Young People's Group

The Challenge to Stop Walking Like the World

by Mitchell Tan
July 01, 2020

A STRONG ENTREATY TO STOP WALKING LIKE THE WORLD

One of the challenges that we face after being saved is learning to cease to walk like the world. Before we were saved by Christ, we were dead in our sins and living according to the course of this world (Ephesians 2:2). The sinister power that is controlling it is the evil one. If we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus, we should no longer be of the world.

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk …”
Ephesians 4:17

There was a strong emphasis by Paul with regards to his entreaty. Because it was easy for people to return to becoming like the world, he was strongly encouraging the Ephesians to take heed and not do so. His challenge to them was to not revert back to “type.” They were meant to be different. They were meant to change and to be distinct from the world.

REMEMBERING HOW SINFUL THE WORLD IS

“… In the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”
Ephesians 4:17-19

One way to stop ourselves from going back to being worldly is to remember how sinful the world is.

1. Futility

The people of the world focus very much on things that end up in futility. They fix their mind on futile things and waste away their lives on useless and empty pursuits. Their lives will end up with vanity.

2. Darkness

They are also people who have their understanding darkened. There is no spiritual light in them. They are far from the life that God meant them to have. They live in disobedience to His ways.

3. Blindness

The reason why non-believers do what they do is because they are spiritually blind. Their hearts are blinded and they are spiritually unperceptive. They live in ignorance and in sin.

4. Degeneration

The people of the world are also degenerate in sin. They do not “feel” anymore. Their conscience is dead. They become worse and worse and do whatever they want. They give themselves over to unrestrained lustful sins and immorality with growing craving.

BE CAREFUL OF THE INFLUENCES OF THE WORLD

Young people, let’s be careful of the influences of the world. There are all kinds of worldly influences that come through social media and non-believing friends. Let’s ensure that we do not walk like the way the world walks. Let’s choose to not revert back to “type.” Let’s seek not to love the world.

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