Overall Questions: What is worldliness? Why should a Christian shun it?

Memory Text: 1 John 2:15 -- Simple English “Don't love the world or the things in the world. If someone loves the world, the Father's love is not in that person.”

Sunday – For His Name’s Sake
1 John 2:12 -- New Jerusalem “I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven through his name.”
1 John 2:12 – COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES In order to show that the truths which he was uttering in this epistle pertained to all, and to secure the interest of all in them, he addresses himself to different classes, and says that there were reasons existing in regard to each class why he wrote to them.
Importance of knowing your sins are forgiven:
Acts 5:31 -- Living Bible “Then, with mighty power, God exalted him to be a Prince and Savior, so that the people of Israel would have an opportunity for repentance, and for their sins to be forgiven.”
Romans 4:7 -- Simple English “Sinners who are forgiven are happy. Their sins have been covered.”
Ephesians 4:32 -- New American “[And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.”
Colossians 1:14 -- New Jerusalem “and in him we enjoy our freedom, the forgiveness of sin.”
Colossians 2:13 -- New American “And even when you were dead [in] transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.”

Monday – Overcoming the Wicked One
1 John 2:13-14 CEV “13 Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning. Young people, I am writing you, because you have defeated the evil one. 14 Children, I am writing you, because you have known the Father. Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning. Young people, I am writing you, because you are strong. God’s message is firm in your hearts, and you have defeated the evil one.”
1 John 2:13 COMMENTARY BY JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN The fathers, appropriately to their age, are characterized by knowledge. The young men, appropriately to theirs, by activity in conflict. The fathers, too, have conquered; but now their active service is past, and they and the children alike are characterized by knowing (the fathers know Christ, "Him that was from the beginning"; the children know the Father). The first thing that the little children realize is that God is their Father; answering in the parallel clause to "little sons ... your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake," the universal first privilege of all those really-dear sons of God.

Tuesday – Renouncing Any Love of the World
1 John 2:15 Living Bible “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God.”
1 John 2:15 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES As the dwellers on the earth are by nature without religion, and act under a set of maxims, aims, and principles that have reference only to this life, the term comes to be used with reference to that community; that is, to the objects which they peculiarly seek, and the principles by which they are actuated… it is not wrong to love the people of the world with a love of benevolence, and to have attachment to our kindred and friends who constitute a part of it, though they are not Christians…we are not to fix our affections on worldly objects--on what the world can furnish--as our portion, with the spirit with which they do who live only for this world, regardless of the life to come. We are not to make this world the object of our chief affection; we are not to be influenced by the maxims and feelings which prevail among those who do.
How does the Bible define the word “world”?
John 12:19 -- New American “So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the whole world has gone after him.’”
John 15:19 -- New International “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
Acts 17:24 -- Simple English “He is the God who made the whole world and everything in it. He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. He doesn't live in temples which men build!”
Romans 1:20 -- New Jerusalem “ever since the creation of the world, the invisible existence of God and his everlasting power have been clearly seen by the mind's understanding of created things. And so these people have no excuse.”
Colossians 2:8 CEV “Don’t let anyone fool you by using senseless arguments. These arguments may sound wise, but they are only human teachings. They come from the powers of this world and not from Christ.”
1 Timothy 6:7 -- New American “For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.”
James 4:4 -- New American “Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Revelation 11:15 -- New American “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet. There were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world now belongs to our Lord and to his Anointed, and he will reign forever and ever.’"
1 John 2:15-16 ESV “15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world––the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions––is not from the Father but is from the world.”

Wednesday – Problems With the World
1 John 2:16 KJV -- King James “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
1 John 2:16 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE The lust of the flesh - Sensual and impure desires which seek their gratification in women, strong drink, delicious viands, and the like. Lust of the eyes - Inordinate desires after finery of every kind, gaudy dress, splendid houses, superb furniture, expensive equipage, trappings, and decorations of all sorts. Pride of life - Hunting after honours, titles, and pedigrees; boasting of ancestry, family connections, great offices, honourable acquaintance, and the like. 1
John 2:16 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES the lust of the eyes. That which is designed merely to gratify the sight. This would include, of course, costly raiment, jewels, gorgeous furniture, splendid palaces, pleasure-grounds, etc. The object is to refer to the gay vanities of this world, the thing on which the eye delights to rest where there is no higher object of life. It does not, of course, mean that the eye is never to be gratified, or that we can find as much pleasure in an ugly as in a handsome object, or that it is sinful to find pleasure in beholding objects of real beauty--for the world, as formed by its Creator, is full of such things, and he could not but have intended that pleasure should enter the soul through the eye, or that the beauties which he has shed so lavishly over his works should contribute to the happiness of his creatures; but the apostle refers to this when it is the great and leading object of life,--when it is sought without any connexion with religion or reference to the world to come.
Job 12:10 -- New American “In his hand is the soul of every living thing,and the life breath of all mankind.”
Acts 17:28 -- American Standard “for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”

Thursday – The Transient Nature of the World
1 John 2:17 -- New Jerusalem “And the world, with all its disordered desires, is passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains for ever.
1 John 2:17 COMMENTARY ROBERTSON’S NT WORD PICTURES The one who keeps on doing the will of God "abides for ever amid the flux of transitory things" (D. Smith).
1 John 2:17 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE All these things are continually fading and perishing; and the very state in which they are possessed is changing perpetually, and the earth and its works will be shortly burnt up.
Daniel 2:35 God’s Word to the Nations “Then all at once, the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were smashed. They became like husks on a threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain which filled the whole world.”
1 Corinthians 7:31 -- Simple English “Those who do business with the world must act as though they don't care. Why? Because this world, as you see it, won't last long.”
2 Peter 3:10-12 CEV “10 The day of the Lord’s return will surprise us like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the heat will melt the whole universe. Then the earth and everything on it will be seen for what they are. 11 ¶ Everything will be destroyed. So you should serve and honor God by the way you live. 12 You should look forward to the day when God judges everyone, and you should try to make it come soon. On that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and everything else will melt in the heat.”
2 Peter 3:10 PEOPLE’S NT COMMENTARY That the world shall come to an end seems to be written in its very constitution. A slight change in the constitution of the atmosphere, or the decomposition of its water would wrap it in flame. Science finds the elements of final dissolution in the relations of the earth and sun. According to the ratio of increase in two centuries the world will not have resources to feed its population. In a few hundred years the coal resources of the world will fail. These and many other facts point to a necessary and inevitable change.

Friday – Further Study
Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, pp. 195-196 - “the heavenly treasure is not valued. We are not in a waiting, watching position. The love of the world and the deceitfulness of riches eclipse our faith, and we do not long for, and love, the appearing of our Saviour. We try too hard to take care of self ourselves. We are uneasy and greatly lack a firm trust in God. Many worry and work, contrive and plan, fearing they may suffer need. They cannot afford time to pray or to attend religious meetings and, in their care for themselves, leave no chance for God to care for them. And the Lord does not do much for them, for they give Him no opportunity. They do too much for themselves, and believe and trust in God too little.”
Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, p. 197 – “If they possessed genuine faith, instead of increasing their treasures upon the earth they would be selling off, freeing themselves from the cumbersome things of earth and transferring their treasure before them to heaven.”

Hey James, Checking in Black's Law Dictionary, I found the term; "Secular Clergy". It defined them as being controlled by the government because they are corporations allowed to function by the government. It reminded me of what Jesus told us that we can only serve one master. (Food for thought)

Dr. Rich (JD)(SDA)

HEY JAMES423

your polls on the sabbath school lessons are
always interesting to me


dgrimm60

Jim, I chose number three in the first poll regarding worldliness since the other two tend to fall under the third.

Just because we do not 'worship' like bow down and give our gadgets praise etc, doesn't mean we don't put them first in our lives. That is worship! A rose by any other name....

Sometimes I wonder if I do get the polls right, but I try. It's interesting to play with ideas sometimes.

Yes and I am glad you do dabble in the thinking process. I am enjoying the feedback that comes from them. There for a long time, it seemed as if nobody had comments which seemed a shame.

That is why I think your polls are a great idea. And it gives food for thought.

I too really enjoy the feedback and dicussion on the lessons! But I haven't studied this one yet, I have to wait until I finish the 'Keeping the Commandments' lesson. I'll be back. Happy Sabbath.

I think anything can become an obstacle to our relationship with God if we are not careful and lose our focus on God. Someone could have an expensive car, house, etc but if he/she does not put it before God then it is not a problem for a person to have these things.

Anything which takes of our time with God will draw us away from Him because of lack of communion with God. It is important to have quality time and enough of it in order to keep God first in our lives.