God’s Word is clear, strong and unmistakable. He says: “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” (1 John 2:1515Love 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. (1 John 2:15)). Here we find God’s answer to our question, Is it right to attend theaters and other places of amusement? It is a word that should search the conscience of every child of God, and this not only as to games and places of amusement, but also as to reading, singing and companionship and many another thing that is only of the world. Is it not love of the world that leads one to find pleasure in the things of the world? If one participates in these things, is it not because his heart is in them? The natural heart craves the things of the world; the Christian, as born of God, turns away from these things, and presses on with his heart set on the “brighter, better things above.”
If a Christian gives way to the world, where is his power for testimony? The wife who attends the theater wishes her husband would become a Christian, but her words have no weight with him. Is it difficult to see why? One who loves the world enough to attend the theater will display many other inconsistencies as a Christian, and where the ways are inconsistent, the words must fall powerless.
A young lady who bears the name of Christ, but who is often found at the party, and games, expresses a desire to see her brother a Christian. But as long as the gaieties of the world are claiming her time and heart, what power has she to lead her erring brother to Christ?
Does that wife rise from her knees to go to the theater? And is the desire of her heart in going, the glory of God?
Does that sister sit down to her game of cards in the name of the Lord Jesus?
Unless it be so, God’s Word is unheeded by them, for He says, “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Cor. 10:3131Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31); Col. 3:1717And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:17).)
Ministers and plenty of Christians go to the theater, is a plea often used; but it will not answer with God. Because there are ministers who love the world, this will not excuse me for loving the world, nor you. Each must give an account of himself to God. Let us not stumble over ungodly ministers, and thus be turned aside from the right path.
Worldly Christians might well stand aghast in the presence of the language with which God denounces worldliness and worldly ways in those who bear the name of Christ. He says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with 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).) All loving of the world, and all fellowship with it, is unfaithfulness to Him who has so loved us; and in the measure in which it is followed, it proves us, in that far, untrue to Him. It is spiritual adultery, and as such it will be counted to the sore loss of hire who indulges in the friendship of the world. It is the one who has pledged himself to. Christ, finding his joy in that which is opposed to Christ, and this He must denounce. He wants the hearts of His own to be true to Himself. He is not satisfied to have them bear His name and have their hearts remain in the world. His word is, “Love not the world.”
What will the end be? The world is going to “pass away,” God’s judgment coming upon it, and its lusts will also pass away. Solemn thought! All these lusts, these desires and pleasures that have drawn away hearts from Christ, coming under God’s displeasure, passing away under His ban! Is there no voice in this for you, O, careless, worldly Christian?
In marked and blessed contrast with this we have, “He that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” In which position, dear reader, are you? Are you drinking at the fountain of this world’s pleasures which can never quench your thirst; or do you, seeking the will of God, turn away from these things, and look on to the pleasures which are forevermore?
Dear fellow-pilgrim, once more let me ask, Is there no constraining power in the love of God, to keep us apart from that which is at enmity with Him? Are we so short-sighted as to allow the fleeting pleasures which end in death to displace the unending joy of eternity? O, let it not be so. The gain that will be ours, if we live for Him who has died for us, is beyond computation. Let us not, then, fritter away our precious time in that which can only prove loss. Let us not grieve the heart of Him who has purchased us at such a cost, and who would have us purify ourselves as He is pure, and keep ourselves “unspotted from the world.” Let us heed His bidding, “Love not the world.” Let us seek to realize the force of His words, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
The path of separation is not an easy one; and the Lord does not so present it to us. It involves self-denial and the bearing of the cross; and this means death to the world. Jesus says: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.” (Luke 9:23, 2423And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (Luke 9:23‑24).) This does not mean ease, but suffering with and for Him in a world which cast Him out. But if not an easy path, it is a blessed one, and the Lord will sustain us in it, if we set ourselves to follow Him. In order to a true following, there must be purpose of heart. A man will not succeed in any avocation in this life unless he has purpose; and no more will the Christian prosper in his Christian life unless with purpose of heart he cleave to the Lord. It will not do to put our hand to the plow and look back. The world has its thousands of allurements, but the Christian who is cleaving to the Lord will steadfastly resist these and press on. A little more climbing up the narrow, rugged path, a little longer turning away from the pleasures of this world, then the rest, the joy, the never-ending pleasures in those courts of light above, the welcome and approval from Him whose love words cannot measure, nor thought comprehend, for it is a love that passes knowledge.
O, will not the “well done” from His lips more than compensate for all that we have given up for Him? Viewed in the light of “eternal things,” how can we for a moment cling to that which is of the world?
We are going to have part in that coming eternity of glory, and we are going to be His loved companions forever and forever, sharing all the blessedness He has purchased for us. Only a little while, and we shall be in His presence there.
The days are fast speeding on. Shall we not live them for Him instead of living to ourselves?
The Lord give to us to be true to Him, and, guided by His Word, to turn away from all that savors of the world.
Love not the world: its smiles, its hopes
May lure thee on;
But cup of joy, and dream of bliss
Will soon be gone.
Those dreams will fade, as mist in morn,
Those hopes will die;
And in that cup of seeming joy
Deep sorrows lie.
Love not the world: it, with its lusts,
Must pass away;
Its pleasures sweet, its hopes so bright,
Must all decay.
Its glories, too, must have an end,
Must pale and die,
And all its empty bubbles burst;
They’re Satan’s lie.
But he who does the will of God,
For aye will live,
And drink the streams of heaven’s delights,
Which Christ will give.
He’ll weep no more on that blest shore:
No marvel this,
For joys well up, and fill his cup;
Naught, naught but bliss.
Dear fellow pilgrim in the path,
Look up. Look on
There waits above, a home of love,
Where Christ is gone.
And pleasures bright, in courts of light
Shall ever be,
Throughout a happy, long and blest
Eternity.
(Continued from page 204.)