Worldliness

[Praxeas]

To some "worldliness" is what and how you look externally...or it's watching TV or listening to certain songs. To me this seems so profound...worldliness is an ATTITUDE. You can never watch TV, never listen to secular music...dress to the "T" according to some church standards...and still be a worldly person, because it's about ATTITUDE.

The world fights. The world hates. The world condemns. The world divides. The world......Look at American politics and how divided they are...because they are of the world...now look at the church and how divided it is.....see...standards are just a mask...and sadly standards can mask a worldly heart.

Everyone sees the outward and judges...
Mat 23:25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Mat 23:26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
Mat 23:27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

2Co 5:12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Holiness Standards can become about outward show just as much as it was meant to de-emphasize the outward person.

1Pe 3:3 Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear--
1Pe 3:4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.
1Pe 3:5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,

For some they measure themselves by themselves and by others to feel Holy and believe themselves to be not worldly while ignoring their own attitudes of the heart

[RandyWayne]

"Theres too much common sense going on in der!"

[anapko]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

To some "worldliness" is what and how you look externally...or it's watching TV or listening to certain songs. To me this seems so profound...worldliness is an ATTITUDE. You can never watch TV, never listen to secular music...dress to the "T" according to some church standards...and still be a worldly person, because it's about ATTITUDE.

The world fights. The world hates. The world condemns. The world divides. The world......Look at American politics and how divided they are...because they are of the world...now look at the church and how divided it is.....see...standards are just a mask...and sadly standards can mask a worldly heart.

Everyone sees the outward and judges...
Mat 23:25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Mat 23:26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
Mat 23:27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

2Co 5:12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Holiness Standards can become about outward show just as much as it was meant to de-emphasize the outward person.

1Pe 3:3 Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear--
1Pe 3:4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.
1Pe 3:5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,

For some they measure themselves by themselves and by others to feel Holy and believe themselves to be not worldly while ignoring their own attitudes of the heart

Well put! Far too long, holiness has been modeled on the outward appearance. If you have the outside look, you can blend in easier. Those that adhear to such teaching find refuge in their knowledge that it is a lot easier to condemn somebody to the pits that don't look like them! In a nutshell, that is what the Pharisee' did. Good post!

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

To some "worldliness" is what and how you look externally...or it's watching TV or listening to certain songs. To me this seems so profound...worldliness is an ATTITUDE. You can never watch TV, never listen to secular music...dress to the "T" according to some church standards...and still be a worldly person, because it's about ATTITUDE.

The world fights. The world hates. The world condemns. The world divides. The world......Look at American politics and how divided they are...because they are of the world...now look at the church and how divided it is.....see...standards are just a mask...and sadly standards can mask a worldly heart.

Everyone sees the outward and judges...
Mat 23:25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Mat 23:26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
Mat 23:27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

2Co 5:12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Holiness Standards can become about outward show just as much as it was meant to de-emphasize the outward person.

1Pe 3:3 Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear--
1Pe 3:4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.
1Pe 3:5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,

For some they measure themselves by themselves and by others to feel Holy and believe themselves to be not worldly while ignoring their own attitudes of the heart

Great Post!

Rhoni

[meBNme]

So, let me make sure I understand what's being said here.

First I'll start with what it 'sounds like' and then I'll go with what I hope is being said.

'sounds like'
To some, worldliness is outward appearances and/or actions.
If you follow the "rules" and all the "do's and dont's" then you are officially deemed "holy".

But to others, Holiness is all about attitude. The "standards" with all the "do's and dont's" are just a mask to hide a worldly heart, and allow one to feel justified by hiding behind the mask. Since those dress codes and restrictions are just mere men's legalism and a mask for worldliness, then they really aren't all that important. Especially since some/most are not even heaven or hell issues, so why even have them? They just run people away, make Pentecostals look bad, and they hold little or no value.

So since that is established, it's quite evident that those legalistic, standard pusher types are what the bible describes as whitewashed tombs full of dead men's bones and uncleanliness. They are pharisees and hypocrites. (look, that's what the Bible says about them!) Their hearts and attitudes are worldly, just being hidden under a mask of "standards".






Now for what I hope was meant.
To some, worldliness is defined by the outward appearance and actions, or "standards".

To others, its all about the attitude or the heart.

There is a danger of allowing standards to be your measuring stick for "holiness" and forgetting that holiness starts in the heart.

One can dress the part, and still not be Holy, however, one can be holy, and not quite fit the organizational "standards" mold either.

Beware the dangers, because the Bible speaks strongly of having the outward appearance of holiness, but lacking the true inward holiness.







So, before I go all into what I personally believe, and my thoughts on this topic, please let me know which is more accurate, or if I missed it altogether.