"Worldliness Part 2 Biblical Principles vs Superstitions" Kathryn Kuhlman

Today we're going to have another one of those good heart -to -heart talks about something that we're all deeply interested in. That's right. What actually is worldliness? A lot of people are talking about it. And I honestly believe that there are few people who really understand what they're talking about. It's like that. We use that word so promiscuously, worldliness. We say that somebody is so very worldly. We point an accusing finger at a preacher's wife and we say, he's worldly. Oh, he's wonderful. I'll tell you something confidentially. His wife is so worldly. And then just long before we see somebody else and we'll say, oh, goodness. He's such a worldly person. Well, now, honestly, it's about time that we got down to the bottom of this thing of worldliness. What is it we're talking about? What actually is worldliness? And what is worldly? You will remember that we began this heart -to -heart talk with a discussion we had. from the first verse in the 8th chapter of 1 Corinthians. And these Corinthian Christians had written to Paul, and they had a question too. It was regarding the eating of meat. Shall meat that has been offered in sacrifice, that part of it which is afterward on sale, be eaten by Christians? Would one be considered worldly if they purchased and ate that part of the carcass that was left after the better part of it had been offered in sacrifice to idols? Would they be compromising their experience, their influence, compromising as Christians? Paul begins, now as touching things offered unto idols. We know that we have the knowledge. In other words, he's saying, there was a time when you too believed that there was some virtue in those idols. And you considered those idols sacred. But you've been born again. You're Christians now. You have the light. God has given you the knowledge that there is no reality in those idols. They are not sacred. It's offering meat to something that has been made with human hands. There's nothing sacred. There's no holiness, no sanctity. no divinity in those idols. Therefore, why should you hesitate in buying and eating the rest of the meat from the carcass? It's good meat, and it's a good day that you can get meat. And it's just like that. Therefore, the answer is in the fact whether or not you have had the spiritual knowledge. As I said to you in our last little heart -to -heart talk, that is the fact that much that we consider to be spiritual today is nothing more or less than superstition. Thousands of people who profess to be Christians are living under gross superstition in absolute spiritual darkness. Many things that you accept as being the word of God, as being religious, as being authentic, is nothing more or less than rank superstition. So let's face some things. Just face it with me. You'll remember that I left your home. In our last little heart -to -heart talk, with that portion of the Word of God, as found in 1 Peter, the third chapter. Peter said, Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that, if any obey not the Word, they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives, while they beheld your case conversation couple the spear. Who's adoring you? He's talking about the wives now. He's saying to your husband, even though he's not a Christian, you can win him to the Lord Jesus Christ, even though he never goes to church, even though he never hears a preacher preach. That's what it means, without the word. Yet you, by your example, by your beautiful Christian adoring, Dorney. Within. You're a beautiful person within. And if you're beautiful within, it'll come out as sure as can be. If you're beautiful within, believe me, it projects. I promise you it will. I promise you. Hear me. A plain appearance does not guarantee inner beauty. I've seen some women with skirts down to their ankles and sleeves down to their fingers and collars up to their chins that were the meanest women in the world. There was no inner beauty whatsoever. All their religion, all their holiness, all their righteousness was in the garb that they wore. I said a mouthful. I should stop a few minutes and just pause and let that sink in. But it's like that. Mm -hmm. Peter didn't say, don't keep the outside beautiful. He didn't say that. He said, who's Adorny? Let it not be that outward adorning of the plaiting of the hair and of the wearing of gold or putting on apparel. Mm -hmm. You've gotten yourself all fixed up beautifully on the outside. But he's saying the real Adorny. That Adorny that will... when your unsaved husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, is with him. Mm -mm. 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. Oh, somebody says Miss Guman. Don't you know what Paul says in Timothée? Sure I do. I know exactly where it's found, too, the second chapter of 1 Timothée, the ninth verse. He, too, is talking about women's apparel in like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefacedness, sobriety, Broided hair or gold or pearls are costly array. Watch what follows. But which becometh women professing godliness with good works. In other words, don't get yourself all fixed up like the first horse in the parade. That's not even good taste. I've seen some women who are professing Christians. that get themselves so fixed up they look like a walking Christmas tree. That's not even good taste. Watch which becometh women professing godliness. Never get to the place, though, where you think that a plain appearance guarantees inner beauty. It doesn't. No, it doesn't. I go back to what Paul said to the Corinthians. Ye have the knowledge. When you're born again and you get that inner experience, you'll know what becometh a Christian. One who rep... represents the Christ. And I've seen many a person, not because they couldn't afford a new suit, but because they wanted to give the appearance of humility. That they wore baggy trousers and frayed pant legs, not because they couldn't afford it, But watch, neither did they have any influence either with the unregenerated man. Because the unregenerated man will say, if your heavenly father is so poor that his child can't afford anything better than that, I don't want him for my father. Even an earthly parent will work 8, 10, 12 hours a day to give to his child the best humanly possible. Then, beloved, how much more does your Heavenly Father want you? to look nice when you represent him. And you are an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ Jesus. Let's be sensible about these things. Let's just use good common sense. Let's be reasonable about the whole thing. All right, here we go. Now the word tells us, not of the letter, for the letter killeth. There's nothing in the letter. Nothing. There's nothing in that, the way you do your hair. There's nothing in the length of your dress. The letter killeth. But the spirit giveth life. Furthermore, Jesus told those who were twisting his mien, it is the spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth nothing. The word that I speak unto you, they are spirit. They are life. And the idea that worldliness consists just of certain things are certain pleasures. The scripture teaching is this. I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus Christ that there is nothing unclean of itself. But to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Time gave me you that would have gone. Hey. Told you before I began these little heart -to -heart talks on this thing of worldliness that before I finished some of you would get as mad as an old Missouri wet hen and I've seen those in the Missouri get awful mad. But watch, I'm giving you scripture. Paul says there is nothing unclean of itself but to him that is... deemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. There's a portion of the Word of God in the first chapter of Genesis that's overlooked. God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. since God has created everything. And remember, the devil creates nothing. The devil has no power of creation. None. You cannot prove to me from the Word of God that the devil, the enemy of our soul, has power to create anything. There's only one great creator. That's Almighty God. And since God has created everything, there are no things evil in themselves. Because it's said, God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was good. Everything that has been created is good. There is nothing... evil in these things in themselves. They are only good things that we misuse or we use to excess and we make them evil. Are you still there? Wanted to be sure. Oh, I know what somebody's saying. Oh, Miss Coombe, you... You don't know my husband. He's an old alcoholic. You don't mean to tell me that God was the creator of alcohol, the most damnable thing in the world. Now, just a minute. There is no evil in alcohol in itself. Alcohol is used in industry and in medicine. It's when man takes alcohol and abuses it that it becomes evil. It becomes wrong. It becomes a sin. Take drugs. Somebody will bow that rugs are the most damnable thing in the world today. And we re... and we hear about the drug addicts, the sinfulness of drugs, and somebody will say, do you mean, Miss Grumman, that God was the creator of drugs? Well, honey, I only have his word. That is that God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And many a suffering person today, many a person in the hospital on beds of affliction, in pain, is looking up this very moment and is thanking the glorious Creator for the relief that they are receiving from that severe suffering through drugs. There is no sin in drugs when drugs are used properly to relieve suffering and relieve pain. But man has misused that which God has created. Take anything. I don't care what it is. You can make sin of anything. You can make sin of... Eating. You can make sin of clothing. It's true. Overindulgence in anything. The lack of wisdom in anything. I don't care what it is. You can make sin of it through misuse. What? There is nothing unclean of itself. But to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Now at this point, may I mention something else, another scripture. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. I dare say there isn't a preacher who has ever stood behind a pulpit before has preached a sermon on this portion of the Word of God. But they have used it from a negative standpoint. And they have put the emphasis on the love of the world. I do not believe that it was ever intended to be so. I believe with every atom of my being that the emphasis was intended not to be upon loving the world, but loving the Lord Jesus Christ. It's like this. If any man loved the world, The love of the Father is not in him. But watch. Let's use the positive viewpoint. When you love the Father enough, you'll not love the world. You'll not misuse these things which the Father has created for your good and my good. Mm -hmm. The crux of the whole matter of worldliness is not of things but him. How much do you love him? Look at the positive. Paul says in answering their question as to whether or not they could eat the meat. of the carcass that was left after the rest had been offered to the idols. He said, you have the knowledge. I say to you today, you are a Christian. When you want to know whether a thing is sin or not, whether it's right or wrong, you can make sin of anything. Anything. But here is your answer. When you love the creator, of all good things, enough. When you love the Heavenly Father enough, when you love Jesus enough, then you will not misuse these things that He has created for your good and my good. The answer is found In loving Kim enough.