"But, my dear sir, these things do not apply to me! I am a man of the world, you know. My cousin is, as you say, a splendid fellow; and though he is an evangelist, there is no one whose company I enjoy more than his. And then there are my sisters. I know they are right. I have a great deal of light set before me; yet here I am a man of the world, as I said, with no wish to be any other just at present.”
"'Just at present.' Then you do think of altering your course some day?”
"Oh, yes! I'm not going to be such a fool as to neglect my soul altogether. I hope to turn to God before I die.”
This "man of the world" was, while speaking, riding on a train for a two weeks' vacation. A hale, hearty man he then appeared, with the flush of health upon his cheeks; but disease had already entered his splendid body.
And what a boast! "A man of the world." Such it was who had slain the prophets of God! They had beheaded the forerunner of Jesus! Their consummate guilt was in crucifying the peerless Son of God upon a gibbet between two thieves. Such is the world and the "man of the world." Scripture says, "The whole world lies in the wicked one." 1 John 5:1919And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. (1 John 5:19), (J. N. D. Trans.).
Do not boast of your liberty then, O man of the world. You are the dupe of the devil and the slave of Satan! And, what is more, you are the "ENEMY OF GOD.”
A strong indictment, you say. No stronger than Scripture puts it: "Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:44Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4). Just a few weeks later this "man of the world" found himself suffering from a disease which, the doctor assured him, would end in death. Now, when he could have the world no longer, he remembered his word and turned to God. He prayed for forgiveness, and, amazing grace! He was forgiven and rejoiced in the knowledge of it.
For many years he had known that God could righteously justify the ungodly through the work of Christ. Still he had gone on enjoying "the pleasures of sin," and only at the very last had he turned to God as a sinner to become the object of His bounteous grace!
I pray you, dear reader, don't go on in your sins, boasting allegiance to the world which has crucified Christ. Your sovereign, the devil, has succeeded so well with his words, "Too soon!" He may blast your soul throughout the endless ages of eternity, and whisper in your ear at life's close, "Too late! too late!" "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2).