LOVING
THE WORLD.
BY W.L.G.
“Love not the
world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the
love of the Father is not in him.”-(I John ii: 15.) The first words of this
text contain a positive command. To the heart overflowing with love for God it
would be an impossibility not to live in obedience to this, for the love
of the Father casts out the love of the world and worldly things.
“But the love of many
has waxed cold.” Let each of us ask the solemn question, “Do I love the world?
Is there any earthly object that calls out my heart more than God? Does
business, worldly gain, pleasure-seeking in gay assemblies, the social
gathering, the evening entertainment, the novel, or the dance?
I fear that very
many whose names are written in the church record could be obligated to answer
these questions in the affirmative. And yet God says to us, “The lust of the
flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
but I of the world.”-(I John ii: 16.) Again, we have the worlds, “Be not
conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
There is a
wonderful depth of meaning in these words. We may not be “conformed to this
world,” but must be transformed by essential renewing of our mind, that we may
know God’s perfect will for us. Without this transformation e are not prepared
to work for the Master; without this “renewing,” anyone is standing on
dangerous ground. We must give up all for Christ, even if it separates us from
friends or relatives who persist in following the world. Hear our Saviour’s
words: “He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and
he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. So, likewise,
whosever he be of you t hat forsaketh not all that he that cannot be My
disciple.
God desires our
highest good, and all the direction given in His Word is to that end. If we
will yield ourselves up to His will, we shall know the important of those
wonderful words, “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” As he is
far above this world, s our joys in Him shall be far above earthly joys; and it
is only the blinding influence of sin that leads so many to seek earthly pleasure,
while they have offered to them so much higher, deeper, richer joy in Christ.
Many feel that to
give up the world would be to relinquish all the happiness of life, but this is
only the whispering of the Enemy who desires their destruction.
