THE TRAGEDY OF A WORLDLY LIFE
by Jerry Vines
Scripture: HEBREWS 4:16, I CORINTHIANS 11:32, I JOHN 2:15, I JOHN 5:7, JAMES 1:27, JAMES 4:4-6, JOB 35:6, JONAH 1:4, JONAH 4:7, ROMANS 12:2
THE TRAGEDY OF A WORLDLY LIFE
James 4:4-6
Dr. Jerry Vines
The Lord Jesus in John 17 has for all time delineated the
relationship of a Christian to the world. When I use the word, world, I
do not mean the world of nature. I do not mean the world of trees and
flowers and birds and bees, nor do I mean the world of people. The
Bible says God so loved that world. The context in which James uses the
word and our Savior does in John 17 is talking about a world system that
is hostile to and is organized against God. Jesus talking about that
world system in John 17 basically makes four statements. Number one, he
says we are saved out of the world. When the Lord saves us we are
delivered from this present world and we are placed into the family of
God. Number two, the Bible says we are still in this world. If you
have never received Christ as your Savior I hope you will this morning,
but if you receive Him today you will go back to the same job tomorrow,
at the same location. We are still in this world. Number three, Jesus
said we are not to be of the world. We are in the world, yet Jesus says
we are not to be of this world. Number four, Jesus said he has sent us
into the world. Saved out of the world, yet now we have been sent into
the world to be a witness of the saving power of Jesus Christ. So, for
all time that delineates what the relationship of a Christian to this
world is intended to be. Yet, you and I use a terminology like this:
we talk about worldliness or we talk about a worldly Christian. In one
sense of the word that is contradictory terminology. Billy Sunday, the
2
evangelist, said to refer to a worldly Christian makes as much sense as
referring to a heavenly devil. He has a point there. I've about
decided that some people we refer to as worldly Christians are not
Christians at all. If I see a bird that looks like a duck and waddles
like a duck and quacks like a duck and drinks water like a duck and
hangs around other ducks, I co ...
James 4:4-6
Dr. Jerry Vines
The Lord Jesus in John 17 has for all time delineated the
relationship of a Christian to the world. When I use the word, world, I
do not mean the world of nature. I do not mean the world of trees and
flowers and birds and bees, nor do I mean the world of people. The
Bible says God so loved that world. The context in which James uses the
word and our Savior does in John 17 is talking about a world system that
is hostile to and is organized against God. Jesus talking about that
world system in John 17 basically makes four statements. Number one, he
says we are saved out of the world. When the Lord saves us we are
delivered from this present world and we are placed into the family of
God. Number two, the Bible says we are still in this world. If you
have never received Christ as your Savior I hope you will this morning,
but if you receive Him today you will go back to the same job tomorrow,
at the same location. We are still in this world. Number three, Jesus
said we are not to be of the world. We are in the world, yet Jesus says
we are not to be of this world. Number four, Jesus said he has sent us
into the world. Saved out of the world, yet now we have been sent into
the world to be a witness of the saving power of Jesus Christ. So, for
all time that delineates what the relationship of a Christian to this
world is intended to be. Yet, you and I use a terminology like this:
we talk about worldliness or we talk about a worldly Christian. In one
sense of the word that is contradictory terminology. Billy Sunday, the
2
evangelist, said to refer to a worldly Christian makes as much sense as
referring to a heavenly devil. He has a point there. I've about
decided that some people we refer to as worldly Christians are not
Christians at all. If I see a bird that looks like a duck and waddles
like a duck and quacks like a duck and drinks water like a duck and
hangs around other ducks, I co ...
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