Address—Jim Hyland
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Everybody should have a set of charts. We're going to take up a subject that we will label, position and responsibility.
You're taking notes. That's great. I should have mentioned there are, and I see you have availed yourself of them some pads and pens on the back table. We're going to talk a little bit about our position as the chart first chart indicates, starting at the outer circle. Our position and responsibility as believers in this world. We're going to take up the subject of our position and responsibility as being in what the next circle says, the great House.
Then the church, and then what? I have labeled the testimony, and we'll give explanation as we go along.
Now I'll make it very clear that what we're going to do is just give a very basic outline. We only have time for three talks together, and you'll notice there are 6 charts. So we're going to have to move along very quickly. I hope that what you will do is go back and fill in some of the pieces after, maybe jot down some of the scriptures that we mentioned very quickly, and then go back over them in your own time. So we're going to talk a little bit about our position and responsibility.
We're going to start with the outer circle, but before we do that, perhaps to introduce this subject in a broad sense, I want to read 3 portions of scripture. The first one is in the book of Job Job chapter 28.
Job chapter 28. I'm going to read verse 7, but I'm going to read it in Mr. Darby's translation.
You can follow along in your King James Bible, but I want to read it in Mr. Darby's translation.
Verse seven and eight of Job 28. It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it. The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it. What this verse is basically saying in its simplest form, is that for every one of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.
God has a path of faith for us. In other words, a way that you and I.
Can walk through this world to please the Lord Jesus and know what His will is for us while we are left here. And this verse makes it very clear that it is not a way or a path that is discerned in an by the natural by natural ability. So no bird of prey knoweth it. I just go through these very very quickly and give you 1 little thought. It may not be the only thought.
But when it says it is a path that no bird of prey knoweth again, I'm reading from Mr. Darby. It's a path where the devil cannot touch you. Now the devil harasses us, of course, and the devil is a roaring lions walketh about seeking whom he may devour. But if we walk on the path that the Lord has for us, there's a protection there from the Lord himself that the devil cannot breakthrough.
And why is it so often we get into trouble? Why is it so often we fall into sin? It's because we digress from the path, and the bird of prey is there, so to speak, ready to grab us. Can't rob us of our salvation, but sure can rob us of a lot of the joy of Christianity, help get us to spoil our testimony and so on. Then it says the vultures I have hath not seen. You know, the vultures soars up above, and the Vulture has a very sharp eye.
The Vulture can look down and see that little road running through the grass.
And swoop down and and and get it in a in a moment. And the Vulture also that's the bird of prey. I'm sorry but the Vulture, the Vulture feeds on that which is dead, OK. And the voucher likes the carcasses of of the dead and so on. And if we get missed the path of faith, you know our again Satan he can he can't rob us of our salvation.
But you know, Satan is the destroyer. He likes to destroy our testimony. He can even, as the Lord said, destroy the body. And you know, I believe there are many who have left this world, that God has taken them out of this world because they weren't living to please the Lord and walking in the path of faith, the proud beast have not trodden it. You know, it's not a path that we can walk in pride. It's only the grace of God that preserves us. And it's a path that has to be walked humbly.
00:05:22
Nor the fierce lion past it. You know it's not a path that can be walked in natural strength. Knowing the end of Isaiah 40, it tells us even the youth shall faint and be weary. I'm glad to look into the faces of those who are young and have a lot of natural strength. The glory of young men is their strength, the Bible says. But you'll never know the path or walk in the path the Lord has for you in your in your natural strength. Now I want to read a verse in Ephesians chapter 4.
We're going to turn back and forth in the scriptures. I think it helps us to keep alert if we're looking through our Bibles.
Ephesians chapter 4.
And verse one.
I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy.
Of the vocation or really the calling where with your called this verse is exhorting us to walk worthy of what God has called us into. But you know we'll never be able to walk worthy of something if we don't have understanding of what it is. And that's another reason I am exercised to take up this subject this weekend so that we understand what our position is if we don't understand.
What our position is in relationship to the world, the great House, the Church and so on will never be able to walk worthy of it. God has a path for us and we need to understand what it is now. One more verse and then we'll get on with our subject. First Chronicles.
First Chronicles, Chapter 12.
And justice part of verse 32 First Chronicles.
Chapter 12.
And verse 32 and the children of Issachar were men that had understanding of the times. So it's not only important to know.
Our position. But at what time we find ourselves in this position in our history? You know, we're not back in the days of the Apostle Paul. We're not back in the days of Mr. Darby and some of those brethren that God used to recover much truth and light to us after the Dark Ages. We are here.
At the end of our history in 2015, and we need to like these men a Visa card, We need to have discernment of the Times Now, young people. That doesn't change the truth. The truth is the truth, and the truth is good for all times. But there are ways that we act and react in the world and so on relative to the time in which we live and the conditions and situations that God has allowed.
In our day, and even for you young people, it's a different day.
Than a few years ago when I sat in your position and listened to some of the older brethren expound and minister the truth. And so we want to take up something of this as well. So the first chart is basically the.
It's basically the chart that's going to that we're going to break down in the future charts. So this morning what I want to do is I want to take up this second chart that's entitled The World.
So if you turn to that chart.
Now we're going to take up the subject of the world under 3 headings. They all start with P Sometimes when we have something that all starts with the same letter, it helps us to remember it. Remember this young people that when we take up a word or a subject from the Bible, it doesn't always mean the same thing in every place. You have to take up scripture in its context. This is completely aside, but let me give you another illustration.
Another example before we talk about this, You know, often in scripture God uses the figure of water for different things.
00:10:07
Sometimes water is a figure of the Word of God. Sometimes water running water is a figure of the Spirit of God.
Sometimes water is used as a figure of blessing, like the dew of heaven.
But sometimes it's also used as a figure of judgment. His voice is as the sound of many waters. You see what I'm saying? You always have to take up everything in its context. And don't just think that because it means something in one place, it's always going to mean that in another place. Context is vital when it comes to the scriptures. Now we're going to take the world up under three different headings. Sometimes when the world is presented to us, it's the planet. It's this physical globe that we live on.
I'll give you an example in a minute, but sometimes it's the planet, sometimes it's the people that inhabit this planet.
So it's the planet, the people. And then what this chart illustrates and what we're going to spend most time on this morning, is that sometimes it's the program. It's a system of things. And we'll explain this as we look at a number of scriptures. So we have the planet, the people and the program. The first two we're gonna take up rather quickly, but I do want to turn again to some scriptures. Let's turn first of all to Hebrews chapter one.
Hebrews chapter one.
And I'll just start reading at verse one God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time passed under the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things. Now here's the point by whom also he made the world. Now what he's talking about here is the physical universe that was made.
Created by God and by the Lord Jesus. Because remember, whatever God does, he always does in Trinity. So the Spirit of God is always the mighty power in which he moves. And in Genesis chapter one, the Spirit of God moved on the face of the deep and so on. God is the Creator, but the Son has a part too, and so this makes it very clear. So it's the physical universe that we have here.
But let's narrow it down a little bit. Let's go to first Peter.
Chapter One.
First Peter chapter one and verse 18.
For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your Father's, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Now again notice this, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. Now let me just point out something that I believe is very significant.
When he talks about the universe being created and brought into being, he says worlds.
But that does not mean young people, that there are other worlds, like our world when it comes to the earth, or the habitable part of the earth, or mankind as a responsible creature to God, it is always in the singular. And so when the Lord Jesus says the Lamb of God was barely foreordained, or in other words, back in a past eternity, it was determined that the Lord Jesus was going to come into this world.
And go to the cross and offer himself as that sacrifice, as the Lamb of God. You notice he was barely foreordained before the foundation of the world, singular. There is only one world where God has people made in the likeness of his image. Only one world where the Lord Jesus. One planet where the Lord Jesus came as a man and died for humanity. So we want to make that very clear.
When they tell you there's other worlds with people and God is interested in, perhaps some of you have heard this and I've heard it and read something of it.
It is not the truth of God's word. There is one planet, one world where God has a people such as you and I, and where the Lord Jesus came as a man. Now let's go to Ephesians chapter One.
00:15:20
Ephesians chapter one and verse 3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
According as he has chosen us before the foundation of the world.
That we should be holy and without blame before him in love.
Now we noticed that the Lord Jesus as the Lamb was for ordained, or it was decided by the Godhead, the counsels of God, back before the world was created, that He would come into this world. But for those of us who know Christ as our Savior, we too were chosen way back before creation, before this planet, Earth and the other planets and all the creation, the universe.
Was brought into existence. God knew you way back then.
I'm just gonna pause for a moment to say this. If there is someone here this morning who does not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, God's way of blessing is open for you. You're still part of this world, so to speak, and this world is under judgment. This planet is under judgment. And if you don't know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, it is our prayer that today, this morning.
You will come to know him, the one who died as the Lamb of God shed his precious blood. That way of blessing is open for you. After we're saved, we find out this wonderful truth that we were. None of us are an afterthought with God. God chose us now the Gospels for everybody. Everybody can come whosoever will may come. After we're saved, we find it was a work of God.
Because we were chosen way back then. You know, when God chose me, He knew all about me. Let me illustrate it this way.
You know, I've never known my biological parents, but I was adopted by Harlem Amy Highland when I was two years of age. They're the only parents I've ever known, and they raised me in a Christian home in an the assembly, an assembly gathered to the Lord's name and.
They read the Bible to us, taught us the truth of God, and I'm very thankful for it. But you know, when they went and chose me, they had no idea what I was going to be like. They had no foreknowledge about all the grief I would cause them as a young person and all the things that I would do. They really didn't have any idea about my personality or any of that.
In fact, they were given a very, very basic file of information.
Which basically told them nothing beyond that I was a boy and a couple of other things, some childhood diseases that I they I had already had before I was 2 and so on. You know, so often when parents adopt children, they are perhaps in the end somewhat disappointed in the way those children turn out. But you know, God chose me and he knew all about me way back then. He knew what my failures were going to be.
He knew my personality. He knew what I was going to be like before I was saved and after I was saved. And you know, he's loved me through it all. You know, he's never been going to be disappointed that he chose me or that he chose any one of us. In fact, the Lord Jesus, in a coming day, he's going to rejoice over us with singing, and he's going to view the heavenly company in a coming day, and he's going to be completely satisfied.
And So what? What's a wonderful truth? To realize that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. Now I want you to notice that that it's before the foundation of the world. Because what we find when we take up the subject of the world is that you and I are really, as believers, are not part of this world. The only thing that connects us with this world is the fact that we are still physically here on planet Earth.
00:20:14
But as we go on and we we speak, we look at some different scriptures, we're going to find that the word of God.
Christianity detaches us in every way from this, from this world, and so we were chosen before the foundation of the world. Now let's go to Matthew's Gospel and see a little contrast. Matthew's Gospel, chapter 25.
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 25 and verse 34.
Then shall the king say, Say unto them on his right hand.
Come ye, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you.
From the foundation of the world, Not before the foundation of the world, but from the foundation of the world. Now, you say?
I thought you just said that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. That is absolutely correct. But he's not talking to the same people here. What he's talking about here is the blessing for God's earthly people, the children of Israel, and they are going to be blessed in an earthly way. And their blessings were not before the foundation of the world.
But they were from the foundation of the world. You see, you and I are a heavenly people.
As I say, we're not connected with this world in any way other than the fact we're physically still here on planet Earth. But Israel in a coming day is going to be brought into an earthly blessing. And so their blessings and the Kingdom for them is not before the foundation of the world. It's from the foundation of the world, the spirit of God, showing that they're going to have a very different sphere of blessing.
Than the Church of God the Christian the believer in this age.
From Pentecost to the Rapture, we'll speak about a little later in another meeting. They are chosen for heavenly blessing. And so we're before the foundation. Israel's for earthly blessing. They are from the foundation. So we have the planet, this physical planet on which we live, that which was created, that which was brought then into order back in the first chapter of Genesis. Now let's go to a very familiar verse in John's Gospel, Chapter 3.
And let's talk about the people just for a moment.
John's Gospel chapter 3.
And verse 16.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Now notice it's the same word here. It's the world, but it's in a completely different context. This is not the planet. This is the people. If I can speak reverently, God doesn't love a planet. God doesn't love the globe that we live on. It's the people that inhabit the planet. And when the Lord Jesus came, sent by God the Father.
To go to the cross, it was the people in the world that God loved.
He loves all people in this world. Every man and woman who has ever set foot on planet Earth has been loved of God. That's why there will be nobody in a lost eternity who will be able to blame God or say that they went there unloved. God so loved the world. It's the people. So I think we see that very quickly. But now we're going to go back to the second chart and you'll notice that.
In the larger circle I have drawn 3 smaller circles that are connected in the middle. We're going to speak now of the world as a planet and the world as a planet.
I'm sorry, the world as a program. The world as a program is a system of things set up by by Satan, by man, apart from God, of which Satan.
Is the God and the Prince and I have broken down the world into three different categories here.
00:25:03
We'll start on the right hand side. There's the political side of things, there's the social side of things and the religious side of things. I believe the world can as a program can really be divided into these three categories. And we'll look at some scriptures that bring this out. Now again, just to confirm something I've alluded to go to John 17 as an introduction to this.
John chapter 17 We have the Lord Jesus praying to his Father before he goes to the cross. We often refer to the 17th chapter as the Lord's High Priestly Prayer. And just notice verse 14. I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world. Even as I am not of the world, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world.
But that thou shouldest keep them from the evil, they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
So when we get saved, we no longer belong to this world and its programs. We belong to heaven. You and I are now a heavenly people. The Lord Jesus was praying for his disciples, and if you read this chapter, this prayer, carefully, he not only prayed for his disciples, but he embraced all those that would believe. That's you and that's me. If we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.
So we are not of this of of the world. He says here that the world hates them. You know if you live for the Lord Jesus as a heavenly citizen, if you please the Lord Jesus walk in the path of faith. As we mentioned earlier, you're not going to be popular in this world. I know that there are those who teach that we can make Christianity popular and so on and we should fit in and be accepted. But that is not the teaching that the Lord Jesus gave his disciples.
Nor is it the teaching that we have in the New Testament. In fact, the Lord said if they've hated me.
They're going to hate you also in the measure in which you and I walk in separation from this world as heavenly citizens.
We are not going to be popular and fit in in this world and we shouldn't expect to.
Now again, we're going to look at some scriptures very, very quickly. We'll make some very brief comments.
Again, we're talking about the world, not as a planet, not the people that inhabit the world.
But as a program or a or a system, let's go to Luke's Gospel chapter 4.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 4.
And verse 5.
And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world.
In a moment. Now here we have the Lord Jesus and the temptation in the wilderness. And the devil takes him up and he shows him the kingdoms of this world. And it all is just for a moment. Now I mentioned that we're starting with the political aspect of the world. Man has set up a political system in this world again, of which Satan is the Prince.
Of this world. Let's before I develop that a little bit, go to John 14 and you'll see that we could quote these verses, but I think it's helpful to see them. John's Gospel, chapter 14.
And verse 30.
Hereafter, I will not talk much with you. Now notice this, for the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. So when it's the Prince of this world, it's the political side of the world. And that's why, young people, I don't believe it is our place to get involved in the political wranglings of this world. Now we are the salt of the earth we're here to.
Represent Christ and so on. We're ambassadors for Christ. But you know, this world goes on without without Christ politically and it's all going to be come down, crashing down, and it's all going to be judged because God has only one answer for this world politically, and that's his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Not until a king right reigns in righteousness.
00:30:15
Will there be justice and equity in this world? It tells us in the Book of Malachi that the Son of Righteousness is going to rise with healing in his wings. And we know from Revelation and other places that there's a day coming when the Lord Jesus is going to come out of heaven and he's going to be announced as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This world is under judgment.
Not only the planet, but the system. It's all under judgment.
Now is the judgment of this world, the Lord said. And if you and I get try to get involved in politics in this world, couple of things are going to happen. If we try to do it righteously, we're not going to be appreciated. Let me tell you a little story. The brother I know very well, he's very, quite elderly now. But you know, he was telling me that when he was first saved and going on for the Lord, he thought it would be good to run.
For the mayor of the city in which he lived here in the United States. And so he ran for mayor and he actually got in and he ran for mayor, as he told me, with a genuine exercise to clean up the drug trade and the crime in his city. And he used to go down and sit with the police and monitor things, he said. After two or three months I realized I was in the wrong place, he said. Actually, I feared for my life.
Because, he said. I realized there's no righteousness and justice in this world today.
And he got out and he said it was a good lesson for me and so you're not going to be appreciated.
If you seek to bring about righteousness, now you know young people, We cannot expect righteousness in an unrighteous world. They cast out the only righteous man, truly righteous man, that ever walked on planet earth, and they chose a man named Barabbas who was actually characterized by three things. You never get all three things in one gospel, but if you compare the account, he was on trial as a murderer, as a robber.
And for insurrection, which is rebellion against authority.
Now I know those three things have always existed from the beginning of time, but after they chose Barabbas over the Lord Jesus, I believe what we have seen in the last 2000 years plus is that those things have become more full blown violence, corruption and rebellion against authority. They're not just practice today, they've always been practiced from eating down, but they're preached and glorified. So he's the Prince of this world.
Polit, politically. And that's why I put Satan in the middle here, because again, the program is all governed by Satan. Now, that's not to say that God doesn't rule in the kingdoms of men, He's in control over it all. But he's allowing Satan and man to have his time now to show what man really is in himself, to show how bad things he really is and how bad he can mess things up if left to himself. God is in full control, make no mistake about it, Daniel tells us that.
The most high rules in the Kingdoms of Men, but nevertheless.
There's a vast political system program set up in this world by man, of which Satan is the head. But now let's go on and speak of the social aspect of things. Let's go to 1St John Chapter 5.
First John Chapter 5.
And verse 19.
And we know that we are of God and then notice this and the whole world lieth in wickedness. Or Mr. Darby's translation is in the wicked one. And who is the wicked one? Well, I don't think we have any problem seeing that that Satan, that's our enemy. And so I just want to apply this in connection with the social aspect of things. Now young people want to make it very clear that I'm not saying it is it's wrong to have fun and there are activities and so on that we can enjoy and participate.
00:35:03
In that are not wrong in themselves. But let's be careful that we don't get caught up in a social aspect of things that is going to be a detriment or a hindrance to us in our Christian pathway in following the Lord. And let's be careful that we don't make friendship with the world again. Friendship in the in the context of it being that which spoils our relationship and our communion with have with God.
With the Lord Jesus. And that causes us to forget that we are not of this world. Yes, we need to be friendly. Yes, we need to get along with our classmates at school, with our neighbors, and so on, Because we'll never be a testimony in this world for the Lord if we don't show ourselves friendly in that way. But let's make sure that that those were closest to.
Are those who really want to please the Lord, other heavenly citizens, other?
Of our fellow fellow believers, and that we seek our real fellowship and encouragement from those who are going to strengthen us as believers and not drag us down to the level of this world.
Now there we've spoken of the political aspect of things, the social aspect of things, but then there's also the religious aspect of things. Now, I want to comment on this very carefully before I do. Let's go to 2nd Corinthians Chapter 4.
2nd Corinthians chapter 4.
And verse 3.
In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not?
Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Now we notice that when it was the political aspect of things, Satan is brought before us as the Prince of this world.
But when it has to do with the religious aspect of things, he's the God of this world religiously.
You know, there is a lot of religion in this world, but it's religion without Christ.
You know, when the Lord Jesus was here, there was a lot of religion. The Jews had their religion, and it was religion that had it was a system of things that had been set up by God in the Old Testament. But it's interesting that by the time the Lord came, that system of things had deteriorated to a point where it was religion without Christ. In fact, surrounding the trial of the Lord Jesus, there were certain things that they did as religious rights.
That had nothing to do with what was laid down in the Old Testament. And in the end they rejected the Lord Jesus. They rejected all of that the person of which all of that in the Old Testament pointed to and spoke and spoke of.
In view of the Lord coming, and eventually they took the Lord Jesus outside the walls of Jerusalem, that holy city that deteriorated to such a point that it had religion.
Without Christ. And so we want to be careful. We don't get caught up in a system of things that has religion without Christ, or even a system of things that has introduced that which is simply of man. You know, it's interesting with the feasts of Jehovah in the Old Testament, you remember that in Leviticus there were a number of feasts given to the children of Israel that they were to keep throughout the year.
And those feasts had to do with memorial, and remembering what God had done for them, and owning the goodness and provision of God, and so on. But when the Lord Jesus was here, they were not called the feasts of Jehovah. They were called the feasts of the Jews. Why? Because they had introduced so much of man's tradition, the traditions of the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the religious leaders of the day. They had introduced so much.
Tradition that the Spirit of God doesn't even call them the feasts of the Jews in the new, the feasts of Jehovah. In the New Testament, they are the feasts of the Jews. And so we want to be careful again, there is a system of things set up by man, of which Satan is the God and the God of this world, and it is religion without Christ. Now for the 10 minutes that are left, we're gonna very quickly go through some scriptures because I wanna stress.
00:40:18
Our responsibility in relationship to our position still in this world, because we are, though we're not of this world, we are still in this world. We're still here physically in this world, and we need to operate in this world in a responsible way before the Lord until the Lord Jesus takes us out at his coming, what we call the Rapture. Let's go to Mark's gospel first of all.
Mark Gospel chapter 10.
Mark's Gospel, chapter 10.
And.
Verse 29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake in the gospel. But he shall receive an hundredfold. Now in this time houses and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, and with persecutions. And I want you to notice, and in the world to come eternal life.
You know.
There's another world. We're here in this world as we've been describing it very briefly this morning. But let's remember that if we feel like we give up anything in this world to follow the Lord, there is a reward in a you know, in the world to come, you know a hundredfold is 10,000% interest on your investment. That's a that's quite an investment. I don't think there's any other investment connected with this world.
That's 10,000%. You know you don't get much on your return when you inve when you put your money in the bank. You may get a little more with annuities and other investments, but here's an investment that go that's really out of this world. Couldn't tell you a little story. I know some of you have heard me tell this story before.
But you know, there was a man many years ago by the name of William Kelly. Some of your your parents have his books on their shelf and.
They're still sold and many appreciate them today. Commentaries on the word of God. And Mr. Kelly was one of the great minds of England back in his day, a brilliant scholar. And Mr. Kelly had a nephew who was attending one of the great universities in England. I can't remember it was Cambridge or Oxford, but one of the great universities in England. And Mr. Kelly was giving him some tutoring on his Greek studies. And the Dean of the college realized that this young man was excelling in his Greek studies and.
So he questioned him about it and he told him that it was because his uncle William, who was a Greek scholar.
Was giving him special tutoring. And so the Dean of the college.
Arrange to have an interview with Mr. Kelly. And he was astounded in the presence of one of the great minds of England. And finally he leaned across his desk and he said, Mr. Kelly, you could be a great man in this world. And Mr. Kelly looked back at him and said, which world? Now that's what we have here. Which world? Now that isn't to say we shouldn't work hard at school, get a job, provide for ourselves, perhaps later on for a family if the Lord gives US1.
It's not what I'm saying, but we need to keep it all in perspective because this world is under judgment. Everything that we build for down here is not going to last. Peter tells us in his epistle. Second Peter that it's all reserved under fire. Again, we want to value what God has entrusted to us in a material or temporal way, or our intelligence, our energy, what whatever talents and abilities he gives us, we value them. We use them. We can use them in a proper way.
But we want to remember that everything connected with this world and this life.
Apart from what we do for Christ is only for time. It's only for a little time. So it's a little motto we sometimes see on the wall. Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. Let's go to the book of James.
00:45:02
James Chapter One.
James, Chapter one and verse 27.
If any man among you seem to verse 26, if any man among you seem to be religious and bridal, is not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain, pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father. Is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world? You want to be a religious person? Here's the formula to help others who have need and to keep ourselves.
Unspotted.
From the world. What does that mean? It means really, to walk, in a way.
Where we do not defile ourselves, our minds, or our bodies from that which Satan would have to to spoil and tarnish our testimony through this world, to keep ourselves morally pure, we won't turn to it. But in the Book of Titus it says that grace teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, right where we are. It also teaches us to deny worldliness and ungodly lusts to keep ourselves unspotted until live in a way, in a pure way.
So as I say, we don't spoil our testimony for the Lord or our joy in the Lord. We don't have time to develop that because I want to go on and read two more verses. I'm going to read three more scriptures before we close, but two more verses.
I want to connect together in First Corinthians Chapter 7.
First Corinthians Chapter 7.
And verse 31.
And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away. And then with that in mind, I want to connect it with a portion in first John John's Epistle, First Epistle, Chapter 2.
First, John chapter 2 and verse Fif 15. 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 for all that is in the world, The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world passes away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
So we find here that there is a way to use this world and what God has entrusted to us. Whether it's in creation, whether it's the material or temporal things that he has given us, there's a way that we can use it without abusing it. In fact, it tells us that we can make friends of the unrighteous mammon. I'm gonna tell you a quick story to illustrate this. When I was a boy growing up, I was quite young and my sister was younger.
My parents lived in a predominantly French suburb Of Montreal.
There were a few people spoke English, but we grew up in a predominantly, uh, I'm sorry, a predominantly English suburb Of Montreal. There are few people spoke French, but it was a predominantly English suburb. However, the people that live directly across from us only spoke French. My parents were very neighborly and friendly with their neighbors, and one day after my father left for work, my mother fell off the back deck.
And broke her arm. She had two small children, the man across the street. He couldn't speak English, but he came over. He packed my sister and I in the car with my mother, took us to the hospital, took care of us children, while my mother had her arm set in a cast and brought us home, made sure we had something to eat, and so on. There was a result of of being making friends of the unrighteous mammon that is. The day came.
When the neighborliness of my parents paid off, and the Lord used one who was not a believer and couldn't even speak our language, he used him in a way that was very necessary. And so we need to make friends of the unrighteous mammon, but not friends in the way that we spoke of later or earlier. And we are not to love this world. We are not to have divided affections with Christ. Our affections are to be solely.
00:50:10
For the Lord Jesus Christ. And so he says love not the world nor the things that are that are in it. Now just one more verse in closing Galatians chapter 6. And then I'll leave this subject with you.
Galatians, chapter 6.
And verse 14.
But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
By whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Just very briefly make this comment that it is the cross of the Lord Jesus that separates you and I.
From this world. When we got saved, well, let me back up. The world rejected Christ. They took him outside the walls of Jerusalem and nailed him to a Roman cross. They said we don't want him away with him. We have no part with him. When you and I get saved, we take our stand positionally on the side with the Lord Jesus, and it separates us from this world and its system. And you and I will never come under the judgment of this world.
We can in our hearts take up the world, but positionally, as far as not being part of this world, as being a part of another world, the another world that is heaven, we will never get back to where we were.