Worldliness: General Scriptures Concerning

Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us.

Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”

Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth, …

They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about, …

Do not be afraid when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases. …

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. …

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow.

Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding walks a straight path.

He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.

For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

The soul that is full loathes honey, but to a hungry soul, any bitter thing is sweet.

All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile. …

For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?

For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?

So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun. …

A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.

Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.

On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth.

But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

The new wine dries up, the vine withers. All the merrymakers now groan. …

The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest: Whoever sees it will take it in his hand and swallow it.

Stand up, you complacent women; listen to me. Give ear to my word, you overconfident daughters. …

You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome. …

Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations, for you have played the harlot against your God; you have made love for hire on every threshing floor.

Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

You dismiss the day of calamity and bring near a reign of violence. …

I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day.

Arise and depart, for this is not your place of rest, because its defilement brings destruction—a grievous destruction!

You will eat but not be satisfied, and your hunger will remain with you. What you acquire, you will not preserve; and what you save, I will give to the sword.

You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? …

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” …

“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. …

For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.

And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

…but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. …

Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” …

The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.

Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. …

Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ …

Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. …

Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. …

Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: …

Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.

But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; …

These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.

If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.

A soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him.

Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, …

It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. …

My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism. …

You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.

You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.

As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.

For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.

Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you.

These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed. …

With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. …

Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion. …

These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.

These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.