This is why the world has many sneaky things to tell us. Since sin, the devil, and his demons are so rampant, more evil is becoming normalized or seen as “okay.” Here are three sneaky things the world says are true.
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The world is presently under the control of the devil. Satan is said to be the “god” of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Since Satan is the “god” of this world, it is not surprising there are so many evil teachings in the world.
Not only this, but also with our sinful natures mixed in, the world has become a corrupted place. God created the world and declared it good at the beginning; however, it is now tainted with sin and under the control of the evil one.
This is why the world has many sneaky things to tell us. Since sin, the devil, and his demons are so rampant, more evil is becoming normalized or seen as “okay.” As believers, we need to be aware of all these things because we can easily fall off the road God is guiding us down.
We need to put on the full armor of God and be prepared for the devil’s attacks (Ephesians 6:10-18). In addition to putting on the full armor of God, it is also important to be aware of the false things the world tells us. Here are three sneaky things the world says are true.
1. You Are Your Own God
One sneaky thing the world says is true is that you are your own “god.” While the world does not come up and say this plainly to our face, the world does convey the idea. This has been a problem ever since mankind was created.
Adam and Eve were tempted to eat the forbidden fruit because the serpent told them that if they ate from the tree, they would be “like God” (Genesis 3:5). Just as Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent, the world now tempts us to be our own “god.”
The world does this in very sneaky ways. It tries to cause us to turn away from the true God and cause us to establish ourselves as our “god.” The world tells us that we can do whatever we want without consequences.
Even if that means living in sin, the world says to do it because it’s okay for you. As we can see, the world rationalizes sin and tries to give the illusion that there are no morals nor consequences for our sins.
Rather than following what the world says, we need to turn to God. We are not our own “gods.” We are human beings created by the one true God. He is the One who makes the rules and we need to follow them.
These rules and guidelines are not burdensome nor are they restrictive. Instead, they are placed there by God to help us. Nothing written in the Bible is there to hinder us nor to cause us not to have a fulfilling life.
In fact, Jesus died for us to have an abundant life (John 10:10). However, we cannot have this abundant life if we make ourselves out to be our own “gods.”
2. Success Equals Material Wealth
A second sneaky thing the world says is true is that success equals material wealth. Success according to the world means having great wealth, a huge house, and an expensive car.
Even though the world makes success up to be something like this does not mean that is what success actually looks like.
According to the Bible, success means following Jesus, obeying Him, and loving Him. Material possessions cannot compare to what the Lord gives us through His life, death, and resurrection.
The world weighs us down with the idea that we have to be rich in order to have a fulfilling, meaningful, and successful life. After all, much of our lives orbit around money. We have to have money to pay for our rent, our car payments, and our insurance.
While it is true that we need money to survive, it does not need to be the sole motivator of our lives. Money will never truly give us lasting joy. It might be able to “buy us happiness,” but it will never give us the lasting joy that Jesus can give us.
At the end of our lives, there is nothing we can take with us. Although we may have been seen as “successful” by the world’s standards, nothing matters if we never placed faith in Jesus.
We could have the biggest mansion, the most money in the bank, or the newest iPhone, but we can take none of it with us. Only our souls go with us, and their fate lies whether we place faith in Jesus or not. True success only comes from knowing, following, and loving the Lord.
3. Your Worth Is Tied to Your Appearance
A third sneaky thing the world says is true is that your worth is tied to your appearance. Although nothing in the world will come out and tell you this directly, the subliminal messaging is all there.
Hollywood and diet culture are a few examples from the world that teach us that our worth is tied to our appearance. If you do not look a certain way, you are shamed or feel bad about things that are out of your control.
Nobody can control the way they look like — our faces and body types are mainly genetic. Rather than trying to change these things to reflect what the world wants, we should embrace our appearance and not be ashamed of them.
God made you beautiful just as you are. He calls you His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10). The world tells us to get Botox, to lose weight, and to buy the most expensive clothes when in actuality, none of these things define our worth.
The color of your skin, your hair texture, your body size, and your clothes do not define your worth.
The world has taught us throughout our lives that we have to look a certain way to be worthy of love and acceptance, but it is not true. You are already worthy as you are, and you have nothing to prove to anyone.
Combat this sneaky teaching of the world by rejecting what it teaches about your worth. Just because a person does not look like a model does not mean they are any less of a person.
In fact, even models have to go through airbrushing, editing, and extensive make-up in order to look the way that they do.
No matter what you look like, know you are beautiful just as you are. Also, know that your worth is not tied to anything except the Lord Himself. We have inherent worth because we are created by God, and we are dearly loved by Him.
Our worth in God’s eyes never changes. He loves us the same way as He did the day we were born, and He will love us the same way the day we pass away and go to be with Him.
The world will try to occupy our time and energy with things of the world, but all that really matters is coming to know the Lord, following Him, and helping others come to know Him.
For further reading:
7 Sneaky Idols Destroying the Church Today
3 Lies Christians Believe about the Ten Commandments
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