I want to be a worldly Christian. In the Christian community in which I was raised, saying that would have gotten me voted off the island. “Worldliness” was a bad thing. And you can find Bible verses to prove that point. The Apostle John told the early Christians that they ought not to “love the world or anything in the world” (1 Jn 2:15). Jesus himself warned His disciples that since they “do not belong to the world” they should not be surprised if “the world hates you” (Jn 15:19). In one of the most poignant asides in his epistles, Paul tells us that his friend Demas had “loved this world” and hence, “deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica” (2 Tim 4:10).

So yes, you can find condemnations of “worldliness” in the Bible, even from Jesus Himself. And when “the world” is referred to in that manner, it means the general patterns of life have become corrupted by our shared rebellion against the Living God. To love the world in that sense is to be attached to those things that are, from the perspective of Christ’s Kingdom, transitory and illusionary; it is also to adopt the values of the sinful social order.

But there are times in the Bible when “the world” is referred to with different meanings. In some places the word simply has to do with geography. For example, Jesus predicted that the “gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations” (Mt. 24:l4). Here “the world” is a physical expanse, the territory containing the people of the earth – it is basically neutral, neither good nor bad.

But there are times when the word “world” actually has a very positive meaning, so much so that we should try very hard to love the world. Indeed, in this sense God Himself is a lover of the world, made clear in the simplest of all biblical summaries of the Gospel: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). The Greek word for world here is cosmos, referring to the “created order.” To be sure, this creation is presently distorted by sin and rebellion, but it is not unsalvageable. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (Jn 3:17). The creator God who judged His creation to be “very good” at its beginnings (Gen 1:31) has reaffirmed its fundamental worth by sending His Son to renew it.

Christians have obligations to the world in all three senses of the term: bad, neutral, and good. We are sent into the sinful order, not to conform to it, but to confront its rebellion. As Jesus prayed to the Father on behalf of His disciples: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (Jn 17:15). Christians are called to penetrate the territory over which sin presently rules. We must bring the Gospel, in a territorial sense, to the ends of the earth so that all may hear the Good News. And we must identify with all that is good in the cosmos, the good creation.

To say that the Gospel is about God’s love for “the world” is to recognize that the Christian message extends beyond a mere concern for the individual; it has implications with the whole creation. Not that the message for individuals ceases to be important. Jesus Christ did indeed come to save sinners. But He also came to reclaim a larger creation that has suffered because of human’s sinfulness. The Gospel is God’s response to sin, and sin affects the whole of the world that God has made. The curse of sin is cosmic in scope.

For one thing, the sinful rebellion of Adam and Eve has, according to Genesis 3, ramifications for the non-human natural order. Although this is a matter that is shrouded in some mystery, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s commands, a curse was introduced into the creation that apparently sent shock waves throughout the non-human realm: “cursed is the ground because of you…It will produce thorns and thistles for you” (Gen 3:17-18); and the Old Testament prophets view hostilities among the animals as a manifestation of sinfulness (Isa 11:6-7).

But there is another sense in which the curse of sin affects more than individual human beings: it also touches human institutions. Human greed, prejudice, selfishness, and pride – these attributes, which may well have their origins in the individual human heart, come to be woven into our institutional life, into the corporate patterns of human interaction. Institutions in turn perpetuate and reinforce these attributes in individuals.

This is clear from the phenomenon of racism. In the past, blacks in North America, South Africa, and other white-dominated societies were viewed as inferior human beings, even subhuman. Racist beliefs were consciously accepted and propagated by the white people. These beliefs were translated into action. Blacks were enslaved or were assigned to the most menial tasks. They were deprived of basic human rights. They were made the butt of demeaning jokes and stories. These conscious practices in turn became corporate embodiments with a “life of their own.” Racist attitudes were reflected in the legal system and in the labor market. The black community was systematically demoralized, constantly running up against stereotypes and prejudices.

It is no simple matter to change a situation of this sort. It is certainly not enough to say, as some Christians are fond of saying, that “changed hearts will change society.” Racial prejudice may well have begun in individual human hearts, but it comes to be institutionalized, codified. To correct things is to work at rewriting constitutions and labor codes. Self-images need to be repaired; communities have to be rebuilt.

Or think about the sex trade. If we managed to bring every individual prostitute in a given country to Christ, we would still have to deal with the economic realities of the situation. Where will they now get access to education and job training? What about those who manage and benefit from the “industry” of sexual trafficking? Changing individual hearts has to be coordinated with changes in the legal and economic structures.

These more “systemic” efforts are included in the biblical picture of redemption. When the prophets envision the fulfillment of God’s saving purposes, they portray a renewed creation: animals are at peace with one another and human beings; the earth yields abundant produce; the weapons of war are exchanged for instruments of harvest; people live together in faithful communities; justice, righteousness, and peace are the rule of the day.
When I say I want to be a worldly Christian, these are the things I have in mind. I want to nurture a “holy worldliness.” I want to be associated with a community of Christians who sense God’s call to be both witnesses to, and agents of, the full redemption that Christ came to accomplish. I want to be a part of a church that understands our identity as redemptive witnesses and equips men and women to be agents of God’s program of renewing His creation.

There are, of course, many difficult questions involved in deciding just how we are to contribute to the renewal of the world. For example, the main campus of the seminary that I serve is situated very near to Hollywood, and we meet regularly with Christians who work in the entertainment industry. They struggle with big challenges. In a work environment that produces film, websites, TV comedies, and video games, how do we use our talents and opportunities to serve the cause of Christ’s Kingdom? Again, some difficult challenges. But we do at least know that we can’t simply be guided by “giving them what they want.” The woman who reads scripts at Disney Studios, who is also a part-time student at Fuller Seminary, wants to see her work as an exercise in Christian discernment.

What are the plots and portrayals of human life that depict a God-honoring human flourishing? How can we point people, without being overtly “religious,” to the ideals of self-sacrifice, faithfulness in relationships, and the concerns of justice and peace?

For some of us, the most we can hope for in the patterns of our daily lives are small acts of obedience to the cause of the Gospel: a question we raise in university class discussion, a kind word to a customer, influencing the way in which a corporate policy gets worded, a letter of sympathy to a grieving non-Christian friend. None of these things will automatically turn into an opportunity for inviting people to come to Christ. But they can still be important efforts to engage in a “holy worldliness.”

Dr Richard J Mouw is President and Professor of Christian Philosophy at Fuller Theological Seminary, USA. He has been an editor of the Reformed Journal and has served on many editorial boards, including currently Books and Culture. He is the author of 17 books including Consulting the Faithful; The Smell of Sawdust: What Evangelicals Can Learn from Their Fundamentalist Heritage; He Shines in All That’s Fair: Culture and Common Grace; Wonderful Words of Life; Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport, and, with co-editor Eric Jacobsen, Traditions in Leadership. Check out his musings at www.netbloghost.com/mouw/.

The New International Version Bible has been referenced.

How To Be A Christian Without Being Religious

Terrence Quah manages the marketing and communications at SKS Books in Singapore but spends most of his time helping churches develop their Bible study curriculum.

Holy Available
by Gary L Thomas
REVIEWED BY JEZREEL PILLAI
When I received this book I have to say my first thought was “not available.” But the very first chapter Kissing the Leper got me really interested. The writing is sincere and passionate – each chapter richly packed with well balanced, practical, as well as mind and heart altering points which startled me to wakefulness.

Thomas does nothing to make the truth sweeter or milder, it is as cutting as it can get but not condemning especially when addressing sin – “Sin makes me blind (lustful or power-hungry), deaf (self-centered), and mute (apathetic).” He boldly challenges us to gain an insight into our own lives so that we can embark on the transformational journey of experiencing God’s presence, power and wisdom daily. He also stresses firmly throughout the book that Christian living is not just about the “do not’s.”

Holy Available has 16 chapters built upon one another, with summaries at the end of each and questions for personal reflection or group study at the end of the book. Entries of real life experiences bring the truth closer to home. Inspiring the reader to an understanding of what holiness is, how one can work towards it, and where others fit in is the main purpose of Holy Available.

I felt an uneasiness creep down my spine as I read the words, “Christ likeness is born in us when we deny ourselves in the small tasks of life – seeking to understand instead of being understood, holding our tongue when before we would readily and openly criticize, having our will broken by forgiving and serving and listening.” With godly understanding, Thomas explains that choosing to be holy has its painful sacrifices and consequences. He also cautions us not to succumb to the idolatry of accomplishment by thinking that we are closer to holiness when we find success in life and ministry.

Ponder this: if you cannot name one element of life for which God fails to equip and sustain you, what then is your excuse for being Holy unAvailable to Him?

Jezreel Pillai is an editorial team member of Eagles VantagePoint.

The lecture theater was quiet as people left as soon as the evening class was over. I stayed behind to arrange my notes. A few minutes later, a well-built man in blue overalls came into the room. He nodded his head in my direction, and then walked off into the corner of the lecture room. He went from corner to corner, nook to nook. Sometimes he would squat down and examine the corners. At times he used a thin metal stick to dig into the nook.

After a while, I asked him what he was doing. He replied that he was the pest control man and was doing his rounds to see if there are pests around. We got talking about bugs, flies, and mosquitoes. He said that the best way to keep these pests away was to cut off their breeding places and food supply.
We talked about dengue fever. He shook his head and repeated his view that we should work on removing the breeding sites. Yet whenever there is a complaint about presence of mosquitoes or if there is an outbreak of dengue, his bosses will always tell him to fog the area.

“Fogging is loud. Makes a lot of noise and smoke. The boss sees it and the people see it – so they think I am doing my work. When I go about to check for breeding, no one’s sees and no one knows. When I am fogging, I look busy. The boss likes that.”

Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said, “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” The conversation with Mr Fogger reminded me that Socrates’s warning is still true today – for me and for my church – for we fall into the trap of doing noisy things that attract attention. I like my music pretty loud for it helps me to focus. Loud music in churches does not disturb me but basing our hope on the spectacular distracts us from worshipping in Spirit and in truth (Jn 4: 23).

Worldliness creeps into the Church when we fail to direct people into the closet of prayers, into corners where we encounter the fear and love God, into nooks where we can share our lives openly and lovingly. Worldliness creeps into the Church when we allow “noise and smoke” to take precedence over the contemplation of living before the Holy God.

Collateral Damage
The sun was setting and it was cool enough for me to cycle home. I said goodbye to my new found friend and walked to the car park. It was a rather big car park and it looked bigger now that most people have left the campus.

I recall a conversation with a friend who comes early and would park at the lot farthest away. He said that the lots nearest should be left for those who come late for they need it most. Well, that does not always happen in my church (which is a lovely and caring community) and I think it does not happen in most of the churches on a Sunday morning too.

In some cities that I visited in China, neighbors sometimes complain against house churches that their bicycles block the way. These neighbors may phone the local police who then have to come and inform the house church that they are not allowed to hold religious services in the residential apartment. Often the house church leaders know how to respond rightly but once in a while, a more zealous leader will say that this is persecution.

The way we park our cars or bicycles reflect a bit of what we think going to church is about. The neighbors see only the crowded lanes and streets on a Sunday. Some would religiously put dustbins out on Sundays so as to prevent inconsiderate parking. We have to bring the love of our church community into the world and our parking habits is a great place to start. Remember: those who need Christ most should be given the chance to be the nearest to Him. We Christians must be ready to walk the extra mile in order to make this happen; extending grace into the world.

In that short conversation, I also learnt that fogging chase away and kill off the “good insects” too. “Soon we’ll have gardens with no butterflies, flowers with no bees. Pretty birds will not come for there are no insects to eat. You‘d be left with ravens and mynahs.”

We have critters among us in the congregation and bugs in our beloved denominations – for we are but sinners saved by grace. If we do things only for the noise and the attraction it brings, our churches will lose touch with God’s grace. The parking lots may be full but our hearts could be empty – that is a dreadful form of worldliness that strikes at our churches.

Jesus said, “My food…is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (Jn 4:34). We are rescued from the world and in turn will be empowered to be salt and light in the world when we share this food of Jesus. Doing God’s will must characterize the life of the Church. We note that this verse in the Gospel of John is sandwiched by Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman (Jn 4:1-26) and Jesus telling the disciples that the harvest is ripe and eternal life beckons (Jn 4:35-38). That’s our food and anything else allows worldliness to creep into our lives. Writer Jaroslav Pelikan gives us a good reminder about church life: “Tradition is the living faith of the dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.”

Sorry – No Fogging in My Home
The next day my classes were in the afternoon so I sat at home the whole morning. Lo and behold, some workers were fogging downstairs. The noise and the smell permeated my apartment. I wanted to know if I have my facts correct and so I Googled “fogging” and found this in the Straits Times archives:
“The NEA constantly advises homeowners and pest control companies not to over-fog outdoors. Since 2005, the NEA has brought down outdoor fogging by 50 per cent, it says. But what does not help, said Mr Ng Say Kiat, director of the SPMA’s Institutional Agencies Group, is nervous clients demanding fogging. ‘They want to see smoke and hear noise so they feel that something is being done about dengue.’

Ironically, the one time fogging needs to be done is when the NEA faces the most resistance – indoor fogging in areas when there are known dengue clusters. Close to 60 per cent of homeowners say no to it…”*

Well, that’s an interesting addition to my wee knowledge about fogging. It is not so useful in many situations and in those instances that it should be used, people do not want it. We fog when there is no need and we refuse to fog when there is a need. Such an irony indeed.

I guess the same may apply to churches that we are reluctant or slow to change when there is a need to. To keep our churches from being worldly, we must let the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit infuse us thoroughly. Mr Fogger also said just as I was walking out of the lecture room, “whatever we do, there will always be bugs, rodents, and flies in our world.”

We cannot legislate that our people in our churches be meek or be poor in spirit. That will be like asking patients to be well before they go to a hospital. We could make a room bug free if we use heavy duty insecticides and apply all sorts of powerful killing methods. But then humans may not live healthily in that room either. If a church chooses to be highly authoritative or manipulative in attempts to make herself less worldly and more spiritual, the very method of doing so may be worldly.

Foggy Discipleships
Having worked with the very poor and down trodden for the past 15 years, there are times when I wanted to tell Singaporean Christians that we are spending too much on our cars and too much grooming ourselves. I could not explain to a beleaguered widow, who does not have enough food for her malnourished kids that in my country, Christians spend a quarter million dollars to buy a car that could cruise at 100 kilometers an hour when the longest highway in Singapore is about 45 kilometers.

And it was not easy to think about the fact that whatever our denominational persuasion – fundamental or charismatic or whatever – a visitor could not tell the difference if we look at the cars that the church members drive. Perhaps we in churches have also bought in quite deep into the Singapore dream. After all, if I visited an Amish church in Ohio, I would immediately see that theirs is a doctrine of simplicity. They do not drive cars nor do they use machines that spew out chemicals to kill bugs.
But churches are neither about cars nor bugs. Churches are about having the truth and love of the Triune God flowing in and through the people. We should not allow bugs or cars, pest busters or car ownership get in the way. Let’s be ready to be active disciples with and without them. Irritations when there are bugs and discomforts when we do not have our cars should not sway us from joyful discipleship.

Perhaps we should then look deep into our hearts and hear again the words of Jesus: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (Jn 7:38) (ESV). We are not called to be pest control agents in our churches to keep a lookout for sin and trespasses. We are called to believe in Christ, to experience God’s truth in the Bible and be channels of blessings. That will put Jesus Christ as head of the Church and allow His love to move into every nook and corner, every tribe and nation. While it may be a movement with the noise of a fogging machine or a silent work of a dedicated man looking at nooks and corners, let’s put Christ first and keep worldliness at bay.

I will like to end off with 1 Samuel 16:7: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”

*Arti Mulchand. “NEA says halting Aedes breeding the way to go.” The Straits Times. Jun 14, 2007. http://www.wildsingapore.com/news/20070506/070614-3.htm

Dr Tan Lai Yong is a medical doctor who left Singapore with his wife from 1996-2010 to serve in Yunnan, China, as a community development aid worker, carrying out rural healthcare projects. He also lectured at Kunming Medical College, training farmers to be doctors. In 2005, he received the Singapore MILK Fund Award for Outstanding Youth and Children’s Worker presented by President Nathan and the “Good Citizen” of Kunming Award from the Yunnan Provincial TV Station in 2007. His work has been featured on Channel News Asia’s “Asian of the Year” series. Dr Tan can be contacted at tanlylc@pacific.net.sg.

The New International Version Bible has been referenced.

The last time I checked, Jesus was really popular when He was on earth. There were always huge crowds of people wherever He went. And the people who loved Him, were mostly of the world. The people who hated him, were mostly the holy people.

The last time I checked, Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of Heaven and salvation was extremely popular and powerful. Cities after cities were transformed by His message and miracles. The people who detested it, were mostly the holy people.

The holy people then, criticized Jesus for being worldly. So how do we define worldliness and holiness?

Whether we like it or not, we are born into this world. However, we do have a choice to be attached to it or to be attached to our Father in heaven through Jesus Christ. We have a choice to worship the things of this world or the God of heaven and earth. To let the world define who we are or let our Maker do it. In my humble opinion, that is the difference between worldliness and holiness.

I am not an ordained pastor, nor am I in full-time ministry. By the grace of God, I had the joy of experiencing the company and relationships with a wide variety of people for the past decade. From the poorest of poor to the elites and influential personalities, both in Singapore and abroad.

I think there are four main reasons why many Christians struggle in reaching out to people in our schools, marketplace, and even families and friends:

1. Identity Crisis – Not knowing fully who we are in Christ

The world suffers from an identity crisis. Most of us like to identify ourselves with the best, the most popular, and the most successful, whoever and whatever that might be. Unaware of the extent of who we are created to be and how much we are valued and loved, most Christians succumb to the pressure and temptations of the world.

I am not saying that I completely comprehend the sonship that I have in God through Christ Jesus – it takes a lifetime journey refined through tests and trials. Last year, however, I experienced a revelation of the Father’s love for me. And that completely changed my life! I no longer seek assurance from my parents, pastors, friends, and wife about who I am. I no longer allow expectations of people to affect my life, my convictions, and my walk with God. All I desire is to know the infinite knowledge of who my heavenly Father is through Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit and enjoy the wonderful love and affection that He showers upon me each day of my life.

So what impact did it have on my interaction and witnessing to non-believing family and friends? Tremendous! I began to share my convictions and passion for my God and Savior freely to anyone who asked, wherever and whenever. I could pray for anyone who needed a touch from God, with little hesitation, discomfort, and worry. In short, I could be very open about my relationship with my God and am able to be honest about my struggles and weaknesses without feeling ashamed, guilty or condemned.

The result? Beautiful! Many backslidden and hidden Christians became very open to me about their struggles and weaknesses. And there were many non-Christians who openly enquired about Jesus, and I have managed to build great friendships with them without feeling awkward about my open and noticeable relationship with God.

2. A Lack of Evidence – Not knowing fully who Christ is in us

The Gospel is powerful. The power of the Gospel is not just a feeling, it is tangible, and it changes everything in life. And I think the reason why we rarely see the evidence of its power at work through us, is because we might not have enough knowledge of it. We might not have spent enough time soaking in His presence through His Word, worship, and prayer. It is also my prayer to be able to fully comprehend the essence and magnitude of being more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus in every area of my life.

Jesus confirmed His identity as the Son of God through signs, wonders, and miracles. He also confirmed His identity with authority when He spoke at synagogues and other public places. He was showing the people evidence that He was the light of the world, and what He said was the truth.

Do we carry the same authority and power whenever we share Christ with other people? From observations, I noticed that many Christians are trying to prove a point than allowing the point to prove itself. In the end, we get frustrated, tired, disappointed, and sometimes disillusioned. We are powerless, but His Name is powerful, His Word is powerful and the Holy Spirit is power Himself. And through Christ, nothing is impossible to accomplish.

3. A Lack of Discernment – Difficulty in hearing God and identifying Him in our lives

One of my spiritual mentors always tells me that evangelism should not be complex or frustrating. The reason why it is in many cases is because many Christians cannot discern what to do and when to do it. I believe that God is constantly at work in everyone’s life. He doesn’t just have a plan to redeem us, He also has a plan to transform, refine, and prosper us in His own time and way.

His thoughts are not similar to ours and His ways are far beyond our imagination. He is waiting for someone who hears Him and identifies with Him. He moves in the most random of timings and in the most unlikely of circumstances and it is up to us to pick up His signs and act according to His promptings.

I believe God speaks and communicates to people in unique ways. Do we recognize His voice and His promptings enough to generate an immediate obedience to action? I believe that if we do, we will experience an outbreak of supernatural revivals and witness countless lives saved.

4. A Lack of Empathy – It is not just about winning souls for Christ, it is also about loving people and discipling them with His love.

I liked what my pastor shared with me last year. He said that evangelism is not about proving a point but making a difference in another person’s life.

Many non-Christian friends have complained to me that Christians today are quite intimidating whenever discussions about religions, beliefs, and God arise. We seem to be quite defensive whenever someone questions our Faith. I, for one, have experienced such encounters. We seem to have some bottom line to meet when it comes to evangelism.

Our Gospel is about the extravagant love of God to undeserving yet beloved humans. I do not see much love expressed through intense debates and quarrels. Jesus uses two examples to describe evangelism – fishing and farming. There is one thing in common between the two, and that is patience. And the first word that the Apostle Paul uses to describe love is “patient.”

Jesus did not once compromise His purity and righteousness when He hung out with people of the world. And yet most of them were transformed by Him. Similarly, we do not need to adopt the behaviors and methods of the world to reach them. We just need to be authentic and attractive by knowing who we are in Christ and by living out His goodness and genuine love in the way we live.

Xavier is an independent Communications & Brand Consultant and is also currently incubating a few businesses. He graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Film & Media Studies in Singapore and had worked in the field of Communications, Branding, and Design for seven years. Xavier is married and hopes to produce and direct films and sappy love dramas!

James attends church, and is a business man.
He has amassed sizeable wealth through his investments, and is a millionaire. He owns two Mercedes and a BMW. He lives a luxurious life of traveling and entertainment, and is always on the lookout for better investments. He loves to work out in the gym to build up a muscular physique, and recently went through liposuction as part of building his “image.”

Jeremy attends church, and is a business man.
He has amassed sizable wealth through his investments. He owns a BMW and lives in a nice house. He opens his house for hospitality to various fellowship group. He also mentors a group of businessmen in growing their business. Jeremy gives generously and regularly to charities and ministries. He makes trips to various parts of the world to observe projects that he may consider being involved in, both financially as well as in service. He especially has a heart for orphanages in third-world countries. Jeremy also works out regularly in a gym to stay trim and fit for his travels.

What are similar elements in the two stories above?
Besides church, my observations are: wealth, investments, BMW, traveling, and gym-membership.

When we think of worldliness in church, several possible categories of thought are: we may think that all material things are bad, or some material things are bad and some are acceptable. What perspectives does the Bible hold on this?

The Bible tells us in Apostle John’s writings: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn 2:15). However, the same writer also tells us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

The “world” in both verses is the same word in Greek, cosmos, referring to systems and objects that may be hostile to the values of God. Yet, in the light of these two verses above, it seems that rather than reject it totally, God intends to transform and change the world to be aligned to His values and His purposes. John also writes that God sent Christ to speak His word to the world, to give life to it and ultimately to save it.

Wealth, investments, BMW, traveling, gym membership…the Bible makes fleeting references to such similar elements in the lives of godly men:
• Abraham had much wealth, silver and gold, and enough employees under him to content with armies of kings of certain territories (Gen 14:14-16).
• Jacob had at his disposal a large number of livestock and cattle to select a gift for his brother (Gen 32:13-16).
• Joseph marshaled the finances and levies of the food stock of the region (Gen 41:56-57).
• Peter had at least two fishing boats with partners in probably a fishing business (Lk 5:3-7).
• Paul references physical fitness as valuable and uses that as a metaphor for training in things pertaining to God’s purposes (1 Tim 4:8, 1 Cor 9:24-27).

Make no mistake; the Bible’s references to such things are fleeting. The person above either gave up these things, used it to bless others or marshaled it in expediting what they felt was God’s calling in their lives.

This leads me to the next question: What is the difference in the characters of the two stories at the beginning of the article? My answer is: Their values, direction, and goals. Another way to put it: they have different compasses.

The trappings of wealth, investments, BMWs, and gym memberships may be similar, but the needles of their heart-compass point in almost opposite directions.

If we have a compass of God’s calling in our hearts, these external trappings become avenues and platforms for fulfilling God’s call. If we lack a compass in our hearts, these things overwhelm us and become goals we blindly pursue. At that point, worldliness would have crept into our lives.

In olden days, the ships that sailed often had two compasses, one in the bridge under the helmsman and one on the mast. When storms occurred and lightning was present, the compass in the iron boat would become unreliable. Often in the midst of the storm, a sailor was sent up to the mast to check the reading of the higher compass. The compass of our hearts is essential to guiding us to God’s calling. With the pressure and temptations from relationships and work, it is possible our thoughts and feelings in hearing God’s leading become unreliable. It is during moments when we encounter God, in times of rest and prayer, that our compass is reoriented to reflect God’s calling and direction for us.

How can we develop a compass of God’s call in the midst of the marketplace and life stresses? I would like to share three things we can do:

1. Decide early: who has your heart?
Above all, guard your heart, for out of it flows the issues of life (Prov 4:23). The phrase “above all” tells us this is the top-most priority in having a compass of calling. We must make a decision early in our career that God is our “boss,” our “pay-master” above our organization and supervisor. No matter how salaries, bonuses, and increments come, we look to God as the One who provides for us. As we seek God’s purposes first, He will provide for our needs (Mt 6:33).

2. Sustain the “wrapping” of excellence around the kernel of your heart.
If our work-life can be seen to have a “wrapping around a kernel,” the wrapping would be our responsibilities and competencies, while the kernel would be our heart to serve God.
The Bible calls us to do our work well with a clear compass of doing God’s will:
“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free” (Eph 6:7-8).

We should excel and grow in what we do in the marketplace, as a calling unto the Lord. This combination creates a testimony of salt and light where God has placed us.

3. Guard the doors of our hearts
1 John 2:16 describes certain things that can affect the accuracy of our spiritual compass: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These things often begin as seemingly legitimate needs and thoughts but may be doors by which worldliness enters our lives.

Our concern with survival and well being is a legitimate need, but when such tendencies become a craving driven by our selfish nature, it may become a “lust of the flesh.” Our desire for more good things is a legitimate desire to earn and to enjoy one’s keep. However, it may cross the line when there is comparison, envy, and jealousy, thereby becoming a “lust of the eyes.” Our estimation of our self should be a sense of healthy esteem. However, an overestimation of ourselves not based on a realistic evaluation may become the “pride of life.”

If we wish to keep our heart-compass sharp, we should regularly reflect on whether what began as legitimate needs in our lives have indeed evolved to become worldliness that has entered our lives. This is often difficult to benchmark by indicators. For example, a BMW versus three Rolls Royces and a gym membership versus three club memberships. Such indicators fail to take into account personal background, culture, and landscape which may differ from person to person.
Ultimately, I believe it is an issue of the heart. The more effective check on worldliness is in taking an honest look at our attitudes to material possessions and to allow a trusted friend, mentor or pastor to hold us accountable:
Am I upgrading everything I have simply because I can?
Do I compare myself with the status and prestige of others?
Am I unwilling to give something up if God asks me to?

That last question is especially telling for it exposes the underlying motivation of our lives. The Bible advises us on this: “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 Jn 2:17).

All the great men of God –Abraham, Jacob, Joseph – saw their great wealth, power, and, resources as a means to an end. They all lived by a common motivation: “…they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (Heb 11:13-16).

I submit to you that having a clear compass of God’s calling in one’s life defines “heavenly-ness” vis-a-vis “worldliness” – indeed, one degree of deviation makes a difference.

Is there a clear heart-compass in the people of our churches? In the midst of wealth, health, and resources, do we live for a heavenly city? Or, has worldliness crept into the Church? You have to decide and do something about it…

Rev Dr Philip Huan speaks, preaches, teaches and consults with churches through his personal ministry“ChurchLife! (www.churchlife-resources.org). Philip has guided and coached Pastors, Church Boards and Managers, and has also lectured adjunct on Leadership & Management in Singapore Bible College. He holds a Bachelor of Science (NUS), Masters of Divinity (Trinity Theological College) and a Doctorate of Ministry (Asbury Theological Seminary). He has authored a book titled “Enduring Church Growth—Issues on Discipleship, Leadership & Followership” (Armour Publishing). Together with his wife Jenni, they have 2 children, Abigayle and Keith.

[Analytical Lexicon, Bibloi, Silver Mountain Bible Software
Leon, Morris. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s Publishing, p.126-7.
This illustration was first shared to me by Ps. Edmund Chan of Covenant Evangelical Free Church.
The Silver Mountain Analytical Lexicon and Louw Nider Lexicon of Semantic Domains (26.7) describe “lust of the flesh” the longings, tendency and impulses of human nature. Human desires pushed to an extreme would be such a description.
The Silver Mountain Analytical Lexicon describes “lust of the eyes” with ideas of envy, jealousy and greed.
A pride with no basis (Louw Nider Lexicon of Semantic Domains 88:219)]

The New International Version of the Bible has been referenced.

Everyone today, including freethinkers and atheists, claims to have a “spirituality.”
Postmodern culture is witnessing a massive soul search, an urgent quest for personal spirituality, a widespread turning inward of oneself, and an orientation to the birth of the divine within. Gen Y and Millennials seem to be seeking spiritual identity apart from material success, great career, higher education – things that their predecessors had to be struggling for. And they are not really looking to traditional religions for that quest.

Even within Christianity, we see the influence of the so called emergent churches that are attracting young adults invigorated more by the mystical dimension of their historic faith than the well-oiled slick worship services we find in well managed mega churches everywhere. Structures, programs, and the modern way of “doing church” no longer appeals to the postmodern generation. To them, experiencing something is more important than merely learning about it. So rituals, the mysterious, experiences, communion, incense, silence, contemplation, and self expression are the stuff of spirituality for them; not how organized and how well managed the religious institutions are.

The postmodern generation has not detached itself from spirituality; it is just rebelling against the ways that the Church has sought to format spiritual experiences. It is a reaction to modernity’s take on truth evaluated from philosophical, scientific, pragmatic, deistic, existential, and naturalistic bases. So the conclusion in much of society and modern culture today is that there are no absolute truths and absolute values.

As it has been defined and rightly so, postmodernism is the death of worldviews. This is not all that bad as seekers and Christians alike are looking for the essence of our faith not the trappings or traditions. Look at the Pharisees. For them, tradition has not just modified the truth, it has replaced it altogether. Self-righteousness is never godly; it is worldly even though it purports to be keeping the person pure, cleansed, and untainted by the world.

However, a spirituality without common tradition, coherent belief system, historic doctrines and practices, transcendental ideals and figures is one that is devoid of content and foundation. If we do not stand for anything, we will fall for everything. So nowadays, people tend to believe in everything and anything rather than in a personal God. Postmodern culture encourages us to find our own sacred reality, to experience the beyond in the within. But surely we are in trouble when we make “sacred” everything and anything from navels to trees to crystals to UFOs.

To be sure, the Christian faith also insists that there is a spirit world. There are things you cannot imagine. There is more to people than the sum total of the chemicals in your body. There is more to the mind that just the brain. However, postmodern mindset does not concern about what’s beyond but what’s existential and often that is what’s narcissistic. “Imagine there’s no heaven” is the song of worldly spirituality. “So let’s look for a spirituality that works for us” is the quest of worldly spirituality. Certainly this is an expression of the innate search of the soul for God but it has been misdirected and we are merely settling for something less.

The paradox of the postmodern world is that today we are living in a secular society but in an unprecedented spiritual culture. Historic religions are all reinventing themselves and are also flourishing. So far, none of the historic world religions are dying out, none went underground, and all are seeing a revival as far as numbers of adherents are concerned. In fact, if according to Samuel Huntingdon, the modern era is the clash of civilizations, then the influence of the religion of the respective great ancient civilizations of the world is not fading but continues to be the main differentiation factor between them. The world today is most religious and at the same time most secular.

The question today is not so much what is the truth but where is the truth? Culture and media say that “the truth is out there,” and that is why we are searching everywhere for reality. What we need to be aware of is counterfeit spiritualities that are basically worldly in orientation. These appeal to the senses, promote self-actualization, focus on the existential, and elevate the spirit of positivism.

The danger for Christians today is that we may not be aware that our spirituality may be of a worldly variety. Here are three ways we can be developing the spiritual quality of our lives in a worldly way.

1. When we spiritualize our own agendas and plans and ascribe them to God’s leading and endorsement.
Using the name of God to promote our own agendas and plans is like the ambitious upstart who is constantly dropping names and beefing up his resume in promoting himself to others. Sometimes what we want may not be what God wants for us. And very often we are not prepared to follow God’s will. Perhaps that is why God has problems with the whole issue of obedience from us. But to claim that what you want for yourself is divinely sanctioned is exercising a spirituality that is dishonest and misleading. Who will then take responsibility for the outcomes of your plans when they fail?

2. When we subscribe to the notion that success is a sign of spirituality and failure happens to those with little or no faith.
So a bigger church is more spiritual than a smaller one. That’s why they are growing and attracting people. A charismatic and enterprising pastor is deemed more spiritual than a staid and introverted one because the former has a grand vision of growth and influence that others want to be a part of. The latter is well, not so exciting to follow or not so worthy to be a leader of men. When we do this, we are subscribing to the worldly way of measurement and performance. Success is not necessarily a result of faithfulness although success is not any less than faithfulness. The biblical goal is both faithfulness and fruitfulness. And if spirituality has to do with faith, then we need a right understanding of what faith is all about.

Faith is not an end in itself. Faith is not applied to force a certain outcome. Faith means trusting God to do the right thing, and continuing to trust He has done the right thing even after you get sick or die or you lose your job and financial security or see your dreams shattered to pieces. Faith is centered not on us and our own needs, but on God.

3. When we are caught up in the pursuit of happiness rather than the pursuit of holiness. Every person has values.
Every society has values. Values represent little more than what is important. Ebenezer Scrooge had values. One of these was revived by the postmodern generation during the beginning of the stock market boom as “greed is good.” Everyone came up with his or her own list of what could make for happiness. We succeeded in turning all of creation inside out with each of us individually judging the value of everything else in terms of its happiness value to us. Nothing is more worldly than that but that is considered good. It’s every human being’s prerogative to pursue happiness right here and right now. Worldliness dictates that we relativize truth and values and decides that feeling good is all that matters. The health and wealth gospel certainly caters to this need. The feel good worship experience affirms that. What has happened to the ministry of comforting the distressed and disturbing the comfortable?

We can appear to be spiritual but really downright worldly. We can be wrong.
Apostle Paul also found himself living in frenetically “spiritual” times. His sermon on Mars Hill began with these words: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious…” But the Athenians were caught up in idol worship. Yes, they were fervent. And committed. But they were wrong. They were investing their lives in a spiritual being that was nothing more than a statue. Their hopes and prayers were addressed to false gods and faulty visions.

Our Lord cautions His disciples against following new ideas and the latest rage. His warning was clear then as it is relevant today: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them” (Lk 21:8). In other words, don’t follow anyone who claims to be the Messiah.
We live in a needy world. We live in a world in which broken relationships affect individuals, families, communities, and international ties. Because we are so interconnected globally in our Internet age, the world has shrunk and we are exposed to completing worldviews that seek to define reality for us. This is the struggle for our soul. What are we believing? Worldviews shape the way we understand the world and life itself. Whether conscious or not, we live out our worldview or perhaps a combination of several worldviews in the choices we make and form our spirituality, the spiritual quality of our lives.

Know your spirituality. Know its assumptions. Yes, choose the spirituality that affirms you. Choose the spirituality that enables you to affirm others without being their judge. Most of all, choose the spirituality that affirms Jesus Christ who came among us because God loves the whole world. That is the kind of worldly spirituality that is equally godly.

Michael Tan is the Executive Vice-President of Eagles Communications. He likes to preach, write, play the guitar, and manage his staff!

The New International Version Bible has been referenced.