World, Worldly and Worldliness

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The World is everyone apart from the 2x2s. This includes all other religions, Christian denominations, sects and churches. Everything the 2×2 group disapproves of; any people, ministers, churches, religions, entertainments, foods, sports, dancing, smoking, drinking, TV, movies, music, art, various apparel, hobbies, charities, professions, traditions–other than those sanctioned by 2×2 workers.

Worldly is another term for outsiders or the unsaved:
He has worldly friends.
She is their worldly daughter.
He married a worldly woman.

The 2x2s are encouraged to associate and socialize as little as possible with the World. 2x2s view worldliness as the adoption of the apparel, appearance, or activities that reflect the culture in which they are living. Many things the World (outsiders) engage in for enjoyment 2x2s consider Worldly.

James 4:4 – know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

The reason given for some 2x2s who leave the church is that they loved the World and wanted to be a part of it.

Worker Quote: It is so easy for worldly things to creep into our lives, into our homes, if we are not careful. In Madagascar, there was a rich lady that professed and her home was about the only one suitable for fellowship meetings. The problem was she also had a television set. When we asked her about the meeting and told her about the TV, she just said “What’s stopping you from taking down the aerial?” and sold her TV too. Something else that takes away our time is computers. All kinds of programs are available and some young people get hooked on them, same way as being hooked on TV. Be careful about the way young people use computers. (Ken Paginton, Denbar, Sept. 11, 1996).

Worker Quote: The devil’s way is to get people inside who will be an attraction for worldly people to step in. If he can get women to dress in low necks and short skirts, the world will say that is not so bad a religion after all, and would like to identify themselves with it also. We need not worry so much about outside sinners if we keep up the standard (Wilson Reid, Irish Conv.).

Worker Quote: Are the daughters of Zion more worldly this year than last? Is the world, its habits, customs, and fashions more attractive, or are you governed by modesty, economy, and neatness? (Jack Carroll, Olympia Conv. 1942)

Worker Quote: We can examine our own hearts; we can ask ourselves before we meet together, “Am I becoming more worldly and less godly or more godly and less worldly?” It isn’t easy for God’s people to break with the world and its attractions (Jack Carroll, Urack, Germany, 1952).

Worker Quote: If we deny ourselves worldly music, we will benefit spiritually from our Heavenly Father. If people want worldly music and start feeding on it, they will become like the world.(Eldon Tenniswood, 1975 California Elders Meeting).

Q: SHOULD GOD’S PEOPLE GO TO PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT SUCH AS DISNEYLAND, KNOTT’S BERRY FARM, CIRCUSES, ICE FOLLIES, ROSE BOWL PARADE, SPORTS EVENTS, ETC.? If we are walking in the Spirit or being guided by the Holy Spirit, we will feel very uncomfortable in a place of worldly entertainment, and it would be best to heed the warning of the Spirit. When I was young, I loved sports, and after I decided, the Holy Spirit moved me to give them up completely. Any money I had spent going to the games, I wanted to use for the extension of God’s Kingdom. The Holy Spirit taught me this, as it would have been selfish for me to spend money for my own entertainment when I could help in the work of the Lord. When you introduce children into sports, it is just an avenue that starts them out into the world. The sport world, the pleasure world, the music world, the political world, the financial world will never encourage people to serve the Lord (Eldon Tenniswood, 1975 California Elders Meeting).

Worker Quote: If you are not a stranger here in this worldly atmosphere, then you are no pilgrim for the heavenly country. Some seem perfectly at home in convention, but when they go back to the city, they feel perfectly at home in the world, too. Some people even go as far as to have one kind of dress for the fellowship meeting and for convention, and another kind for the street. I want to ask you, “Are there any like that here?” If so, you are still in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity (James Patrick, Eagle Bend Convention, 1939).

Worker Quote: A few years ago in India, a couple made their choice. They had been worldly people but when they decided, they included their children in their sacrifice. One boy said to his parents, “It is all right for you to stop going to the cinema, you have seen it all, but I haven’t.” Nevertheless, he obeyed them and today he is preaching the Gospel (Helen Windsor, Sydney, Aust, 2013)

Worker Quote: Are you allowing son or daughter to bring into your home something worldly? (Willie Brown, Las Vegas NM Conv, 1947)

Worker Quote: There was a man and his wife that came to gospel meetings a few years ago. They both made their choice. They had never known the truth before….the mother of this home said to me, “Jack, is there anything that we don’t see that you feel we should take out of our lives or out of our home?!”….They had a TV in their home and we didn’t have to ask them to take that out of their home because the Holy Spirit did that! Some people have asked us, “How do you know whether God’s people should have a TV or not?” We have seen the Holy Spirit and we just knew that when the spirit began to control their lives, the Holy Spirit would tell them, “You better clean that out!” I don’t need any more proof than that (Jack Price, August, 2003)