“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). With these words, John warns us that conformity to the world is antithetical to God’s intentions for his followers. According to John, it is impossible to simultaneously love God and the world. But what does it mean to love the world? For many worldliness has been defined in very rigid and predictable ways. Revealing clothing, hair length, piercings, tattoos, profanity, alcohol, rock music, and a myriad of other subtle and not so subtle practices are often equated with worldliness. In light of the many abuses, it is perhaps understandable that such standards are promulgated. However, whatever one thinks of these issues, worldliness cannot be reduced to a simple list.
To be worldly is to possess a likeness to those who are “in the world.” “The world,” in Scripture, is a reference to those who think their thoughts and live their lives with an exclusively secular focus, that is, those whose point of reference is limited to humanly contrived ideas. To be worldly, in other words, is to exude those qualities that are prevalent among people who, consciously or not, give little or no thought to God. When any of us fall prey to such a mentality, the result is idolatry (making anything into a “god”), self-centeredness, pride, and a host of other traits. Worldliness, therefore, cannot be so easily and externally defined, and it would be wrong to equate it with simplistic prohibitions.
Still, there is something to be said about the danger inherent in any chosen lifestyle. Thus, when Jesus referred to “the worries of this world,” he made a point to warn us that these can “choke the Word” (Mark 4:1-20). Since the cares in view here are likely a reference to the daily routines in which we find ourselves, it is possible to allow otherwise good and healthy things to consume us and crowd out that which matters most. Given this possibility, the problem of worldliness is not simply involvement in this or that activity (though, of course, it can be); the problem is with ourselves. We are the quite capable of allowing anything–good, bad, or indifferent–to so dominate us that God himself is locked out of our lives. This, in many ways, is the ongoing danger of the world. As the comic strip character Pogo once remarked, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
If this is true, worldliness cannot be thwarted by simply avoiding certain arbitrary practices. The key here is neither avoiding this or that activity nor separating ourselves from daily affairs. Rather, it is a matter of the heart. If you are doing something that is actually inappropriate (e.g., stealing), you are demonstrating worldliness. If you involve yourself in that which is personally problematic (e.g., if you drink when you know that you have a tendency to abuse alcohol), you are in a dangerous place. If you set up anything as an idol, you’re on the wrong path. The crucial element is that of the heart, not some legalistically imposed standard.
The fact is that we cannot escape the daily activities of this life, nor should we want to. Though it is important to steer clear of anything that actually violates God’s intentions, the most important thing we can do is set our minds on “things above” (Colossians 3:1-2). That is, we must look outside of ourselves to the One who was (and is) willing to rescue us from waywardness, envelop us in unconditional love, and lead us on a smooth path. With this focus, we will be energized to give expression to such higher aspirations as selflessness, humility, compassion, and love.
Augustine said it so well many centuries ago when he uttered these words: “Love God, and do what you want.” If we love God, we’ll stay away from things that are improper. If we love God, it’s much more likely that we’ll keep our priorities straight. If we love God, wisdom will more readily permeate our lives. If we love God, we’ll learn that it’s not about whether we consume or abstain from alcohol. What truly matters is that our greatest treasure is a reflection of the goodness and grace we’ve received from our Creator/Savior. In this sense, it’s all about loving God.
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