The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Midweek Meeting June 29 2016

We were down to nine last night but it was a good prayer meeting, everyone leading in prayer, if I remember correctly. What needs there are - people with cancer, chronic fatigue, congenital palsy, eye problems, etc. That was quite apart from everything else. I spoke on 2 Timothy 3:10-13 and especially on the warning about persecution.
  • If you have never been persecuted then it is a fair question to ask, whether this is because you were never converted.
  • Anyone who wants to be a Christian must know that it is going to lead to persecution of some sort or another.
  • Of course, if we are persecuted we cannot assume that it is because we are Christians. It may simply be that we have made ourselves obnoxious. There is no comfort in this verse for such people.
  • If we are genuinely persecuted, even though it is merely being despised and ignored and overlooked, there is reason to believe that we are true Christians.
 

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