Worldly Influenc

e

What is Worldly Influence?

What does the Bible say?

Leviticus 26:1

26 “‘Do not make idols or set up an

image or a sacred stone for

yourselves, and do not place a carved

stone in your land to bow down before

it. I am the LORD your God

Deuteronomy 5:8-9

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the

form of anything in heaven above or on the earth

beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow

down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD

your God, am a jealous God, punishing the

children for the sin of the parents to the third and

fourth generation of those who hate me,

Colossians 3:2

 Set your minds on things above, not

on earthly things.

Titus 2:12-13

12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness

and worldly passions, and to live self-

controlled, upright and godly lives in this

present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed

hope—the appearing of the glory of our great

God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Romans 12:2

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this

world, but be transformed by the

renewing of your mind. Then you will be

able to test and approve what God’s will

is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

AN IDOL CAN BE ANYTHING THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN GOD.

YOU PUT WHATEVER IT IS FIRST IN LIFE INSTEAD OF GOD.

Bible Example: King Solomon1 Kings 11

TODAY WE LIVE IN A HIGHLY CONNECTED

WORLD!

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?

We can get information about almost anything anytime we want.

So Much Is Said To Be True…

But, so much more is fake…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogEbrEc_5OA

Photos used to tell the truth

Most of the images you see daily have been digitally altered or enhanced

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iwaQ2zi63c

Just like these fake images the world LOVES to throw

false information at us. For example, ”The Bible is a

bunch of children’s stories” “If it feels good it must be

right” “I was born this way” “Why did God let this

happen?”

WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE …

• SEE

• HEAR

• TOUCH

• PARTICIPATE IN

• LOOK FOR

We have free will…

• Christians can do whatever they

want

• TRUE or FALSE?

TRUE!

• Christians can do whatever they want.

• But, You shouldn’t want to go out and sin, just because

you can

• we have the understanding that we can be separated

from God and miss out on his promise of eternal joy in

heaven if we disobey God’s word.

• God gives us a choice on purpose, so we can choose

him and not be robots that follow him, because we have

to.

So, what do we do?

• You can still have fun!

• You can still do the things you love!

• As long as what you are doing does

not contradict what God has told us

is good.

http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/case-for-christ/first-church-service

IF YOU ARE ENOJOYNG SOMETHING THAT GOD HAS SAID IS WRONG THEN THERE IS A PROBLEM!

WHEN IN DOUBT

• If you feel guilty and you think it

might be a sin, it probably is.

• Stop what it is that seems wrong

• Pray and ask God for forgiveness

• Ask an older wiser Christian to read

the Bible with you and find out!

Be Warned!

• If you do not give up your idols…

1 Timothy 4

 The Spirit clearly says that in later times

some will abandon the faith and follow

deceiving spirits and things taught by

demons. 2 Such teachings come through

hypocritical liars, whose consciences have

been seared as with a hot iron.

DESENSITIZED

• It becomes hard to tell right from

wrong

OR

• You may know that something is

wrong, but you feel no guilt or just

don’t care either way.

WE DON’T WANT TO BE DESENSITIZED!

• We want to be like God as much as

we can

• we need to be fully alert to what is

wrong, and right so that we can be

sure we receive the blessings God

has planned for us!

WORLDLY INFLUENCE SHOULDN’T MATTER!

• Nothing the world could give would

ever be better than what God has

promised us in heaven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QASREBVDsLk