An inundation of worldliness

(John Angell James, "The Spiritual State of our Churches")

"Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world.
 If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.
 Because everything that belongs to the world--the lust of
 the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one's lifestyle
 --is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world
 with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God's will
 remains forever." (1 John 2:15-17)

What an unearthly spirit, what an impress of eternity, what
a temper of heaven should there be in us! Professing to
believe all this, to hope for all this, to love all this, to yield
up ourselves to all this--ought we not to be a people really,
practically differing from the people of the world--seen,
known and acknowledged to be different . . .
  in our prevailing spirit,
  in our pleasures,
  in our tastes,
  in our feelings and conduct in regard to wealth,
  in the maxims which govern us?

Ought we not to appear to be the conquerors, and not the
captives, of the world? But is it so? Is not the very opposite
to all this, the present characteristic of many professors? Has
not an inundation of worldliness flowed in upon the church?

In the habits of some professing Christians, there is a too
prevailing taste for an expensive, showy style of living; an
undue ambition to be in vogue; an excessive sensitiveness
about fashion, refinement, needless show, extravagance,
luxury and appearance. This is seen in their feverish concern
to live in large houses, and possess elegant furniture.

Fashion is the goddess to whose shrine too many bow with
ardent devotion. Just look at the conduct of many professors
of religion. Are they not almost as completely swallowed up
in the eagerness to be rich, as the openly ungodly?

Christians must be upon their guard, lest they become too
eager for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
pride in one's lifestyle.