Breaking The Soul Ties of Worldliness

In 2010, I distinctly recall a moment when I sat on my couch, lost in deep thought. A commercial on the television blared, disturbing my meditation. In response, I grabbed the remote control and powered it off. Then, intentionally with purpose, I got up from the couch and disconnected it from the outlet. As I settled back into the newfound silence, I noticed the significance of this small act.

2014, I initiated a similar journey, but this time, the disconnection was from social media, which consumed my precious free and personal time. In a moment of resolve, I deleted all my social media accounts, seeking peace of mind from the digital noise that ran through my life.

Fast forward to the present day, we find ourselves in the midst of 2023, almost an entire decade since my initial disengagement from what I can only describe as a modern-day matrix. I took the proverbial "red pill," as it were. The question I pose now is: Are you also paying attention to the profound shifts around us?

Over the past two decades, a subtle but unmistakable movement of dark matter has coursed through our country. It has seeped into the very fabric of our societies, including the church, conservative and liberal circles, various cultures, and beyond. This insidious influence has given rise to new heights of selfishness, self-absorption, greed, and a disheartening surge in ungodliness. Privilege and self-indulgence have reached a point of no return, shaping a troubling new normal.

Let me clarify that I am not advocating for the pursuit of perfection or the unrealistic goal of living without sin. That is a human impossibility. Instead, I intend to draw attention to the emergence of what I can only describe as the soul ties of worldliness. Our Creator has not tasked us with perfection but with the pursuit of obedience and a meaningful relationship with Him.

It is crucial to recognize that a covenant with God binds our nation, and when that covenant is fractured, the very foundation of our society crumbles. The concept of free will, a fundamental aspect of our species' evolution, plays a significant role in these dynamics. Choose whom you will serve on this day. The next president of the United States of America cannot single-handedly save us from our challenges or our self-inflicted wounds.

In historical context, consider Noah, who constructed the Ark to escape impending destruction due to intentional sin Genesis 7:1. Likewise, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah met a tragic fate because of their reactive sin, Genesis 19:17-26. When the angels led Lot and his family away from the doomed cities, they cautioned, "Run for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere on the plain! Run to the mountains, or you will be swept away!" However, Lot's wife couldn't resist looking back and was transformed into a pillar of salt.

To understand these events completely, please read the chapters of Genesis 18 and 19 for context. In doing so, you will discern the recurring pattern of history, as described in Ecclesiastes 1:9, where history often repeats itself. A nation bound by a covenant with God, consumed by intentional sin, faces the peril of dismantlement. These are the vital truths we must think about as we navigate the entanglements of our time.

Verse 4 in the ninth chapter of Ezekiel pricks at my heart; it reminds me that history indeed repeats itself. Ezekiel 9:4 Then the Lord spoke to him, saying, Walk through the heart of the city and place a distinctive mark on the foreheads of those who lament and grieve over the abhorrent deeds being committed in its midst.

In conclusion, our Heavenly Father calls for a commitment to live in alignment with our spiritual selves. This involves maintaining balance within us, allowing our spiritual beliefs to influence our choices, and dedicating our entire being to Him. It emphasizes the need to distance ourselves from worldly behaviors and values, including sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity, hatred, and drunkenness. Instead, we should strive to replace selfish desires with the development of spiritual virtues such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In the world, you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.