Don't
conform to the ways of the world
See also
Loving evil more than good and
Loving God
First
"...the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one."
1 John 5:19
"...do not be
conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God....
Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good."
Romans 12:2,
9
"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. For all
that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the
world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he
who does the will of God abides forever."
1 John 2:15-17
"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is
not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My
servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to
the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."
John
18:36
"If
you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet
because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you." John 15:19-20
"Friendship with the
world is enmity to God."
James 4:4
"...the light has
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone
practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light,
lest his deeds should be exposed."
John
3:19-20
"...the light shines
in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
John 1:5
"Woe to
those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for
light, and light for darkness.... Woe to those who are wise in their
own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" Isaiah 5:20-21
"He [Jesus] turned
and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense
to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but
the things of men.'"
Matthew 16:23
"Blessed is that man
who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud,
nor such as turn aside to lies."
Psalm 40:4
"Do not be
deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.' Awake to
righteousness, and do not sin...."
1 Corinthians
15:33-34
"My son, if
sinners entice you, do not consent." Proverbs
1:10
"Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk
in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn
away from it and pass on."
Proverbs 4:14
"...all seek
their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 2:21
"Now the parable
is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside
are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes
away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe
and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who,
when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no
root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation
fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those
who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with
cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit
to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those
who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it
and bear fruit with patience."
Luke 8:11-15
"... in the last
days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without
self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors,
headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its
power. And from such people turn away!
"...all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow
worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must
continue in the things which you have learned..."
2
Timothy 3:1-14
In the world
-- sharing His Truth and love - but not part of it!
"As the Father
has sent Me, I also send you.” John 20:21
“Now thanks be to God
who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses
the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God
the fragrance of Christ among those who are saved and among
those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death
leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to
life. And who is sufficient for these things?"
2 Corinthians 2:14-16
"If the world
hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you
were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you
are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to
you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they
persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My
word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will
do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who
sent Me." John 15:18-21
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have
overcome the world.” John 16:33
Those who refuse
to love the world face hostility
"I have given
them Your word; and the world has hated them because they
are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but
that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the
world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your
truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also
have sent them into the world."
John
17:14-18
"...the time is
coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father
nor Me."
John 16:2-3
"Now
thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us
diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For
we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma
of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life
leading to life."
2 Corinthians 2:14-16
"Just
as they have chosen their own ways,
And their
soul delights in their abominations,
So will I
choose their delusions and bring their fears on them;
Because when I
called, no one answered,
When I spoke
they did not hear;
But they did
evil before My eyes
And chose that
in which I do not delight."
Hear the
word of the Lord, you who tremble at His Word;
Your
brethren who hated you,
Who cast
you out for My name's sake, said,
'Let the Lord
be glorified that we may see your joy,'
But they shall be ashamed." Isaiah 66:3-4
“These things I have
spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,
I have
overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Choose your
position - whom will you follow?
"Walk as
children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all
goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is
acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose
them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things
which are done by them in secret....
"See then that you
walk circumspectly, not
as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the
days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand
what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with
wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the
Spirit...."
Ephesians 5:8-18
"And if it
seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for
yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the
gods which your fathers served that were on the other side
of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you
dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the
Lord." Joshua
24:15
"Therefore we
do not lose heart. Even though our
outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being
renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which
is but for a moment [as seen from God's eternity], is
working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory, while we do not look at
the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the
things which are not seen are eternal."
2 Corinthians
4:16-18
"For our
citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly
wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform
our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious
body...." Philippians
3:20
See also
Deceptive alliances
and
The Kingdom of God