The World Is Crucified Unto Me - Bible Witness Media Ministry

Christian and WorldlinessThe World isCrucified unto MeMah Chin KwangThe world acknowledges and honours theintelligent, the talented, the wealthy, thepowerful, those who contributed to society,and more. Some awards are honorary innature while others are accompanied withmonetary gains, oftentimes substantive. Nowonder organizations and individuals aboundto promote the betterment of man in hisworldly pursuits. Nor should it be a surprisethat those who pursue them for altruisticcauses are a minority and that even the bestof man among us is ensnared in the mire ofself-glory and pride.By any account, the Apostle Paul shouldhave been recognized and honoured for hisintelligence, his profound thoughts, his literaryskills, his piety and his many contributions tothe Church and mankind in general. Fromhis background and religious upbringing tohis fervour of service, he had an impeccablerecord. “If any other man thinketh that hehath whereof he might trust in the flesh, Imore: circumcised the eighth day, of thestock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, anHebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law,a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting thechurch; touching the righteousness which isin the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:4b-6). Forthe sake of His beloved Master, Paul labouredand suffered much, as we read in 2 Corinthians11:23-27.Paul’s Christ-centred life goal is wonderfullyexpressed in his writing to the Galatians, “Godforbid that I should glory, save in the crossBible Witness

Christian and Worldlinessof our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the worldis crucified unto me, and I unto the world”(Galatians 6:14).We are living in an age, set almost twomillenniums apart from the day of the ApostlePaul. The world has changed and today asnever before it is filled with an incredible arrayof avenues and glittering attractions thatallure and draw us into the limelight. However,Paul’s testimony still stands as a standard forthe Christ-centred believer to follow after.With God’s help, we must desire to make aconscious, informed decision to lay aside allself-glory for the glory of the cross of our LordJesus Christ, the symbol of His redeeming love.And why should we be preoccupied with theglory of the cross?Christ’s Glory Outshinesthe WorldFirstly, we need to remember the transientnature of all that is in the world. Nothingis permanent and forever. Whether it be astrong, large monument, an invaluable legacy,a growing business enterprise, an award orevent to perpetuate a memory, it will allbe destroyed and will disappear with time.Some sooner, others a little later, but all willevaporate in the Last Day when the Lordreturns. Only that which is of the Lord willtransit to and remain in heaven’s glory. Allelse will melt with that consuming fire thatthe Bible warns.The Apostle Peter asked a most pertinentquestion after describing the event that is tocome, “the day of the Lord will come as a thiefin the night; in the which the heavens shallpass away with a great noise, and the elementsshall melt with fervent heat, the earth also andthe works that are therein shall be burnedup. Seeing then that all these things shall bedissolved, what manner of persons ought yeto be in all holy conversation and godliness,looking for and hasting unto the coming of theday of God, wherein the heavens being on fireshall be dissolved, and the elements shall meltwith fervent heat?” (2 Peter 3:10-12).Secondly, for the love of our blessed Lord Jesuswho gave His life on Calvary to redeem usfrom our sins and reconciled us to God, weshould be engaged wholly in the pursuit ofgodliness. We should be preoccupied withHis glory because no one else, indeed nothingin the world, is worthy of our all-consuminglove. As the Apostle John exhorted, “We lovehim, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).God’s amazing love expressed in the comingof the Lord Jesus is the motivation for ourChristian living. “In this was manifested thelove of God toward us, because that God senthis only begotten Son into the world, that wemight live through him. Herein is love, not thatwe loved God, but that he loved us, and senthis Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1John 4:9-10).The Battle against the WorldMany eloquent and persuasive arguments willbe advanced by the world to forsake Christand join them. Other more subtle ones call forco-existence with the world. Let the words ofour Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, conclude thematter. “I have given them thy word; and theworld hath hated them, because they are notof the world, even as I am not of the world”(John 17:14). The committed Christian is surelyin the opposite camp of the world.The battle for the Christian’s allegiance to HisMaster and to forsake Satan and all his worldlyattractions is a spiritual warfare. It is not anissue to be settled in an academic debate onmoral grounds, societal values or norms. NorBible Witness

Christian and Worldlinessis it a problem to be resolved by addressinggenetic traits or natural tendencies, or a matterof economic choices. Our everyday living evenin a peaceful environment such as ours isvery much a battleground against a real andformidable foe. We therefore cannot rely onour own strengths, abilities and determinationin this warfare. It must be fought and won byGod’s Word with Jesus, our Lord leading us.The Word of God must be the final basis andJesus the only Arbiter in fighting the spiritualconflict.Any endeavour that would draw us towardsthe world will obviously be drawing us awayfrom God. James’ warning is most appropriatewhen he asked, “Know ye not that thefriendship of the world is enmity with God?whosoever therefore will be a friend of theworld is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). OurLord Jesus also warned “No man can servetwo masters: for either he will hate the one,and love the other; or else he will hold to theone, and despise the other. Ye cannot serveGod and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).Crucified unto the WorldHow then does the Christian stay focused andbe preoccupied with the pursuit of the gloryof the cross and reject the attractions of theworld? How does he overcome? In Galatians6:14, Paul shared not only what his life goalwas but also how he attained it. He wrote,“the world is crucified unto me, and I unto theworld”. This is the paradox of Christian living– dead to the world and alive unto Christ.Paul was enlivened and strengthened to strivefor Jesus’ glory because he was dead to theworld. Because he was dead to the world,nothing of the world was able to charm,distract, shackle or weigh him down as heraced on towards his prize, looking steadfastlyupon the glory of the cross of Jesus.Death brings victory. Just as our blessed Lordconquered Satan when He was crucified onthe cross, His followers are assured of certainvictory by dying to the world. We want to bedead to the world so that we may live for Himand bring Him the glory due to Him becauseHe loved us. With Paul, may we all say, “I amcrucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yetnot I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life whichI now live in the flesh I live by the faith of theSon of God, who loved me, and gave himselffor me” (Galatians 2:20). •Whilst the world is enthroned in men’s heart,honours and favours have more attractionthan to suffer with the people of God.John OwenBible Witness

Christian and Worldlinesshas inhabited him. He is not able to resistdoing the will of the evil spirit. The demoncan speak through him (Matthew 8:28-29, 31;Mark 5:7-10), cause him to be blind, deaf ordumb (Matthew 12:22), empower him withsuperhuman strength (Mark 5:3-4), cause himto go about naked (Mark 5:15), cause him tohurt himself physically (Mark 5:5), or makehim insane (Luke 8:35). The demonized manis totally at the mercy of the evil spirit.Can a Christian beDemon Possessed?Christians cannot be possessed by demons.By “Christian” we mean someone who hastruly believed in Christ, is born again andindwelt by the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8, 16).Satan cannot dwell together with Christ. Lightdispels darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14-16; 1 John4:4). Christ has already crushed Satan (Genesis3:15; Luke 10:18-19; 1 John 3:8). In Christ weare completely delivered from the power ofdarkness (Colossians 1:13, Hebrews 2:14-15).When Christ enters, Satan exits.However, there are those who claim to beChristians, but in actual fact are not. Theseare Christians only in name. They may professChrist, but were never possessed by Him.These are vulnerable to demonic possession,like unbelievers. A biblical example of such aperson is Judas Iscariot. He appeared to be adisciple of Christ, but in actual fact was nevertruly saved. Judas was indeed possessed bySatan. The Apostle John tells us what happenedto Judas that night, “[Jesus] was troubled inspirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I sayunto you, that one of you shall betray me. . . .He it is, to whom I shall give a sop . . . to JudasIscariot . . . And after the sop Satan enteredinto him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thoudoest, do quickly” (John 13:21, 26, 27).We can certainly conclude that so-called“Christians” who are demon possessed arestill unregenerate. They need to receive Christas their Lord and Saviour if they are to bedelivered from this bondage.Can Christians beInfluenced by Satan?Yes, Christians can be influenced by Satan andhis demons to do their bidding, and to sinagainst God. That is why Paul exhorted everyChristian: “Put on the whole armour of God,that ye may be able to stand against the wilesof the devil. For we wrestle not against fleshand blood, but against principalities, againstpowers, against the rulers of the darkness ofthis world, against spiritual wickedness inhigh places. Wherefore take unto you thewhole armour of God, that ye may be ableto withstand in the evil day, and having doneall, to stand” (Ephesians 6:11-13). Peter likewisewarned, “Be sober, be vigilant; because youradversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walkethabout, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter5:8). Peter must be speaking from experience.He must have recalled how he fell into Satan’strap when he dissuaded the Lord from goingto the cross. Jesus had to rebuke Peter, “Getthee behind me Satan: for thou savourest notthe things that be of God, but the things thatbe of men” (Mark 8:33).Satan did not possess Peter for sure, else theLord would have cast the devil out of him.But Peter was certainly influenced by Satan tohinder God’s plan of salvation. Jesus lookingat Peter rebuked Satan because He knewthat Satan was behind it all. Satan can temptus to sin when we let our guard down. Weneed to be ever alert, “Lest Satan should getan advantage of us: for we are not ignorantof his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). “SubmitBible Witness

Christian and Worldlinessyourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil,and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).Satan, the God of this WorldIn 2 Corinthians 4:4, Satan is called “the god ofthis world,” and all unbelievers are under hisspell. The Lord Jesus calls Satan “the prince ofthis world” (John 12:31; 14:30). Satan’s purposeon earth is to deceive. He blinds the eyes ofmen with falsehood and error (Matthew 24:24;2 Corinthians 11:13-14), and tempts them withthe lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, andthe pride of life (1 John 2:16). Although Satan isthe god of this world, he is not more powerfulthan God. God is all-powerful and He rulesover all, including Satan. Satan is but a toolof God, and He makes use of Satan to fulfilHis holy purpose to judge this sin-cursed andGod-hating world.Although the reprobates are doomed toeternal destruction for choosing Satan insteadof Christ, the elect are protected and preservedby their Saviour, and will overcome the devil’sdeception and the world’s temptations. TheApostle John says, “For whosoever is born ofGod overcometh the world: and this is thevictory that overcometh the world, even ourfaith. Who is he that overcometh the world,but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son ofGod?” (1 John 5:4-5). In Christ, we have thevictory for “greater is he (Christ) that is in you,than he (Satan) that is in the world” (1 John4:4).•CONTRIBUTORS OF ARTICLESLee Kim ShongPastorCalvary Jaya BPCPrabhudas KoshyPastorGethsemane BPCQuek Suan YewPastorCalvary Pandan BPCJeffrey KhooAcademic DeanFar Eastern Bible CollegeMah Chin KwangElderGethsemane BPCBible Witness

Christian and WorldlinessFashion and YouQuek Suan YewThe “fashion of the world” has a strongpull, like that of an electro-magnet, in thetransformation of our lifestyle. This “fashion”dominates our way of life, which includes oureating habits, the clothes we wear, and howwe wear our hair. The reason is that this is amulti-billion dollar business. These promotersof fashion put ideas into our heads by usingsports personalities and movie “idols” who arepaid to dress in a particular way (with tattooson their bodies or earrings on the left or rightear for the men) and maybe smoke so thatthey look “cool”. The world loves to look likethese “idols” and so they would imitate themblindly, no matter what the cost.Advertisements have dictated our thinking somuch that we sincerely believe that to possessthe latest in fashion is the thing to do! Wedo not want tobe consideredmisfits in societyand so weget the latesthandphones oripods and flashthem around.Those who canafford themwould be theenvy of thosewho can’t. Thelatter would “selltheir souls” tobuy them. Younggirls would sell their bodies on the internet tobuy the latest devices and designer outfits tobe “cool” amongst their friends. Some youngboys would resort to stealing and cheating.This fashion stigma is not just on the youths!Adults have fallen for the same “fashionconscious”stigma! Many have paid thousandsof dollars to become members of elite golfclubs, to show their business colleagues thatthey have “arrived”! Some have even borrowedmoney to buy these memberships! Theydrive the latest European cars, buy designerwatches and eat at elite restaurants wherea meal could come to hundreds of dollars ahead. If it is cool to be found in pubs, clubsor bars, they would want to be found theretoo.The price of fashion is costly. We are not justreferring to dollars and cents. Many have soldtheir freedom, their loved ones and their soulsin order to be fashionable! What is sad is thatmany professing Christians have also boughtinto this fashionconscious lifestyleof the world tothe detriment oftheir Christianwitness!What is the Bible’steaching on this“fashion” issue?One of the bestand clearestteachings fromthe Bible onfashion is inRomans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore,brethren, by the mercies of God, that yepresent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,acceptable unto God, which is your reasonableBible Witness

Christian and Worldlinessservice. And be not conformed to this world:but be ye transformed by the renewing ofyour mind, that ye may prove what is thatgood, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”The key word (suschematizo) in this passage istranslated as “conformed”. The literal meaningof this word is “to fashion alike”. It is translatedin 1 Peter 1:14 as “fashioning”. “As obedientchildren, not fashioning yourselves accordingto the former lusts in your ignorance.” It comesfrom the root word (schema) from whichwe get the English word “scheme” which istranslated as “fashion” in 1 Corinthians 7:31and Philippians 2:8.The injunction from Romans 12:1-2 is veryclear. The Christian is to go in the oppositedirection of the fashionof the world. He is todo it consciously anddeliberately. To havethis new way of life, i.e.,not to be controlled bythe fashion of the world,it must begin with arenewed mind. Rightthinking will lead to right living! There isonly one way to think correctly. It is throughthe study of the Word of God. The Word ofGod will sanctify our minds and provide uswith a new way of thinking. With the helpand enabling of the indwelling Holy Spirit,the Christian will then have the strength notto allow the fashion of the world to dictatewhat is best for the Christian. The world maysay: have a tattoo on your body because thisis what “cool” people do. The Christian willremember from God’s Word in Leviticus19:28 that it is wrong! Leviticus 19:28, “Yeshall not make any cuttings in your flesh forthe dead, nor print any marks upon you: Iam the LORD.”The Christian is to go inthe opposite direction ofthe fashion of the world.Another example is when the fashion is todress like the world regardless of modestyand decency, the Christian will remember1 Timothy 2:9-10, “In like manner also, thatwomen adorn themselves in modest apparel,with shamefacedness and sobriety; not withbraided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;but (which becometh women professinggodliness) with good works.” When theadvertisement shouts at us to “buy-me!” anddeclares that this is the “in” thing which willlast a lifetime, the Christian will remember1 Corinthians 7:31, “And they that use thisworld, as not abusing it: for the fashion ofthis world passeth away.”This “renewed” thinking is not an option ifthe Christian is to pleaseGod! This is the basisfor living a life that isacceptable and pleasingin the sight of God asRomans 12:1 declares.The fashion of this worldhas only one agenda - it isto make money out of you. From the spiritualperspective, it is to cause us to lose ourChristian witness and become like the world.Do not forget that this world is controlledby the Prince of this world, i.e., Satan himself.Take counsel from the inerrant, infallible andperfect Word of God when it warns us in 1John 2:15-17, “Love not the world, neither thethings that are in the world. If any man lovethe world, the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,is not of the Father, but is of the world. Andthe world passeth away, and the lust thereof:but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”•10Bible Witness

Christian and WorldlinessPut FleshlyLusts to DeathPrabhudas koshyTherefore, brethren, we are debtors, not tothe flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye liveafter the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye throughthe Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body,ye shall live. For as many as are led by theSpirit of God, they are the sons of God. Forye have not received the spirit of bondageagain to fear; but ye have received the Spiritof adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.The Spirit itself beareth witness with ourspirit, that we are the children of God: And ifchildren, then heirs; heirs of God, and jointheirswith Christ; if so be that we suffer withhim, that we may be also glorified together.Romans 8:12-17We Owe the FleshNo Sympathy (Fightagainst the flesh)Some Christians seem to take a very gentleattitude towards sin as though they owetheir own fleshly desires some sympathy andtolerance. They think that since they are stillin their corrupt body and prone to the lust ofthe flesh, they must be tolerant and permitsome space for sin to exist. But Paul says inverse 12 that Christians do not owe the fleshanything. You have to understand that fleshlylusts must be hated. It’s been trying to killyou. Peter warned us in 1 Peter 2:11 that wemust “abstain from fleshly lusts, which waragainst the soul.” Giving in to the flesh is likejoining forces with your enemy and pay foryour own destruction. You are not a debtorto the flesh.Until you believe that your Christian life is anactive warfare against fleshly lusts that laywait for your soul, you will probably take aneasy approach to your Christian life with noearnestness and vigilance. You got to havea wartime mindset; if not, your life is veryprecarious. The enemy has lulled you intosleep or into a peacetime mentality, as ifnothing serious is at stake. And God, in HisBible Witness 11

Christian and Worldlinessmercy, has led you to read this article to wakeyou up and enlist you to fight a good fight.Be prepared for an aggressive, ‘no-mercy’approach to your sins. Read what Jesus has said,“Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee,cut them off, and cast them from thee:it is better forthee to enterinto life halt ormaimed, ratherthan having twohands or two feet tobe cast into everlastingfire. And if thine eyeoffend thee, pluck itout, and cast it fromthee: it is better forthee to enter into lifewith one eye, ratherthan having twoeyes to becast intohell fire”(Matthew 18:8-9). Itis a picture of the most radical kind of assaulton our own sin. The Lord is calling you toconsider the vanity of entertaining the fleshlylusts, for they will soon give you a deadly blow.So He says cut off your hand or your foot ifyou must keep it from stumbling your soul.You deal aggressively with your sins, not thesins of others.Jesus’ words call for very intense self-control.You don’t let the flesh call the shots. You musthave all the passions of your body and mindunder control. You take them captive anddecapitate them.There is something about war that sharpensthe senses . . . You hear a twig snap or therustling of leaves and you are in an attackmode. Someone coughs and you are readyto pull the trigger. Even after days of little orno sleep, war keeps us vigilant.So make no peace with yourears, eyes, tongue, hands andfeet. They will betray you likeJudas who betrayed ourLord. If you allow themto control your life,you are permittingthem to make waron your soul. Put todeath the sinful deedsof your body.The only way ofobtaining self-controlis by engaging yourselfin an all-out war againstevery out-of-control desire.Self-control is a declarationof all-out war!Self-control is a total attack against all theimpulses in us that would be destroyingour spiritual pursuit. It is a quick slaughterof all the impulses in our own selves thatwould make peace with our own sin andsettle in with a peacetime mentality. It is theimmediate crushing of every unwholesomecraving. Kill right away the thoughts about thepraise of men, fame and power, love for moremoney, temptations towards pornography,craving for more than food and drinks, desirefor sensual satisfaction, etc. It is an absolutesnubbing of every violent passion such as anger,jealousy, envy, unforgiveness, impatience, etc.It is also a total eradication of a sluggish orindifferent spirit towards spiritual and moralobligations.12Bible Witness

Christian and WorldlinessChristianity is war. It is war on our own sinfulimpulses. Christianity is not a ‘settled-in’ and‘live-at-peace’ with this world and our lust kindof religion. Romans 6:12 commands us, “Letnot sin therefore reign in your mortal body,that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” Asimilar call is found in Romans 6:6, “Knowingthis, that our old man is crucified with him,that the body of sin might be destroyed, thathenceforth we should not serve sin.”Christianity is crucifixion of our old self andnew life in Christ. Our old self was crucifiedin order that our body of sin might be doneaway with! When Christ died, He broke thepower of sin. We can kill sin because Christhas died to give us victory over sin. Now thatour old self is crucified with Christ, we canmortify fleshly lusts. The Christian life is nota moral self-improvement, but the killing ofsin, and living in the Spirit.We Owe the Spirit OurConformity (Fight alongwith the Spirit)Now he continues in verse 13, “For if ye liveafter the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye throughthe Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body,ye shall live.” You don’t owe the flesh anything,but you owe the Spirit of God everything. Heis going to make you alive in the resurrection(verse 11), and even now, you can only havevictory over your sins “by the Spirit”. Throughthe Spirit, you can put to death the deeds ofthe body. You owe your final resurrection lifeto the Spirit (verse 11); and the perseveranceyou need to make it to the resurrection as abeliever in war with sin, you owe to the Spirit.If you try to survive as a Christian in any wayother than “by the Spirit”, you will not survive.You will die. This threat is real. The Scripturesdemand that you fight to kill the fleshly lustsby yielding to the Spirit of God whom Christhas given you.How Can You Kill Sinthrough the Spirit?Step One: Set Your Mind onthe Things of the SpiritNotice Romans 8:5-6 and how Paul speaksof the flesh and the Spirit (the same pair hecontrasts here in verse 13): “For to be carnallyminded is death; but to be spiritually mindedis life and peace” (Romans 8:6). For the mindset on the flesh is death (as verse 13a says), butthe mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (asverse 13b says). So the first step in the answeris this: putting to death the deeds of the bodyby the Spirit involves “setting the mind on thethings of the Spirit”. You don’t just look at thetemptation and say “No”. But if you are goingto put it to death by the Spirit, you have to domore: you direct your mind, your heart, yourspiritual focus another way, namely to the“things of the Spirit”. So when you refuse lust,you right away engage in spiritual activitiesthat the Spirit wants you to do.Step Two: Set Your Mind on theWord of God and all It CommandsWhat are “the things of the Spirit”? If ourminds and hearts are going to be riveted onthem in the hour of temptation so as to killsin, what should we be looking at? Here thekey text is 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 where Paultalks about his own teaching as God-inspiredwords. This is the only other place in the NewTestament where the very phrase “things ofthe Spirit” is used. He speaks of his revelationslike this: “Which things also we speak, not inthe words which man’s wisdom teacheth,but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. . . . (v.13). But the natural man receiveth not theBible Witness 13

Christian and Worldlinessthings of the Spirit of God: for theyare foolishness unto him: neithercan he know them, because they arespiritually discerned.”So here “the things of the Spirit” arethe words of God spoken by theapostles. From this, I infer that whenRomans 8:5 says “they that are afterthe Spirit the things of the Spirit”, hemeans that they set their minds onthe words of God and the realitiesthey stand for. These are the“things of the Spirit” that thenatural person rejects andthe spiritual person embraces.So to put to death thedeeds of the body“by the Spirit” isto “set yourmind onthe thingsof the Spirit”,which we nowunderstand tomean the wordsof God, andall that theyprescribe.This is especially significant because the “wordof God” is called “the sword of the Spirit” inEphesians 6:17. And swords are used for killing.So we are to kill the deeds of the body by theSpirit: by fixing our mind on “the things ofthe Spirit”, by welcoming and embracing the“word of God” in our minds. Let us, therefore,mortify the lust of our flesh by wielding thesword of the Spirit which is the deadly swordfor sin-killing. •Whilelove forthe worldweakensthe soul’slove for God;love for theWord revivesthe soul’slove for Godand mortifiesits love forthe world.14Bible Witness

Christian and WorldlinessVanity of theMaterial WorldThe sacred pages of the Bible open withthese words, “In the beginning God createdthe heaven and the earth.” Midway throughthe sacred Book, it is written, “Except theLORD build the house, they labour in vainthat build it: except the LORD keep the city,the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain foryou to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat thebread of sorrows: for so he giveth his belovedsleep” (Psalm 127:1-2).Lee Kim ShongCreator. It is worshipping the created ratherthan the Creator Himself. It is a very commonform of idolatry and the most popular religionthat even the professed “atheist” practises it.Let’s look at what the Lord of the universesays in Psalm 127:1-2. It is useless to invest ourwaking hours in the pursuit of material thingsrather than God. What we get in the end isonly headache, heartache and restlessness.Material things are good gifts from God.Silver and gold are made byGod. There are proper usesof them. God wants us tomanage these things well asHis stewards. God made thewhole earth and put us tomanage it. We should neverallow material things tomanage us. Material thingsmay be good servants butthey are terrible masters.We should use them toserve the Lord by givingto His cause and helpingour fellow men. Otherwisewe are wasting our liveson earth chasing after thewind.From childhood to old age,we are very much influencedby materialism. What ismaterialism? Materialismis nothing short of puttingmaterial things above theKing Solomon, the son of David, was endowedwith great wisdom and greatwealth by God. He began hisadministration with a Godfearingattitude. He soughtafter God’s will. He thirstedfor wisdom. But as the dayswent by, he was very muchinfluenced by materialism.He trusted in the powerof horses. He married thedaughter of Pharaoh plusmany other princesses fromthe surrounding nations. Asa result, his heart was notperfect before the Lord,unlike his father. Gradually,he was influenced toworship other gods by hisnon-believing wives. At theend of his life, he lamentedthe vanity of materialism.In the book of Ecclesiastes,he gave many warnings topeople who put materialthings above God.Bible Witness 15

Christian and Worldliness18with all the idols of thy abominations, and bythe blood of thy children, which thou didstgive unto them.” In Revelation 16:15, the Lorduses “naked” as a term to signify sin - “Behold,I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth,and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked,and they see his shame.”So the act of God in the garden of Eden andthe language of the Bible, clearly teach us thatour manner of dressing is certainly an issuethat matters to God.Has God Given Us Guidelineson Proper Dressing?Does the Bible give any guidelines on Christiandressing? Yes, most certainly.Once I heard a Christian say, “No one tellsme what to wear. It’s no one’s business whatI wear.” This was said in defence of immodestdressing. Such an attitude reflects a rebelliousmentality, especially when we are told by theLord God Almighty how to dress.Unregenerate people would want to livein conformity to the world. But Christiansshould be governed only by biblical principles.A Christian’s greatest concern should notbe society’s current fashion, but God’sholy counsels. Christians are exhorted, “Benot conformed to this world: but be yetransformed by the renewing of your mind,that ye may prove what is that good, andacceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans12:2). In Ephesians 4:17-21, the believers areagain reminded of the need to be differentfrom the world in our thinking, mannerismand appearance - “ye henceforth walk notas other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of theirmind, having the understanding darkened,being alienated from the life of God throughthe ignorance that is in them, because ofthe blindness of their heart: who being pastfeeling have given themselves over untolasciviousness, to work all uncleanness withgreediness. But ye have not so learned Christ;if so be that ye have heard him, and have beentaught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.”Let the Lord guide us in all matters of life,including our dressing. Why should we letthe godless designers of the world decide forus what we should wear?The following are some clear Scripturalguidelines concerning Christian dressing:Do not Appear in the Clothesof the Opposite SexGod has clearly spoken against women wearingman’s clothes and men wearing woman’sclothes. Deuteronomy 22:5 says, “The womanshall not wear that which pertaineth unto aman, neither shall a man put on a woman’sgarment: for all that do so are abominationunto the LORD thy God.”In these days of unisex clothing, boys and girls,men and women all seem to wear the samekind of clothes. However, let all those whodesire to please the Lord take note that Godconsiders it an abomination for a Christian toappear in the clothes of the opposite sex.Always Wear Modest ApparelThe Apostle Paul wrote, “In like manner also,that women adorn themselves in modestapparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety”(1 Timothy 2:9). The word “modest” means“properly restrained by a sense of propriety orseemliness”, “unassuming”, “chaste” or “pure”.It is the opposite of being lewd or sensual. Theword is used synonymously with chastity, orpurity of manners. In this sense, modesty isBible Witness

Christian and Worldlinessmy testimony as a Christian?” You may besurprised to discover there are many clothesin your wardrobe that are not appropriate.Do not Dress andBehave like a HarlotThe opposite of shamefacedness and sobrietyin dressing is described in Proverbs 7:10-13,“And, behold, there met him a woman withthe attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (Sheis loud and stubborn; her feet abide not inher house: now is she without, now in thestreets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) Soshe caught him, and kissed him, and with animpudent face said unto him . . .”This woman is impudent, which means“shameless”. She is everything the modestwoman is not. She is loud and stubborn.Towards men, she is anything but bashful. Herattire draws men’s attention and advertisesthat she is a loose woman and available forthem to look at and be tempted. She appearsthoroughly carnal.A woman whose attire exposes her flesh, ordraws attention to the contour of her bodyis not modest or shamefaced. Her attire isthat of an harlot, not of a woman professinggodliness.Modern dressing often fits the biblicaldescription of “a harlot’s dress”. Most of today’sfashion designers care only to feed the lust ofcarnal men and women. They do not careabout what God classifies as modest.May we appear like godly people and not likecarnal men and harlots. It is incongruous forwomen, who profess to know God, to dressimmodestly. It is a shame when seductivelydressed women (professing to be saved) divertmen’s minds to immoral imaginations duringworship service.“What becomes women professing godlinessare hemlines that cover the knees when seated,and necklines that are necklines indeed. Attirethat is full, rather than form fitting. Skirts anddresses instead of pants. Skirts with hemlinesbelow the knee, but with slits to mid-thigh,are anything but modest.”Do not OverdressIn 1 Timothy 2:9, 10, we read that womenshould adorn themselves modestly and “notwith broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costlyarray; but (which becometh women professinggodliness) with good works.”Christian women should not dress to draw theattention of men to themselves or to showoff their wealth. (Men should also avoid thistemptation.) We must lead a quiet and gentlelife.The outward appearance must never becomeour focus or chief end in life. We must notseek first how to be outwardly attractive, butinstead how to adorn ourselves with godliness.1 Samuel 16:7 drives home this point: “...Forthe LORD seeth not as man seeth; for manlooketh on the outward appearance, but theLORD looketh on the heart.” God is concernedwith the beauty of our hearts which will bereflected in proper outward appearance.“Whose adorning let it not be that outwardadorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing ofgold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it bethe hidden man of the heart, in that which isnot corruptible, even the ornament of a meekand quiet spirit, which is in the sight of Godof great price” (1 Peter 3:3-4). •20Bible Witness

Children’s PageCaesar, I will release you.” He also demandedthat Polycarp point to the Christians, and say,“Away with the godless.” Instead, Polycarppointed to the angry mob and said, “Awaywith the godless.”Hearing Polycarp, the crowd became veryagitated and called for his death. Thenthe governor tried a second time to getPolycarp deny the Lord Jesus. Against all thepersuasiveness of the governor, Polycarp said,“For eighty-six years I have been His servant,and He has done me no wrong. How thencan I blaspheme my King who save me?”Hearing the words of Polycarp, the governorshouted again, “Swear by Caesar!”To this, Polycarp replied, “If you imagine fora moment that I would do that, then I thinkyou pretend that you don’t know who I am.Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.”“I will throw you to the wild beasts,”threatened the governor.To this, the crowd shouted, “Burn him.”Soldiers tied Polycarp to a pole andsurrounded him with straw and oil-soakedtimber.At that moment, Polycarp prayed, saying, “. . .Father, I bless you that you have deemed meworthy of this day and hour, that I might benumbered among the martyrs. . . May I todaybe welcome before thy face as a rich andacceptable sacrifice. To thee be glory bothnow and for the ages to come. Amen.”The soldiers ignited the bonfire andtorched Polycarp to his death. However,his courage and unswerving loyalty to theLord emboldened Christians throughout theRoman Empire to faithfully serve Christ.Children, may you also be unashamedwitnesses of Christ. “Be thou faithful untodeath, and I will give thee a crown of life”(Revelation 2:10). •“Call them,” said Polycarp.“If you are not afraid of thewild beasts, I will have youburned alive!”Polycarp stood unafraid ofthe new threats. He said,“You threaten me withfire that burns for a littlewhile and goes out. Butyou are ignorant of thefire of eternal punishmentwhich is prepared for theungodly. Why do youwait? Do what you wantto do to me.”22Bible Witness