The Danger of Worldly Comparisons
Christian, worldly comparisons will get you swallowed up by the world.
Christian: The Danger of Worldly Comparison
On their journey from the land of Egypt to the Promised Land, the Children of Israel were always faced with many temptations. There were dangers from without – external. They were ever surrounded by their adversaries who were always at the ready to dissuade and fight them off their inheritance. Apart from these, there was also the pernicious and ever-present internal discouragement.
Repeatedly, God Almighty had to encourage them through His servants Moses, Joshua, and others to, “Be strong and courageous”. (Read Joshu 1: 6, 7, 9).
From their experiences, we learn that as Christians, even when we are in the pathway ordained for us by the Lord, without the fortitude of courage, faith, and trust in Him, we can also miss the mark.
The warning of Apostle Paul in Hebrews is pertinent for all times.
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
15 while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Hebrews 3:12-15
Years after settling in the Promised Land, even though the Israelites have physically left Egypt, the land of their bondage, Egypt, never left their hearts. Most of them were still alive to Egypt and as such always stirring the hearts of their compatriots to go back to their past heritage of horsewhips, lentiles, cucumbers, and yet more horsewhips.
They were always comparing themselves with the ungodly heathen nations.
Their self-destructive desires climaxed in their request for a king for themselves in 1 Samuel chapter 8. When prophet Samuel asked, “Why do you want a King? Have you forgotten that Jehovah Almighty is your King?” The people replied, “Yes we know, but give us a king who will be judging us like these other nations.” Even when the revered prophet warned them against the dangers that their quests entail, they were incorrigibly bent on their ways.
They finally had their way and a few generations later, their nation was no more. Why? Because of their sins. Those sins started with worldly comparison.
Today, worldly comparisons pose serious danger to the Christian on the heavenly journey. How?
Worldliness
Worldly comparison leads to the Christian becoming worldly.
But what is worldliness?
Worldliness is rarely even mentioned today, much less identified for what it is. The word itself is beginning to sound quaint. Worldliness is the sin of allowing one’s appetites, ambitions, or conduct to be fashioned according to earthly values.
~ John MacArthur
Ashamed of the Gospel
A worldly Christian will be ashamed to be identified with Christ and His gospel’s message of salvation.
Now, what will we call a doctor with a reputation for saving the lives of all patients if such a one is always ashamed or afraid of treating the sick and afflicted? We will be right to call such a doctor, a murderer. No less are Christians who refuse to proclaim the gospel.
True, some Christians may be timid and shy because of inexperience or immaturity in proclaiming the gospel. But with training in the Word, faith, and prayers, every timid or new Christian can grow out of this to become a faithful proclaimer of the good news.
Indeed, there are many aspects of our Christian life that are unpopular and unacceptable to the sinful world. Nevertheless, we must not be too conscious of the world’s opinion. Otherwise, we may be inclined to bend backward (that is backsliding) to become like them. Christians who backslide are looking for no more than the world’s acceptance at the expense of Christ.
We are to follow Apostle Paul’s admonition
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
~ Romans 1:16
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,
9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began
~ 2 Timothy 1:8-9
Compromise and backsliding
Our Saviour Jesus Christ has this to say of some early believers who were reluctant to confess him before men,
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
~ John 12:42-43.
As Christians, the question each one of us must answer is, “Do I love the praise of men more than the approval of God?”
As Christians, the question each one of us must answer is, “Do I love the praise of men more than the approval of God?”
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
~ 1 John 2:15-17
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ~ James 4:4
Following the Lord at a distance
Worldly comparisons manifest in the Christian who wants to enjoy the best of both worlds - the best of Christ and the glitz and glamor that awaits them if they surrender to the world’s sinful allures.
Many Christians want to be as worldly as possible while still wearing the toga of “I’m a Christian”. Any wonder why the Christian influence is so minimal in our communities, schools, industry, and government? Because many Christians are not being what they ought to be where God has seen fit to place them.
Following the Lord at a distance can weaken the Christian testimony and, unrepented of, the Christian can fall and even deny the Lord when it counts most.
54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
~ Mark 14:54
Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”
~ Mark 14:71
Save for our Lord’s prayers, Apostle Peter might not have been restored from his backsliding. The point here is that any Christian following the Lord from afar is susceptible to backsliding.
Getting swallowed up by the world
In Colossians, Apostle Paul wrote and spoke glowingly of Demas, his co-laborer in the Lord.
Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.
~ Colossians 4:14.
Fast forward to two or three years letter, Demas has forsaken Apostle Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ. How did it happen? Surreptitiously, the love of the world crept into Demas's heart and he parted ways with His Saviour.
for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.
~ 2 Timothy 4:10
This is how God put it to the people of Israel soon after he had rescued them from their Egyptian slavery and made them his special people by covenant: ‘I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall do my ordinances and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God.’3 This appeal of God to his people, it will be noted, began and ended with the statement that he was the Lord their God. It was because he was their covenant God, and because they were his special people, that they were to be different from everybody else. They were to follow his commandments and not take their lead from the standards of those around them.
~ John R. W. Stott
Worldly comparison makes a Christian set worldly standards and values above scriptural injuctions. For such believers, conformity with the world, social acceptance, personal interests, and goals comes first.
The only One whose approval matters most is our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only through looking up to Him that the Christian can escape the deception and deadening trap of worldly comparisons.
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. ~ Galatians 1:10 (NKJV)
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ~ Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
©John R. W. Stott, Christian Counter-culture - The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, Inter Varsity Press, 1978
©John MacArthur, Ashamed of the Gospel, Crossway 2010