Worldliness versus Biblical Holiness

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?

Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
James 4:4

The word holiness means to be separate, or set apart from sin and from the standards of this ungodly world that teaches views contrary to scripture (1 John 2:15-17). The Bible teaches that, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This of course means that all mankind has sinned against a Holy and Righteous God, and deserves His Divine Justice in hell without Him forever (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:21).

But thank God, the Lord Jesus Christ loved us and paid the penalty on the cross for our sin, and shed His precious blood on the cross, lived a perfect sinless life, and took our judgment on the cross, that we can be saved from an eternity in hell, and given everlasting life in heaven, if we repent of our sin and trust Him alone by faith for our salvation (John 3:16; Acts 20:21).

Understanding that we have sinned against God, no amount of good works can save us because we are already guilty for breaking his law, and we can only be saved by His grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”(Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Bible commands that we repent of our sins, which means we turn away from our sins. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “...except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish”(Luke 13:3). He said in Mark 1:15, “...repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Repentance and faith are two essential elements in salvation that results in a true born again salvation experience. If one does not truly repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone for their salvation, they will die in their sin and perish in hell forever (Luke 13:3). John the Baptist preached, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance”(Matthew 3:8). When one is truly saved there is clear evidence of a born again experience, which means a holy life separate from sin, and a new life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches that the Christian life can only be lived by the power of the Holy Ghost, when we walk in the Spirit and not after the flesh (Galatians 5:16-26). This means that if you were once an alcoholic or a so called casual drinker you turn away from drinking alcohol completely, a murderer, from hating and killing people, a fornicator from your fornication, a homosexual from your homosexuality, a liar from your lying, a smoker from your smoking, a racist from your racism, a witch from your witchcraft, an adulterer from your adultery, a person who swears or curses from your filthy communication. If you were a lover of this ungodly world of sin, you now turn away from watching ungodly movies, television programs, and listening to secular music, to listening to good gospel music, and watching godly Christian films that will encourage you in the Lord, and that shows a clear testimony to the world of your born again experience. Unfortunately this is not the case in the majority of churches today. Many Pastors today no longer warn against the ungodly and vile nature of Hollywood movies that promote adultery, fornication, cursing, homosexuality, and blaspheming the precious name of the Lord Jesus. Instead, they along with many in their congregation endorse this darkness by watching television programs such as Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, American Idol, attend the movie theaters, rent movies, and also use and mention the movies in their sermons. Having a social drink is considered acceptable, and the biblical warning against the consumption of alcohol is rejected (Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 23:29-35; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Divorce and remarriage which is clearly condemned as adultery in the Bible (Matthew 19:1-12; Romans 7:1-3), is supported by many Pastors and churches who are deceiving multitudes by encouraging the sin of adultery in their assemblies, without preaching the love of the Lord Jesus Christ to these precious souls, so that they can repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone to be saved (Acts 20:21). Fornication and “shacking up” is tolerated by many churches, and they refuse to point out ones sin because they are afraid to run individuals out of the church.

Tragically, a growing number are agreeing with the sin of homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11), and are rejecting the gospel altogether. Buying lottery tickets which is a clear case of covetousness, and smoking cigarettes, and cigars, that is even condemned by our government, and by other governments of the world, are no longer sin by the standards of the vast majority in the church. Sadly, many professed Christians are showing there love for mammon (money), and their rejection of God (Matthew 6:24) by selling lottery tickets, cigarettes, pornography, and ungodly movies in local stores and other outlets.

Secular music, its ungodly influence and the promotion of sin that it represents, is endorsed by many so called, “Christian contemporary/rock or rap artists” such as Kirk Franklin who joined hands with ungodly secular artists such as Salt n Pepper, Mary J. Blige, R. Kelly, Earth Wind and Fire, and Bono from U2 who has supported homosexuality, abortion, curses on a regular basis, drinks alcohol, and has denied that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (Mother Jones interview with Bono 1989).

Instead of Pastors and churches rebuking and reproving the darkness, they tragically embrace it, and rather rebuke the ones who are exposing the darkness at the expense of many,especially our precious young people.

Books like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, many video games, toys, TV, and video programs that promote violence, witchcraft/occult (Deuteronomy 18:9-14), sin, and views that are contrary to the teachings of the Bible are given to many children by parents, not discerning their destructive nature.

Yoga and dance clubs are attended without any shame whatsoever, not considering the new age/occult nature of yoga which is actually yoking with Hindu gods, and the worldliness and compromise of the ungodly secular music.

Many while reading this article would condemn it as legalistic. However, they confuse legalism with Biblical holiness. Legalism is man trying to be saved through his good works, while Biblical holiness is one who is already saved, showing good works as a result of their salvation (James 2:26), and never the means of ones salvation(Ephesians 2:8-9). Separation from sin and walking in holiness, cannot be accomplished through our own will power, strength or ability, but only by the power of the Holy Ghost can one live a victorious Christian life of holiness unto God (Romans 8:1,13).

My friend do not be deceived by believing you can be a friend of the world, because the Bible says “...a friend of the world is the enemy of God,”(James 4:4) and without holiness, “no man shall see the Lord”(Hebrews 12:4).

We should not be deceived by churches or preachers who would encourage living in sin and loving the world, because the Bible clearly says that the “unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). If you been deceived, repent of your sins today, and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour by faith alone for your salvation, to escape hell, and the Holy Ghost will help you to live in “holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”(Hebrews 12:14).

God Bless.

Evangelist Sean Bonitto