Dangers of Worldliness

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Dangers of Worldliness

• Man has a constant struggle to control his
  thoughts

.    Col 35 Mortify therefore your members which
are upon the earth fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness.

• Battle begins in our minds

.   Paul said in Romans 85-6 for they that are
after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh
but they that are after the Spirit mind the
things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded
is death but to be spiritually minded is life
and peace.
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Dangers of Worldliness
Christ taught
 Luke 645 A good man out of the good treasure of
his heart bringeth forth that which is good and
an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart
bringeth forth that which is evil for of the
abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
One must not allow his mind to be stimulated by
ungodly thoughts that stir fleshly passions and
seek fulfillment in various forms of worldliness.
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The Prom is a Form of Worldliness

• Webster defines the word prom as a formal
  dance held by a high school or a college class.

• Prom is considered a memorable right of passage.

Listen to Paul's warning a. Gal 516-25 16 This I
say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not
fulfill the lust of the flesh.17 For the flesh
lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh and these are contrary the one
to the other so that ye cannot do the things
that ye would.
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18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not
under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are
manifest, which are these Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envying, murders,
drunkenness, revel lings, and such like of the
which I tell you before, as I have also told you
in time past, that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
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Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(LICENTIOUSNESS) Undisciplined and unrestrained
behavior, especially a flagrant disregard of
sexual restraints, lasciviousness. The Greek word
translated as licentiousness means "outrageous
conduct," showing that licentious behavior goes
beyond sin to include a disregard for what is
decent conduct.
Thayers Lexicon defines Lasciviousness as,
unbridled lust, excess indecent bodily movement,
unchaste handling of male and female bodies.
What would Paul say about such conduct?
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What Makes up a Prom?

• Sensuous dresses fancy or outrageous tuxes and
  ear splitting music.

• Without all the fancy stuff, what would you call
  it?

• Some parents want to promote safe sex.

• Great battle for Christians to say NO!

• Young people, what kind of a person do you want
  to marry? A Christian?
• When I married 40 plus yrs ago, my wife was pure
  and I am Glad! Linda had the right to expect the
  same from me !

Heb 134 Marriage is honorable in all, and the
bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers
God will judge.
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Any sexual activity before marriage is
worldliness and those who do so commit
fornication!
Gal 519-21 Now the works of the flesh are
manifest, which are these Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like of the
which I tell you before, as I have also told you
in time past, that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Romans 122 be not conformed to this world
but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God .
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Other Sins Associated With the Prom

• Immodesty, ..Backless dresses, plunging
  necklines even to the belly button with a ring in
  it, side slits up to the waist and strapless
  gowns.

• Such attire is a green light to young males.

• What ever happened to modest apparel?

2Tim 29-10 In like manner also, that women adorn
themselves in modest apparel, with
shamefacedness and sobriety not with braided
hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array 10 But
(which becomes women professing godliness) with
good works.
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Shamefacedness means the ability to Blush
1 Peter33-4 Whose adorning let it not be that
outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of
wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel 4
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in
that which is not corruptible, even the ornament
of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight
of God of great price.
What will determine modest apparel?
Ones spiritual attitude will rightly determine
modesty, not a ruler!
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Another Problem With the DanceFornication
Sign a pledge of abstinence.
Rings and Jewelry such as WWJD.
Rented hotel rooms, for the time of our life!
Need to teach the evils of worldliness.
1 Tim 411-12 These things command and teach. 12
Let no man despise thy youth but be thou an
example of the believers, in word, in
conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in
purity.
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Another Problem With the DanceDrunkenness
Pledges not to drink before, during or after.
Breathalyzer test at the door.
Special party rooms, act like grown ups!
Hiring of Limos to drive the kids around.
What are these parents thinking of?
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Prov 2331-33 Look not thou upon the wine when it
is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when
it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth
like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine
heart shall utter perverse things.
Prov 315 Lest they drink, and forget the law,
and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
If strong drink affected those in the old
testament, what will it do to our young people?
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Statistics from MADD
630,000 accident injuries each year
3 out of 10 will be affected sometime by alcohol
related accidents
Impaired drivers are the 1 safety problem,
Allstate MADD Survey 1997
The direct cost of alcohol-related traffic
crashes is approximately 40 trillion dollars
annually. An additional 70 trillion dollars are
lost in quality of life due to crashes. The
social costs of alcohol-related traffic crashes
average 80 cents per consumed drink.
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Approximately 1.4 million drivers were arrested
in 1998 for driving under the influence of the
alcohol or narcotics (NHTSA). As you can see
numbers of people have been killed as the result
of drinking and driving. One thing statistics
will not show is the number of young men women
who engage in premarital sex because of lowered
inhibitions. What are the results? Unplanned
pregnancies, shame regret, plus sexually
transmitted diseases and the horrors of
abortions. Since the prom is still considered a
school activity, many parents and students do not
view the prom as a dangerous situation and a form
of worldliness.
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Conclusion of the Matter
What if a school service club had the same
activities how long would the school permit this
activity? We must arm our minds to guard our
children against such worldliness. When a person
sets his or her mind on things above it will be
easy for that individual to recognize the dangers
of the prom.
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If the mind is not properly trained for righteous
living, then the prom will be just another school
activity or social event and opens the door to
unchaste handling of males and females,
fornication and drunkenness. Do you need to
strengthen your mind on things above? Are you one
who has fallen into the trap of worldliness and
need to repent and turn again to the Way of the
Lord?
My suggestion to the young ladies of this
congregation Take your Bible with you on your
next date and put it on the console between the
two of you and that young man will have to crawl
over Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to get to you!

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Conclusion of the Whole Matter
Eccl 1213-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the
whole matter Fear God, and keep his
commandments for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment,
with every secret thing, whether it be good, or
whether it be evil.
Josh 2415 And if it seem evil unto you to serve
the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve
but as for me and my family ,we will serve the
Lord.
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Gods Plan of Salvation

• Hear
• Believe
• Repent
• Confess
• Be Baptized
• Live a faithful life for our Lord

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Gods Plan for Restoring Sinners

• Repent of your past sins
• Pray to God to forgive you
• The Angels in heaven rejoice over one who returns
  to the fold

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