prospered us (see 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8:12). A tithe is a specific application of proportionate giving. Under it, the person who makes $10,000 gives $1,000. The person who makes $100,000 gives $10,000. Both people have given proportionally as God has prospered them. (There is the added thought that perhaps the person making $100,000 can afford to give more than 10 percent. That’s why I regard the tithe as a minimum benchmark.)
I believe the concept of tithing has fallen on hard times, not because it is no longer considered a biblical concept but because we have become worldly in our attitude toward money and consequently have become stingy toward God. Stingy is a bad word. None of us would want to be accused of being stingy toward other people. We want to be known as generous folks. Yet when we voluntarily give less than half of what the Jews of the Old Testament were required to give, are we not being stingy? Is God pleased when we give less than half of what the Jews gave, especially when He described their failure to give their tithe as robbery of Him (see Malachi 3:8)?
Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24). It appears that in the lives of many Christians, money is winning out over God. But God and money are not two equally good choices, because the Bible says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10). If money wins out in our lives, it is not God but we who lose. Ultimately, God does not need our money. If we spend it on ourselves, it is we who become spiritual paupers.
Some Christians think they cannot afford to give 10 percent of their income to God’s work. I understand that thinking. When I left industry to become a staff trainee with The Navigators years ago, I took a 75 percent cut in salary. I was financially shell-shocked. So I thought, “I can’t afford to tithe. Surely, God accepts my sacrificial service at this low income as my giving.” But God didn’t let me get away with that for very long. So I decided I would tithe my meager income and trust God to provide.
A little later I was drawn to the story of Elijah being fed by the widow of Zarephath (see 1 Kings 17:8-16). She was down to her last bit of flour and oil with which she planned to prepare her last meal for her son and herself and then die. Yet Elijah said to her (and I’m paraphrasing), “Feed me first, for God will provide for you.” She did as Elijah instructed her, and God did provide. The final sentence of the story says, “The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah” (verse 16). I began to pray over that verse, and I can tell you that throughout fifty-two years of ministry, God has always provided.
We need to remember that as we saw in chapter 10, everything we have and the ability to earn more comes from God (I suggest you go back and reread Deuteronomy 8:17-18). Giving back to God at least 10 percent of what He has given us is a tangible expression of our recognition of that and our thanksgiving to Him for it. Finally, we need to remember the infinite generosity of our Lord in giving Himself for our salvation. When Paul wanted to encourage generosity among the Corinthians, he wrote, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Our giving should reflect the value we place on His gift to us.
IMMORALITY
Of the three areas of worldliness we will look at, I’m sure this one raises the most eyebrows. You are no doubt wondering how immorality could ever be considered a respectable sin. Let me say right off that we are not going to address actual acts of immorality or adultery or even pornography. Those actions are clearly unacceptable and are beyond the scope of this book where we are looking at the sins we do tolerate.
So in what sense do we tolerate immorality? We do it by what a friend calls vicarious immorality. Do we secretly enjoy reading about the immorality of other people whose sexual misconduct is reported in our newspapers and weekly news magazines? If so, we are engaging in vicarious immorality. Do we sneak glances at the trashy tabloids and magazines on display at the supermarket checkout lines and secretly want to take one and read about the sexual exploits of the famous but openly immoral people? If so, we are engaging in vicarious immorality. If we go to movies or watch television programs knowing that sexually explicit sins will be shown or read novels knowing that such scenes will be described, we are engaging in vicarious immorality. It’s clear that the world around us enjoys this sort of thing. After all, those tabloids and magazines wouldn’t be at the checkout lane if our neighbors weren’t buying them. And the same can be said of movies, TV programs, and novels. So this is one instance of values and practices accepted by society around us that are clearly contrary to Scripture. And to the extent that we follow along, we are worldly.
Then there is the area of immodest dress. As I walk along airport concourses or in shopping malls where large crowds of people are, I’m increasingly aware of the fashions women of all ages are wearing that are obviously intended to attract the lustful eyes of men. It seems that I’m constantly having to turn my eyes away from looking at something I should not see. And male students tell me that this problem is epidemic on their college campuses.
There are two areas under this subject in which we can become worldly. First, many Christian women, especially younger women, are going along with the styles of the unbelieving world around them. When my wife travels with me to visit university campuses, she is shocked and appalled by what some women students wear even to Christian meetings.
According to 1 Timothy 2:9, Christian women are to dress in respectable apparel with modesty and self-control. And so I say to the female readers of this book, if you simply go along with the immodest fashions of the day, you are worldly in this area of your life. And it’s sad to say that this form of worldliness seems to be growing, especially among younger women.
For the men, our problem is responding to the immodest dress with lustful looks. It’s not necessary for us to project that look into actual images of immorality. Even to linger with eyes and enjoy what women expose or accentuate by their tight garments is sin. We are simply doing what otherwise nice decent men around us are doing. And in that sense, we are worldly.
A younger man recently asked me how I handle this temptation. I told him my first line of defense is Proverbs 27:20, which I learned in the King James Version many years ago: “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” The wording will be slightly different in any modern translation, but they all say the same thing. The application to me is that one lingering look never satisfies; it just whets the appetite for more. So don’t linger over what you should not be looking at.
My second line of defense is Romans 6:21: “What fruit [that is, benefit] were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.” I ask myself what benefit do I receive from indulging in a lustful look. And the answer is, Only the fleeting pleasures of sin, followed by thoughts of shame and regret. Men, let’s commit ourselves to dealing with this area of worldliness.
IDOLATRY
As we come to this section of worldliness, we again need some explanation. Obviously we are not worshiping idols of wood, metal, and stone these days. Our problem is what some call “idols of the heart.” In this sense, an idol can be anything that we place such a high value on that it tends to absorb our emotional and mental energy, or our time and resources. Or it can be anything that takes precedence over our relationship with God or family.
A person’s career or vocation can become an idol. The person becomes so obsessed with getting ahead or making it to the top that both God and family take second place. I recognize in the highly competitive world of business and industry, where so many of one’s peers make their career their god, that it is difficult not to go along. Because the circumstances of each career or vocation are so different, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the problem. There is, however, a biblical principle that, if kept in mind, will guard against the temptation to make an idol of one’s career. That is the principle set forth by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:9: “We make it our aim to please him.” If your aim is to please God rather than climb the corporate ladder or be the most outstanding professional in your field, then you will avoid temptation to make an idol of your work.
I think of an automobile salesman I met some years ago. He said to me, “After I became a Christian, I stopped trying to sell cars and started helping people buy cars.” He continued in the same vocation but with a different motive. His changed from how much money he would make to how he could serve people by helping them buy the car that would best fit their needs and their financial situation. He had changed his career from an idol to a service to God through genuinely serving people.
I realize that the application of Paul’s principle may not be so clear in your situation. This is especially true in some careers where the corporate culture puts pressure on you for long hours and high productivity. If you find yourself in this situation, I urge you to get with a more mature Christian who can help you deal with the specific career issues you face.
A second possible area of idolatry is political and cultural issues. I combine these two because, in so many instances today, cultural issues have become political issues. While I believe it is important for Christians to be knowledgeable and, to some extent, involved in these issues, we have to be careful that we don’t make idols of our political parties or our cultural concerns.
There is no question that there are cultural issues, such as abortion and homosexuality, that are clearly antithetical to God’s moral standards. And I support those leaders and organizations that have committed themselves to stand against them. But we need to remember that the first priority of the church as a whole is the proclamation of the gospel. Unborn babies do need to be protected, and the biblical standard of marriage does need to be preserved. But above all, people need to be rescued from the power of Satan and brought into the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. If we lose sight of the church’s primary calling, then we are in danger of making an idol of our cultural and political initiatives.
A third area of modern-day idolatry is our consuming passion for sports. And here I know that, especially for many male readers, I’m walking into an area “where angels fear to tread.” But I don’t think there is any doubt that sports, especially football and basketball, have become idols in our culture. High school football is often spoken of as a religion in many states. Many high school coaches make large salaries. One at a suburban Alabama school makes $94,000 a year and puts his players through a training regimen almost as rigorous as that of professional athletes. In fact, this idolatry of sports no longer begins at the high school age. Now coaches are looking down into the elementary schools to find promising athletes whom they can begin to groom as high school players. And the ultra-competitive “winning is the only thing” attitude of many parents of these young players simply feeds this idolatry.
But it is really at the college level that idolatry is such a temptation. And I speak from experience. I’m a graduate of one of the schools whose football team has been a major powerhouse over the years. They have won seven national championships, the first of which occurred when I was a junior in college. I give you this background to explain why my school’s football fortunes became something of an idol to me. Even years after I graduated, on Saturday game days I became as tense as if my happiness depended on the outcome of the day’s game.
I’m not alone, and it is not just over football. Many fans of the perennial basketball powerhouses experience the same angst during basketball season and especially if their team makes it to the NCAA tournament. I’m still a fan of my university’s football team, and I’m pleased when they win. But it’s no longer an idol for me. God convicted me of my idolatry, and I now remind myself that football is only a game, and I don’t think God is glorified regardless of who wins. The truth is that winning only panders to our pride.
So continue to root for your favorite team, if you desire. But don’t get caught up in its wins and losses. Keep sports in perspective. It’s only a game.
Now let me review my twofold definition of worldliness. First of all, it’s a preoccupation with the things of this temporal life. Second, it’s accepting and going along with the values and practices of society around us without discerning if they are biblical. I believe the key to our tendencies toward worldliness lies primarily in the two words going along. We simply go along with and accept the values and practices of society around us without thought as to whether those values and practices are biblical. That’s why Christian young women will wear immodest dress. They simply go along with the styles others are wearing without stopping to think whether or not those styles are pleasing to God. And there is nothing overtly sinful in sports themselves. But if we simply go along with others around us, we can end up making an idol of our favorite team.
How, then, can we deal with our tendencies toward worldliness? It is not by determining that we will not be worldly but by committing ourselves to becoming more godly. We need to grow in our relationship with Him and begin to view all aspects of life through the lens of His glory. In the nineteenth century, a Scottish minister, Thomas Chalmers, preached a sermon called “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection.” That’s what we need to combat our worldliness. We need an increased affection for God that will expel from our hearts our affections for the things of this world.