We should not want to live like the world around us.  Our love for God should guide all that we do, rather than our love for the world. 

The more time you spend around someone, the more you begin to act like them and talk like them.  I’m from the South, but several years ago I moved to the Midwest.  Unfortunately, I don’t talk much like a Southerner anymore. When I talk on the phone to my mama, though, who has a pretty thick Southern accent, I can tell that my accent returns.  It’s like her accent rubs off on me.  Also, the longer that I’m married, the more I see my husband rubbing off on me.  I now fold clothes the ways he does and put the toilet paper roll on the way he does.  We may not always realize it, but we are definitely influenced by those around us.

Bad Company Corrupts

Sometimes, other people’s influence on us is positive or neutral.  But sometimes it can be very negative.  I’m sure we’ve all heard it said of someone, “They just fell into the wrong crowd,” or something like that.  The implication of that statement is that they aren’t really a bad person, but they were corrupted by the company that they kept.  It’s true that bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33).  That’s why we must be so careful to protect ourselves from worldly influences. 

James writes about this is James 4:4, where he states, “You adulterous people!  Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” 

James makes it clear that those who love the things of the world are at odds with God. 

First, James says that those in love with the world are actually having an affair with the world rather than remaining true to their love for God. 

This makes me think of the Israelites throughout the Old Testament.  Jeremiah basically says that Israel and Judah were both sent into exile because of their adultery against God (Jeremiah 3:8).  They cheated on God by constantly worshipping the idols of surrounding nations.  They allowed the culture to influence them and draw them away from God.

If we are not careful, we will fall into the same sin as the Israelites.  We may not worship real idols made of wood, but we also can be drawn away from God by following the culture.  That’s why discernment is so important.  We must be aware of what we’re being influenced by.  We may think that something is harmless or that we won’t be swayed by certain things, so we go ahead and read that book, watch that movie, or hang out with those people.  However, we must guard our hearts and minds because if we don’t, we will be led astray.   Paul writes that we must not be conformed to this world, but we should be transformed by renewing our minds so that we can test and see what is pleasing to God (Romans 12:2). 

Paul also writes in Philippians 1:9-10, “It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”  We must continue to grow in our love for God.  As we learn more about Him, we will be able to discern what’s excellent and reject what is not, thus remaining pure and blameless before God. 

Going back to James 4:4, we also see that those who love the world are enemies of God. 

By choosing to love the things of the world we are actually waging war against God.  We read in Philippians, “For many…walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18-19).  Those who choose this lifestyle are headed toward destruction rather than salvation.  They follow their lusts and passions, seeking only worldly pleasure.

If we have been made new in Christ, then we should not want to live like the world around us.  Our love for God should guide all that we do, rather than our love for the things of the world.  We should be careful about what we allow to influence us so that we aren’t drawn away from our faith.  As Paul writes, if we have been raised with Christ, we should seek the things that are above, not the things of this earth (Colossians 3:1-2).

How can you resist the temptation to love the world more than you love God? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

This post is part of my Bible study series called “A New Creation.”  You can find other posts and resources for this free online bible study here:

A New Creation-What It Means to Be in Christ

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.