What Is Worldliness? David Wells’ Definition Explained

The apostle James makes a sobering claim about worldliness in his epistle:

“Friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God” (James 4:4, NLT).

For believers, this presents a serious tension. Through Christ, we have gone from being enemies of God to redeemed children. To then pursue friendship with the world is to live in a way that contradicts our new identity. Worldliness doesn’t fit with who we now are in Christ, and that alone makes it worth defining carefully.

In his book Losing Our Virtue, theologian David Wells offers a helpful and penetrating definition of worldliness:

“That system of values, in any given age, which has at its center our fallen human perspective, which displaces God and his truth from the world, and which makes sin look normal and righteousness seem strange. It thus gives great plausibility to what is morally wrong and, for that reason, makes what is wrong seem normal.”

This definition has two key parts that are especially important for Christians to understand.

Beware of Anything That Makes Sin Look Normal

Worldliness reshapes the way we see sin. Instead of viewing it the way God does, we begin to downplay it.

Often this happens subtly. Some sins feel respectable. Others feel common. Still others don’t seem as bad when we compare ourselves to someone else. Over time, casual conversation, constant entertainment, and spiritual drift can dull our sensitivity to sin.

But Scripture reminds us that all sin is serious. Our sin is what nailed Jesus to the cross. When we begin minimizing our own sin—or excusing the sin of others—we should be honest with ourselves: this is a sign of growing worldliness.

Beware of Anything That Makes Righteousness Seem Strange

If worldliness makes sin look normal, it also makes obedience to God feel unusual, or even uncomfortable.

I’ve seen this play out in Christian settings where something as simple as praying together feels awkward. It’s easier to watch the football game, say a quick “I’ll pray for you” about a hard situation, and move on. Stopping to actually pray can feel disruptive or out of place.

Because of this, I’ve tried to adopt a simple rule: if I’m prompted to pray, I do it immediately. Yes, it can feel awkward—but it also gently reminds others (and myself) that prayer matters.

As Christians, we are set apart for a purpose entirely different from the world’s. God is not meant to be an add-on to lives centered on ourselves. Yet many believers live with a “What’s the bare minimum I need to do for God?” mentality rather than asking, “How can I give more of myself to Him?”

Jesus calls us to something better. In the Beatitudes, He says that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be blessed and satisfied (Matthew 5:6). That hunger, not complacency, is the posture God desires.

Fear the Lord and Turn Away from Evil

What makes worldliness so dangerous is how quickly our hearts can be misaligned. When a culture begins to celebrate what God calls evil and despise what God calls good, believers can drift without realizing it (Isaiah 5:20).

Scripture gives us a clear response:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Rather than letting the world squeeze us into its mold, we are called to renew our minds with God’s truth. When we do, it’s like putting on spiritual glasses—suddenly we can see clearly what is good, what is pleasing to God, and how we are meant to live.

That clarity is exactly what David Wells’ definition of worldliness helps restore.