Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8700 Threats to the life of faith  »  8848 worldliness

The sinful tendency to conform to the world, to be contrasted with the biblical command to maintain contact with the world while avoiding becoming like the world. Believers are called to live in the world, while not being of the world. This attitude is supremely exemplified in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

The paradox of God's love for a sinful world

John 3:16; 1 John 2:15-16

God's people are called to be separate from the world, yet a source of blessing to it

The example of Abraham

Genesis 12:1-3 The life of Abraham illustrates the important biblical balance, called to separation from his native environment to be a blessing to the nations. See also Genesis 15:7; Genesis 18:18; Galatians 3:8

The example of others

Genesis 41:56-57 Joseph; Daniel 2:48-49 Daniel and his friends

Conformity to the pagan standards of the OT world disparaged

Leviticus 18:28 with respect to sexual perversion

With respect to concepts of leadership:

1 Samuel 8:5; 1 Kings 21:7 1 Kings 11:7-8 with respect to idolatry; Isaiah 13:19 with respect to pride

With respect to self-reliance:

Isaiah 31:1; Zechariah 4:6

God's concern for the nations of the world

Isaiah 49:6 See also Jonah 4:11; Revelation 22:2

Jesus Christ is a model of the required balance of being in the world but not of it

He was in the world

John 3:16-17 See also John 9:5; John 16:28

He was not of the world

John 8:23 See also Luke 4:5-8 pp Matthew 4:8-10; John 17:14; John 18:36; 1 John 3:1

He was a friend of the disreputable

Matthew 11:19 See also Mark 2:16; Luke 7:44-48

He was concerned for outsiders

John 10:16 See also Matthew 28:19; Mark 7:24-30 pp Matthew 15:21-28; Acts 1:8

Believers are called to live in the world, while not being of it

They have been chosen out of the world

John 15:19 See also John 17:14,16; 2 Corinthians 6:17

They must avoid conformity with the world

Romans 12:2 See also 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; 2 Timothy 4:10; Titus 2:12; James 1:27; 1 Peter 1:14-16; Peter 4:3-4; 1 John 2:15; John 5:4

They must maintain contact with the world

1 Corinthians 5:9-10 See also John 17:11

They must do good in the world

Galatians 6:10 See also Titus 2:14

See also

1335  blessing
2015  Christ, compassion
2324  Christ as Saviour
4030  world, behaviour in
7155  saints
8211  commitment to world
8217  conformity
8269  holiness, separation from worldly
8324  purity
8778  materialism