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Church of Christ Ibiaku Itam II, Calabar-Itu Highway, Opposite West Itam Health Centre, Itu (2026)

23/08/2026

Theme: CHRISTIAN LIVING
Topic: HOW CAN CHRISTIANS OVERCOME WORLDLINESS?
Texts:
Romans 12:1–2
1 John 2:15–17
James 4:4
Galatians 5:16–25
Colossians 3:1–10

Slide 2 — Lesson Objectives
By the End of This Lesson, Learners Should Be Able To:
Understand the meaning and dangers of worldliness.
Identify the major drivers of worldliness.
Explain biblical ways to overcome worldly influences.
Develop a personal commitment to holy and Christ-centered living.

Slide 3 — What Does “Overcome” Mean?
OVERCOME
To overcome means to:
Conquer
Defeat
Prevail over
Gain victory over an enemy, temptation, challenge, or sinful influence.
Biblical Meaning
To overcome means living victoriously over sin and worldly influences through faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Key Scriptures:
John 16:33
Romans 8:37
1 John 5:4–5
Revelation 3:21

Slide 4 — What Is Worldliness?
WORLDLINESS
Worldliness is conforming to or embracing the values, desires, attitudes, and practices of the sinful world instead of living according to God's Word and will.
Remember:
Worldliness is not simply living in the world; it is allowing the values of the world to control our thoughts, desires, decisions, and lifestyle.
Romans 12:2; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15–17

Slide 5 — Christians Are in the World, But Not of It
Jesus prayed that His disciples would:
Remain in the world
Be kept from the evil one
Live differently from the sinful system around them.
John 17:15–16
Therefore:
We are called to influence the world without allowing the world to influence our values.
Matthew 5:13–16

Slide 6 — How Does Worldliness Enter?
Worldliness often develops gradually through:
Small compromises
Misplaced desires
Unhealthy relationships
Wrong entertainment
Social media influences
Materialism
Pursuit of popularity
Wrong philosophies
Neglect of God's Word
Small compromises can produce major spiritual consequences.

SECTION 2 — THE DRIVERS OF WORLDLINESS
Slide 7 — The Three Drivers of Worldliness
1 John 2:16
The three major drivers are:
1. The Lust of the Flesh
Desire for sinful physical pleasure.
2. The Lust of the Eyes
Desire for what we see—possessions, wealth, beauty, status, etc.
3. The Pride of Life
Desire for recognition, status, power, achievement, and human approval.

Slide 8 — Driver #1: The Lust of the Flesh
What Is It?
An excessive or sinful desire to satisfy physical appetites and bodily impulses contrary to God's will.
Examples:
Sexual immorality
Self-indulgent pleasures
Gluttony
Lack of self-control
Addiction to entertainment
Galatians 5:16; James 1:14–15; Romans 13:14
Key Thought:
The lust of the flesh seeks pleasure without regard for God's will.

Slide 9 — Driver #2: The Lust of the Eyes
What Is It?
An uncontrolled desire for what appeals to the eyes, especially:
Wealth
Possessions
Beauty
Status
Material things
Examples:
Materialism
Greed
Covetousness
Envy
Excessive desire for wealth
Comparing ourselves with others
Matthew 6:19–21; Luke 12:15; Hebrews 13:5
Key Thought:
The lust of the eyes makes temporary things appear more valuable than eternal things.

Slide 10 — Driver #3: The Pride of Life
What Is It?
An excessive desire for:
Recognition
Status
Power
Achievement
Influence
Human approval
Examples:
Boasting
Arrogance
Desire for power
Seeking recognition
Looking down on others
Living for people's approval
Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6; Galatians 6:14
Key Thought:
The pride of life seeks glory for self rather than glory for God.

Slide 11 — Quick Review: The Three Drivers
Driver
Main Desire
Examples
Lust of the Flesh
Physical pleasure
Immorality, indulgence
Lust of the Eyes
Possessions
Greed, materialism, envy
Pride of Life
Recognition
Status, power, approval
1 John 2:16

Question:
Which of these three drivers is most likely to influence young Christians today?

SECTION 3 — DANGERS OF WORLDLINESS
Slide 12 — Danger #1: It Separates the Heart From God
Worldliness creates:
Friendship with the world
Opposition to God
Divided loyalty
James 4:4

Principle:
You cannot give your heart completely to God while deliberately embracing the world's sinful values.

Slide 13 — Danger #2: It Weakens Spiritual Life
Worldly desires can:
Choke God's Word
Distract the believer
Make spiritual growth difficult
Produce spiritual unfruitfulness
Mark 4:18–19
Worldliness can make a spiritually alive person spiritually unproductive.

Slide 14 — Danger #3: It Leads to Sin and Spiritual Death
The pattern is:
Desire → Temptation → Sin → Consequences
James 1:14–15
Romans 8:5–6 teaches that setting the mind on the flesh leads to death, while setting the mind on the Spirit leads to life and peace.
Unchecked desires can become destructive actions.

Slide 15 — Danger #4: It Conforms Us to the World
Romans 12:2
Worldliness gradually reshapes:
Our thinking
Our values
Our choices
Our behaviour
Our priorities
The danger:
We may begin by copying the world and eventually become controlled by its values.

Slide 16 — Danger #5: It Damages Christian Testimony
Christians are called to be:
Salt
Light
Examples of Christ
Matthew 5:13–16
Worldly conduct can weaken our:
Credibility
Influence
Witness
Ability to point others to Christ
Our lifestyle is part of our testimony.

Slide 17 — Dangers #6 & #7
6. It Distracts From Eternal Things
Worldliness shifts our attention toward:
Temporary pleasures
Possessions
Status
Achievements
Colossians 3:1–2; 2 Corinthians 4:18

7. It Leads Toward Destruction
“The world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.”
1 John 2:17

SECTION 4 — HOW CAN CHRISTIANS OVERCOME WORLDLINESS?
Slide 18 — Seven Biblical Keys to Victory
Christians overcome worldliness by:
Renewing the mind with God's Word
Walking in the Holy Spirit
Loving God more than the world
Guarding associations and influences
Maintaining a strong prayer life
Setting the mind on eternal things
Practicing obedience, holiness, and self-control

Slide 19 — 1. Renew Your Mind With God's Word
Romans 12:2; Psalm 119:11
Continually fill your mind with Scripture.
God's Word:
Transforms our thinking
Exposes worldly values
Helps us recognize temptation
Enables us to reject ungodliness
Directs our decisions

Principle:
A transformed mind produces a transformed life.

Slide 20 — 2. Walk in the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:16, 25; Romans 8:13
Do not depend on your own strength.
Instead:
Walk by the Spirit
Listen to the Spirit
Depend on the Spirit
Put sinful desires to death

Principle:
Victory over the flesh requires dependence on the Spirit.

Slide 21 — 3. Love God More Than the World
1 John 2:15–17; Matthew 22:37
Worldliness loses its attraction when God becomes the supreme desire of the heart.
Put God above:
Pleasure
Possessions
Popularity
Position
Ambition

Principle:
The stronger our love for God, the weaker the world's attraction becomes.

Slide 22 — 4. Guard Your Associations & Influences
1 Corinthians 15:33; Proverbs 13:20
Be intentional about what influences you:
Friends
Relationships
Entertainment
Social media
Music
Movies
Online content
Physical environments

Ask:
“Is this influence drawing me closer to Christ or away from Him?”

Principle:
What continually influences you can eventually shape you.

Slide 23 — 5. Maintain a Strong Prayer Life
Matthew 26:41; Ephesians 6:18
Prayer keeps Christians:
Spiritually alert
Dependent on God
Strong against temptation
Faithful during trials

Principle:
A prayerless Christian is more vulnerable to spiritual compromise.
Prayer + God's Word + Holy Spirit = Spiritual Strength

Slide 24 — 6. Set Your Mind on Eternal Things
Colossians 3:1–2; Matthew 6:19–21
Focus on:
God's Kingdom
Heavenly treasures
Eternal life
Christ
God's will
Do not allow temporary things to control your:
Priorities
Desires
Decisions
Identity

Principle:
What occupies the heart determines the direction of life.

Slide 25 — 7. Practice Obedience, Holiness & Self-Control
Titus 2:11–12; 1 Peter 1:14–16
Christians must deliberately:
Reject sinful desires
Practice self-control
Obey God's Word
Pursue holiness
Live godly lives

Remember:
Grace does not teach us to embrace worldliness. Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness.

Principle:
Overcoming worldliness requires daily choices to obey God.

SECTION 5 — PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Slide 26 — How Can I Know If Worldliness Is Influencing Me?
Ask yourself:
What occupies most of my thoughts?
What do I desire most?
Who or what influences my decisions?
Do I value possessions more than spiritual things?
Do I live for God's approval or people's approval?
Does my entertainment strengthen or weaken my faith?
Am I becoming more like Christ or more like the world?

Slide 27 — Worldliness vs. Christ-Centered Living
Worldliness
Christ-Centered Living
Self-centered
Christ-centered
Temporary pleasure
Eternal purpose
Human approval
God's approval
Materialism
Contentment
Pride
Humility
Flesh-controlled
Spirit-controlled
Conformity
Transformation
Worldly values
Biblical values
Romans 12:2

Slide 28 — Personal Commitment
I Choose to:
Renew my mind with God's Word.
Walk in the Holy Spirit.
Love God above worldly things.
Guard my relationships and influences.
Maintain a strong prayer life.
Focus on eternal things.
Practice obedience, holiness, and self-control.
My Goal
— Conclusion
VICTORY OVER WORLDLINESS
Christians are called to:
Live IN the world
⬇
Without becoming OF the world
⬇
While being a LIGHT to the world

Slide 31 — Central Lesson Thought
“The Christian overcomes worldliness not by withdrawing from the world, but by refusing to let the world shape the heart, mind, values, and conduct.”
Romans 12:2
Be transformed—not conformed.

Slide 32 — Closing Scripture
Colossians 3:2
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
CHRIST-CENTERED LIVING IS THE ANSWER TO WORLDLINESS.
Thank You

16/08/2026

GOD'S WARNING AGAINST WORLDLINESS
Matthew 16:26; Luke 21:34; James 4:4
Supporting Text:
1 John 2:15–17

LESSON OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, we should be able to:
1. Define worldliness from the Scriptures. 2. Understand God's warning against becoming attached to the world. 3. Identify how worldliness can affect a Christian's faith and relationship with God. 4. Recognize the difference between living in the world and becoming of the world. 5. Identify practical areas where worldliness can enter our lives. 6. Learn biblical principles for overcoming worldliness. 7. Examine ourselves and determine whether God or the world has greater influence over our lives.
Central Thought
The greatest danger of worldliness is not that it makes us look worldly; it is that it can make us lose our love for God and ultimately lose our souls.

INTRODUCTION
We live in a world that constantly tells us what to value.
The world tells us:
• Get more money. • Buy more possessions. • Become famous. • Be accepted by everyone. • Enjoy yourself. • Follow your feelings. • Do whatever makes you happy. • Don't worry too much about spiritual things.
But God gives us a different message. Jesus asks in Matthew 16:26:
“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
This is one of the most important questions any human being can answer.
A person may gain:
• Money • Property • Education • Business success • Political influence • Popularity • Social status • Pleasure • Recognition
But if those things cause that person to lose his soul, what has he really gained?
The problem is therefore not simply possessing things.
The problem is when things begin to possess us.

WHAT IS WORLDLINESS?
The Bible does not teach that the physical earth is evil.
God created the world.
Genesis 1:31 tells us that God saw everything He had made, and it was very good.
Neither does Christianity teach that Christians should hate people in the world.
Jesus prayed concerning His disciples in John 17:15–18, showing that Christians would remain in the world while being spiritually separated from its sinful values.
So what does the Bible mean when it warns us about the world?
Worldliness is allowing the sinful values, desires, priorities, attitudes, and practices of the world to control our hearts instead of allowing God's Word to control us.
John gives us a powerful description in 1 John 2:15–17:

• The lust of the flesh • The lust of the eyes • The pride of life
These things are temporary.
But:
“He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
Therefore:
Worldliness is not simply where you live; it is what controls your heart.
A Christian can live in a wealthy environment without being worldly.
A Christian can own a business without being worldly.
A Chrishgtian can have a good career without being worldly.
A Christian can use social media without being worldly.
But when these things become more important than God, they become dangerous.

Discussion Question
Can a person be physically present in the church while his heart is controlled by the world? - Yes.
Jesus condemned people who honored God outwardly while their hearts were far from Him.
Matthew 15:8: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
MATTHEW 16:26 —

THE DANGER OF GAINING THE WORLD AND LOSING THE SOUL
Jesus asks:
“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
This verse establishes a fundamental truth: Your soul is more valuable than the entire world.
Think about the question. Jesus did not ask:
“How much money can you make?”
He asked:
What will it profit you?
The world measures success by what a person possesses.
God measures success by faithfulness.

A. WORLDLY POSSESSIONS ARE TEMPORARY
1 Timothy 6:7
“For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”
Everything we possess is temporary.
❖ Your car will eventually disappear. ❖ Your house will eventually belong to someone else. ❖ Your money will eventually be spent or transferred. ❖ Your clothes will eventually become old. ❖ Your position will eventually be occupied by another person.
But your soul continues beyond this life. WORLDLY SUCCESS CANNOT SAVE THE SOUL
− A person can be financially successful and spiritually bankrupt. − A person can have millions in the bank and have nothing stored up with God. − Jesus illustrated this in Luke 12:16–21 through the rich fool. − The man had abundant possessions. − His problem was not simply that he was rich.
His problem was that his wealth became the center of his life while God was absent from his priorities.
God said: “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” Lesson: Having possessions is not the same thing as being blessed spiritually.

HOW WORLDLINESS CAN STEAL OUR SPIRITUAL PRIORITIES
Worldliness can cause us to sacrifice:
1.
Worship: We become too busy for worship but never too busy for work or entertainment. 2.
Bible study: We have time for social media but claim we have no time to study God's Word. 3.
Prayer: We spend hours talking to people but only seconds talking to God. 4.
Evangelism: We are comfortable discussing business, politics, sports, and entertainment but rarely discuss Christ. 5.
Fellowship: We allow worldly activities to interfere with opportunities to encourage fellow Christians. 6.
Righteousness: We begin compromising biblical principles because we want acceptance. 7.
Faithfulness: We gradually become more committed to earthly ambitions than spiritual responsibilities.
Discussion Question
If someone examined how we spend our time, money, energy, and attention, what would they conclude is most important to us?
LUKE 21:34:

THE WORLD CAN MAKE US SPIRITUALLY DULL
Jesus warned: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life…”
Notice something important.
Jesus did not only warn about obvious sinful behavior.
He also warned about:
“The cares of this life.”
This means that a person can become spiritually distracted simply because life becomes too important. ➢ Work. ➢ Business. ➢ Family. ➢ Money. ➢ Bills. ➢ Entertainment. ➢ Career. ➢ Social activities. ➢ Personal ambitions.
None of these things are automatically sinful.
But they can become dangerous when they crowd God out of our lives.

THE DANGER OF SPIRITUAL DISTRACTION
Consider Luke 8:14: Jesus explained that some people hear God's Word, but they are eventually:
“choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life…”
Notice the three things:
➢ Cares. ➢ Riches. ➢ Pleasures.
The three things can:
→ Barrier spiritual growth. → The person may not suddenly reject God. → Instead, something gradual happens. → Prayer becomes less important. → Bible study becomes less important. → Worship becomes less important. → Evangelism becomes less important. → Spiritual fellowship becomes less important. → Eventually, the person's relationship with God becomes weak.
This is one of the dangers of worldliness:
It often happens gradually.

JAMES 4:4: FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD
James gives one of the strongest warnings: “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?”
James is not saying that Christians should hate people who are not Christians.
Rather, he is warning against friendship with the sinful system of values that opposes God.
A Christian cannot say: “I want God, but I also want to live according to the world's sinful standards.”
There must be a choice.
Joshua 24:15; “Choose you this day whom ye will serve…” IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF THE WORLD
Jesus prayed for His disciples in John 17:15–18.
Christians are not called to physically leave the society because:
➢ We work among people. ➢ We study among people. ➢ We conduct businesses among people. ➢ We interact with unbelievers. ➢ We live in communities.
But we must not allow the world's sinful values to become our standard.
The Christian question should not simply be: “Can I do this?”
A better question is: “Does this help me remain faithful to God?”

AREAS WHERE WORLDLINESS CAN APPEAR
A. MATERIALISM
Materialism occurs when possessions and money become excessively important.
Jesus said:
Matthew 6:24: “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
❖ Money is useful. ❖ Business is useful. ❖ Possessions are useful.
But money is a terrible master.
1 Timothy 6:9–10 warns about the dangers associated with the desire to become rich.
Questions:
• Am I working to live or living only to make money? • Has money become more important than God? • Would I compromise my faith to make more money?

PLEASURE AND ENTERTAINMENT
There is nothing inherently wrong with healthy recreation.
But Christians must ask: What am I allowing into my mind?
What we watch, listen to, follow, and repeatedly consume can influence our hearts.
Psalm 101: “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes…”
The Christian should be careful about entertainment that promotes:
• Immorality • Violence • Ungodly language • Sexual impurity • Hatred • Pride • Substance abuse • Rebellion against God
The question is not merely: “Is this entertaining?”
The question is: “What is this entertainment doing to my heart?”

SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND LUST
The world has increasingly normalized things that Scripture condemns. Jesus said in Matthew 5:28:
“Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Paul commands: 1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee fornication.”
The Christian must therefore guard the eyes, mind, relationships, conversations, online activities. and situations that encourage temptation.

Practical principle: Don't deliberately place yourself where you know your faith will be weakened. PRIDE AND HUMAN APPROVAL
Worldliness can also appear through our desire to be accepted.
Sometimes people know what God wants but refuse to obey because:
“What will people say?”
Paul asked:
Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God?”
We cannot live faithfully to God while making human approval our highest authority.
Jesus also warned about people who loved:
“the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
John 12:43
Ask yourself: Would I still do what is right if nobody applauded me? CAREER, BUSINESS AND AMBITION
➢ Career success is not sinful. ➢ Business success is not sinful. ➢ Education is not sinful. ➢ Financial planning is not sinful.
The problem comes when these things replace God.
Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness…” God must remain first.
A Christian should be able to say:
“I want to succeed, but I will not succeed at the expense of my soul.”

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MODERN WORLDLINESS
Social media can be useful.
But it can also encourage:
• Comparison • Vanity • Envy • Pride • Materialism • Sexual temptation • Desire for popularity • Waste of time • Obsession with human approval
The problem is not necessarily the technology.
The question is:
What is the technology producing in me?
If social media constantly makes us dissatisfied with what God has given us, obsessed with appearance, envious of others, or distracted from spiritual responsibilities, we must examine ourselves.
1 Corinthians 6:12 gives us a useful principle:
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient…”
A Christian must ask: “Is this helping me spiritually?”

WHY IS WORLDLINESS SO ATTRACTIVE?
John identifies three major areas in 1 John 2:16:
1. The lust of the flesh
♦ “What feels good?” 2. The lust of the eyes
♦ “What looks attractive?”
3. The pride of life
♦ “What makes me feel important?”
We see these same principles in the temptation of Eve in Genesis 3:6.
She saw that:
• The tree was good for food. • It was pleasant to the eyes. • It was desired to make one wise.
Satan still uses similar strategies today.
❖ The packaging may change. ❖ The temptation remains.
BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF WORLDLINESS 1. THE RICH FOOL: LUKE 12:13–21
The rich fool planned bigger barns.
His focus was: “My fruits… my barns… my goods… my soul.”
❖ But God was not at the center of his plans. ❖ His possessions increased, but his spiritual condition did not.
Lesson: You can be rich toward yourself and poor toward God.
2. THE RICH YOUNG RULER: MATTHEW 19:16–22
➢ This man wanted eternal life. ➢ He appeared morally serious. ➢ But when Jesus required him to give up his attachment to his possessions, he went away sorrowfully.
Lesson: Sometimes the greatest obstacle between a person and complete obedience is the thing that person refuses to surrender.

HOW CAN WE OVERCOME WORLDLINESS?
1. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE
Colossians 3:1–2: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
We overcome worldliness by changing our focus. 2. RENEW YOUR MIND
Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
➢ The world wants to shape our thinking. ➢ God wants His Word to shape our thinking. 3. LOVE GOD MORE THAN THE WORLD
1 John 2:15–17: You cannot give your heart completely to God while deliberately giving your deepest affection to worldly values. 4. SEEK FIRST GOD'S KINGDOM
Matthew 6:33: The solution to misplaced priorities is not necessarily removing everything from our lives.
It is putting God first. 5. GUARD YOUR HEART
Proverbs 4:23: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Be careful about what enters your mind through:
• Your eyes • Your ears • Your relationships • Your entertainment • Your conversations • Your online activities 6. CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS CAREFULLY
1 Corinthians 15:33: “Evil communications corrupt good manners.”
Our relationships influence our values.
We should love everyone, but we must be careful about who we allow to exercise deep influence over our lives. 7. STUDY AND OBEY GOD'S WORD
Psalm 119:11: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
❖ Knowledge alone is not enough.
James 1:22 says we must be doers of the Word. 8. REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE CHURCH
Hebrews 10:24–25 emphasizes assembling together and encouraging one another.
Christian fellowship helps us remain spiritually focused.
We need one another. 9. KEEP ETERNITY IN VIEW
2 Corinthians 4:18 teaches us to focus on things that are eternal rather than merely temporary.
When eternity becomes real to us, the attraction of temporary things becomes weaker.
As Christians in the Body of Christ, our standard must not be:
• “What does society say?” • “What is popular?” • “What does everyone else do?” • “What feels right to me?” Our standard must be the Word of God.
Christ has all authority.
→ Matthew 28:18: The gospel must be obeyed. → Mark 16:15–16: The church belongs to Christ. → Matthew 16:18: Christians must remain faithful. → Revelation 2:10: Our worship must be according to God's revealed will. → John 4:24: Our lives must demonstrate holiness. → 1 Peter 1:15–16: We must separate ourselves from sinful works. → Ephesians 5:11; The Christian life is therefore not simply about attending church. It is about belonging to Christ and allowing His Word to govern every part of our lives. WORLDLINESS VS. EARTHLY RESPONSIBILITIES
We must maintain balance.
The Bible does not command Christians to abandon:
• Work • Family • Education • Business • Financial planning • Possessions • Responsible recreation
1 Timothy 5:8 teaches responsibility toward one's household.
2 Thessalonians 3:10–12 teaches responsible work.
Colossians 3:23 teaches Christians to work heartily.
➢ Therefore, the issue is not simply having earthly responsibilities. ➢ The issue is allowing earthly responsibilities to become more important than God.
Powerful question:
Is the problem the possession, or is the problem when the possession possesses us? SELF-EXAMINATION
Let us honestly examine ourselves. 1. What currently has the greatest influence over my decisions—God or the world? 2. If someone examined my spending, what would it reveal about my priorities? 3. Does my entertainment strengthen or weaken my relationship with God? 4. Am I more concerned about pleasing people than pleasing God? 5. Have career and financial goals become more important than spiritual responsibilities? 6. What worldly habit am I finding difficult to surrender? 7. Does my lifestyle look noticeably different from the world? 8. Am I becoming spiritually distracted by the cares of this life? 9. If I gained everything I wanted but lost my soul, would it be worth it? 10. If Christ returned today, would I be spiritually prepared? THREE TEXTS — THREE WARNINGS
Let us return to our three main passages.
MATTHEW 16:26: The world cannot compensate for the loss of your soul.
LUKE 21:34: The cares, pleasures, and distractions of life can make the heart spiritually dull

16/08/2026

WORD OF ADMONITION BY BRO SUNDAY EYO EDEM-16/08/2026
TOPIC: WHAT DO YOU HIDE?
TEXT: 2 KING 20:14-15

16/08/2026

MOMENT WITH GOD THROUGH SONGS OF PRAISE 🙏

16/08/2026

SUNDAY SCHOOL SESSION -16/08/2026
TEACHER: BRO AKANIMO NSEABASI
TOPIC: GOD'S WARNING AGAINST WORLDLINESS

09/08/2026

SUNDAY MESSAGE
by Min. Ime N. Udofia
Theme: Overcoming the World and Worldliness
Text: I John 2:15–17
Sub-topic: Examples of Worldliness in the Church

Introduction
In the first Epistle of John, the Scripture states three aspects of the sinful world which create open hostility to God (I John 2:16).

1. The Lust of the Flesh
This includes impure desires and running after sinful pleasures and physical satisfaction (gratification).
2 Corinthians 6:18; Philippians 3:19; James 1:14

2. The Lust of the Eyes
This refers to coveting or lusting after things that are attractive to the eye but forbidden by God — for example, the desire to watch or read about things that give sinful pleasure.
Exodus 20:17; Romans 7:9
In the present modern age, this includes:
Viewing po*******hy.
Viewing violence and ungodly conduct.
Viewing nudity or immorality on stage, television, videos, the internet, and other media.
Genesis 3:6; Joshua 7:21; 2 Samuel 11:2; Matthew 5:28

3. The Pride of Life
This refers to subtle pride and arrogance that often arises with wealth or material blessings, positions or power, promotions, personal achievements or honor, educational attainment, and similar things.
James 4:16; Psalm 49:6–7; Proverbs 20:14; Proverbs 25:14
Also read: Proverbs 27:1; 1 Corinthians 4:6–7

The Lesson Proper
Worldliness in the Church means adopting the selfish values, attitudes, and behaviors of secular society instead of following God's teachings.
Therefore, some common examples of worldliness in the Church include the following.

1. Philosophy or Traditions of Men
This is a particular set or system of beliefs resulting from the search for knowledge about life and the universe.
Matthew 15:6, 7–9
Paul's advice:
Colossians 2:8
2. Going to Law with Brethren

1 Corinthians 6:1–11
Note: The Hebrews were taught to settle their differences among themselves.
Farrar explained why they held that view: the upright man (Jashar) and the Jews could not consistently seek integrity from those who were not upright. Engaging in lawsuits against one another was a part of the Greek way of life. The Greeks were naturally and characteristically a litigious people, too ready to take disagreements to court. The law courts were one of their chief amusements and entertainments. The Greeks were notorious — in fact, famous — for their love of going to law.
3. Materialism and Pride

Chasing wealth: judging a person's worth or God's blessing by how much money or luxury they have.
Fame and status: seeking high social position, applause, and power instead of serving with humility.
Excessive pleasure: letting hobbies, entertainment, and personal comfort crowd out prayer, worship, and helping others.
4. Division and Conflict

Fighting and envy: arguing within the church family because people want their own way or are jealous of others.
Forming cliques: favoring rich or important people while ignoring the poor, just as the outside world does.
Holding grudges: refusing to forgive and choosing to fight back instead of showing grace.
5. Moral and Cultural Compromise

Copying culture: changing timeless biblical truths to match shifting popular opinion.
Relying on human tactics: running the church like a secular business, using marketing strategy and manipulation instead of spiritual power.

Conclusion
The world system is temporary and will be destroyed by God.
1 Corinthians 7:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10; 2 Peter 3:10
Therefore, believers must not be yoked with those who participate in the world's evil system. Instead, we must expose evil, must influence the world as light and salt of the earth, and must attempt to win unbelievers to Christ.

May God give us the grace to do this, we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.
“God bless us with every good thing, including our substance, in Jesus' mighty name.”

Church of Christ Ibiaku Itam II

23/08/2026

16/08/2026

16/08/2026

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09/08/2026

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