| Have you ever seen the highway sign, "Go back. You are going the wrong way"? It is a clear warning that only danger lies ahead if we continue on that road. Sometimes the Bible says exactly the same to us. Our reading today is one of those stop signs. "Do not love the world or anything in it." To do so means we are travelling the wrong road and "worldliness" can describe our position. But then how do you define "worldliness"? Some people draw up lists and declare that everything on their lists is worldly. This makes decisions very easy. You simply look at your list and if what you are tempted to do is on the list, then you shouldn't do it. But who makes up the list? And a person may not be doing any of those things listed, yet may still be living like the world in other ways. Worldliness cannot always be listed, tabulated or put on a computer. It is the self-centred spirit of an unregenerated and unsaved world outside of Christ. It takes over when I allow myself to be drawn away from Christ. John lists three areas we need to watch out particularly: 1. Pleasure - the desires of the body, or the flesh. 2. Possessions - the desire to have and to gain; greed or wrong ambitions. 3. Pride - the desire for honour and praise from men. We need to face up to these areas and ask ourselves if Christ Lord is in them and in all the areas of our lives. If our only desire is to live for Christ, then the things of the world will fade away and the question of worldliness will be resolved for us. A CHORUS TO SING TODAY: Turn your eyes upon Jesus. | 
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