From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

People seldom consider what the Bible says: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15, KJV). Many professing Christians walk hand-in-hand with the world, making it difficult to distinguish between the Christian and the unbeliever. This should never be.

Accusations are leveled at the Christian life being a set of rules and taboos which is the devil’s lie. It’s not a series of “don’ts,” but a series of “dos.” Christians should be filled with the things of Christ, taking away the desire for sinful pleasures. Worldliness is misunderstood by many Christians today and its worth clarification.

The great English-Welsh minister, Dr. W. H. Griffith Thomas, elaborated on this: “There are certain elements of daily life which are not sinful in themselves, but which have a tendency to lead to sin if they are abused. Abuse literally means extreme use, and in many instances overuse of things lawful, becomes sin. Pleasure is lawful in use but unlawful in its overuse. Our daily occupation, reading, dress, friendships, and other similar phases of life are all legitimate and necessary, but can easily become illegitimate, unnecessary, and harmful. Thought about the necessities of life is absolutely essential, but this can easily degenerate into anxiety, and then as Christ reminds us in the parable, the cares of this life choke the spiritual seed in the heart. Worldliness is not confined to any particular rank, walk, or circumstance of life. Worldliness is a spirit, an atmosphere, an influence permeating human society, and it needs to be guarded against constantly and strenuously.”

God wants our lives to be shaped by Him so that we reflect Christ in our thoughts and actions.

(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

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