Welcome to the Colorado HSLT 2008 blog. The theme for this year is "worldliness." No one wakes up in the morning wanting to think about worldliness or about how it may have crept into our lives. But if we are going to be a disciple of Jesus, then we must ask serious questions like: "What does it mean to follow Christ in this world?" and "How can I be effective in building God's kingdom in this world?"

All of the important information for this year's HSLT will be posted on this blog so be in the "know" by visiting often for all of the latest updates - or better yet, sign-up for email delivery of new posts. And feel free to "join the discussion" by posting your comments to any blog post.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Worldliness: What Is It?

The term worldliness can be a little hard to get our minds around. So let's start with the following definitions in Webster's Dictionary:

  • World: The earth with its inhabitants and all things upon it. People in general; humanity.
  • Worldling: A person engrosssed in the concerns of this present world.
  • Worldly: Devoted to this world and its Pursuits rather than to spiritual affairs.
  • Earthly: characteristic of or belonging to this earth

For a Christian, a Chirst-follower, a disciple, worldliness is anything in the physical world that is causing war against our spiritual soul. Sometimes it seems like it would be easier to be a 'physical being' with 'spiritual interests' but God has made us as spiritual beings that live in a physical world with all of it's enticements that can appear very attractive.

Paul put it like this when he wrote a young pastor named Titus (Titus 2:11-13):
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

It is only by God's amazing grace that we can live as spiritual beings in this physical place called earth.
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