Christ, or the World?
A Solemn Warning to Young Christians
She was only a little girl of five when I first met her. She was pretty, almost beautiful, and one could not help being fascinated by her innocent blue eyes. Ruth, for that was her name, was an only child—hence the place she had with her father and mother almost made her a spoiled child. Both parents were Christians, and had remembered the Lord in the breaking of bread for a number of years, and both looked forward to the time when Ruth would also take up her privileges. Ruth, however, had learned to love the Lord, and could relate many of the incidents in the Lord’s pathway here. I think I can hear her yet repeating in her sweet childish way,
“Suffer the little children to come unto Me... for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Mark 10:14.
In such a congenial atmosphere little Ruth grew up, always desiring to hear more of Jesus.
I had occasion to be called away from the district, and for many years never heard anything of Ruth 1 have subsequently learned her history, and shall just repeat it.
Ruth grew up midst her girl companions, seeking here and there to put in a word for her blessed Master. Later we find her launching out on a new pathway in life. She had left school, and again, after a year or so of training, we find her an accomplished typist with a good position. Her parents still loved her, and let her have pretty much her own way. She had by this time got a girl companion, Jane, who was the daughter of godly parents and herself a Christian. They both attended the meetings regularly, and seemed to enjoy all that was said, and indeed could converse intelligently on things pertaining to the Scriptures.
One of the brothers took a very great interest in both girls, who were never away from one another. This brother had often talked to them and brought before them the truth of the Lord’s Supper. Both girls seemed to understand it fully, insomuch that some said,
“I am surprised that Ruth and Jane are not breaking bread.”
But was there not a cause? Perhaps partly from the free hand both girls had from their parents, or perhaps from the influence of office companions, we cannot say, but both were sadly mixed up with the world.
Now before I proceed, let me say a word to you, dear reader. You have taken Christ as your Savior. Is He everything to your soul? Or are you content, like the children of Israel, to “beat the manna in a mortar”? You want to make Christ palatable. A little bit of Christ and a little bit of the world. Ah, pause and consider. You are on dangerous lines. Is it not so with Christendom today? The so-called churches are introducing things of the world to try and catch people’s eye, but there is a day coming when the whole system will be “spued out of His mouth.” But to the overcomer, what a blessed prospect!
“Fear not,” He could say, “I have overcome the world.”
But to proceed. The moment comes when Ruth is tempted. The Devil comes to her as an angel of light, and says to her,
“Now look here, Ruth, there is a splendid picture showing in such-and-such a show tonight. Come along and see it. There’s no harm in it. It will help you to pass your time.”
Alas, poor Ruth succumbs to his wiles, and not only so, but persuades Jane to accompany her. Is it not always so? When one is going on with the Lord, it is, then that the Devil comes. Depend upon it, if you are going on with the things of the world and only a little bit of Christ, the Devil will leave you alone. And so we find these two poor girls making their first step on the road to “see life.” Do you think they were satisfied that night? By no means. One wrong step leads to another, and here we find the two, having tasted, as it were, for the first time, the things of this world, have now an insatiable thirst for more. The worst part of it all was, that when questioned by their parents as to their whereabouts, they always invented some excuse. And, mark you, they never missed a meeting; but whenever they got the chance and thought they would be undetected, off they went to a picture show.
Being a large city it was quite easy to attend these places unnoticed and unrecognized, at least they thought so. But had they not forgotten that
“The eyes of the Lord are over all the earth?”
Poor deluded creatures. Things went on like this for quite a time, and still the question was being put to them as to why they did not break bread. At last they got so wearied by the incessant pleadings of some of the brethren that they both decided once and for all to throw the world at their back and go in for things that “really matter.”
Both individually, therefore, made their desire known to the brethren that they would like to remember the Lord. Nobody could doubt their conversion, and, matters being considered, they were both proposed for fellowship in the breaking of bread. Without a doubt they really understood their position and what they had committed themselves to, and both enjoyed the happy fellowship of the saints, together with the joy of remembering the Lord in His dying love. But it was observed by some that their interest began to slacken. Why? And here, dear reader, let me interpose. Can you indeed drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils? (1 Cor. 10). Nay! We see what a terrible state the Corinthians were in at the time when Paul wrote to them concerning the matter. But is it not so that many of us are only halfhearted in the things of Christ? Depend on it, God will not allow things to go on in a careless, heedless way. As has been said,
“He will rather take you away by death than allow you to become a hindrance to the testimony.”
Well, the Devil had got busy again. The moment there was a movement towards God, he comes and says to the girls again,
“Come with me and enjoy life. Keep going to the meetings, keep breaking bread, but don’t forget that I have plenty of harmless amusements to offer you.”
And again, sad to relate, the subtle influence has effect. We find Ruth and Jane again appealing to the world for nourishment. And despite a guilty conscience—for could they have a good conscience?—we find them now and again paying a visit to a picture show. Nor did it stop there, but from that they went on to theaters, etc.
Many a time in the early morning if you had looked into Ruth’s office you would have seen her busily scanning the newspapers in search of the latest amusements, and planning as to where she and Jane could go next night.
Ruth afterward said that her greatest fear was than an accident or illness might overtake her in one of these places, and she have to be carried out of a theater to her home. Poor girl, her fears were to be all but realized.
The excuses to their parents still continued and this state of affairs went on for a number of months undetected, the girls breaking bread as usual on the Lord’s Day mornings. But is the Lord not jealous of our affections? Yea, rather, and He will see to it that He has the whole of our heart’s affections for Himself. The weaning process is often very testing, but it is all for our good.
At last Ruth began to be exercised as to the path she and her companion was taking; so one night, coming out of a theater in which the name of God had been more than once mentioned sneeringly, she turned to Jane and said,
“I am absolutely finished with the whole thing, and I shall not enter a theater again. I can see we are certainly on wrong lines.”
Jane concurred, but did not say much. But they had not yet felt the healing hand of the Lord. They thought by giving up this lust they would go on now uninterruptedly in the things of Christ. And so they did up to a point, but they had reckoned without the Devil.
About a month after, there were placards all over the city advertising a performance to be played during the week in the Theater. It appealed to the girls very much, and they could not resist the temptation. So accordingly one night they set out for the theater, which was situated in a very busy part of the city.
I think I see Ruth’s face yet, as she related the circumstance afterward. After the performance was over, the girls made their way out of the building, and Ruth, being very sick at heart as to what excuse she would give her mother when she got home, was unmindful of her surroundings. Fearing lest someone should see her, she made a dash to get clear of the building as soon as she could, and then came the fateful moment. She forgot the passers-by, she forgot the theater for the moment, and rushed right in front of a passing motor car. The poor girl was at once rendered unconscious, and was taken direct to the hospital. Her worst fears were realized. Picked up in the midst of a crowd of pleasure-seekers, unconscious.
Jane, of course, with every presence of mind, went straight to Ruth’s home and there found the parents anxiously awaiting the return of their daughter. Jane told the tale as best she could, and all three lost no time in reaching the hospital. It was now late at night, and when they reached the sufferer’s bed, it was only to find her still unconscious. The physician attending her, looked anxiously on awaiting developments. When asked as to the nature of her injuries, he replied by saying there was practically no hope, and that a few more hours were all that she would have in this life.
Presently Ruth bestirred herself and looked around bewildered. Suddenly everything became clear to her, and she uttered a groan. Intense as her bodily suffering was, her remorse was even greater. Her agony of mind was terrible. The fond mother leaned down and asked if there was anything she would like or desired to say. She seemed to be a little better, but it was a calm before a storm. Why the worried yea, pained, look on the sufferer’s brow? Ah! she knew there was something which must be confessed.
Turning an anxious face to her mother, she slowly related to her all the incidents leading up to the accident, telling how she had deceived her brethren, her parents, and tried to deceive her Lord. She humbly pleaded their forgiveness. Then turning to Jane, she said,
“My dear Jane, we have been lifelong friends, but the time has come when we now must part. I have been dreaming that I was in heaven, and everything seemed so strange to me there that I almost felt lost. But the Lord took me and showed me those who had been faithful to Him on earth, and I felt almost ashamed of my life here as I looked up into His loving face. That was just when I awoke, and it seems to me, Jane, that my dream is coming true. Take a lesson from me, Jane. I have thrown my life away on the baubles of this world, and I feel now that, looking back on my pathway, I have nothing but regrets. Ah! it is a cold, cruel, remorseless world, Jane. Nothing to carry over.
“I feel the Lord is more precious to me now than He ever has been, but He is going to take me to Himself. Promise me, Jane, you will cling to Christ and let the gaudy elements of this world go by unnoticed. And now, mother—kiss me good-bye.”
The brokenhearted parent knelt down to kiss the lifeless body of her daughter. The restless spirit was now present with the Lord, to be planted by Him in another scene, never more to wander.
Need I add that Jane took the lesson to heart. Although feeling the loss of her companion keenly, it was the turning point in her life, and she has since been a bright testimony to her Lord.
And now, my dear young believer, I have finished. May I ask the all-important question, “Is Christ everything to your soul?”
Perhaps you have broken bread for a number of months, like Ruth, but have not partaken of it in real remembrance of the One who so loved you as to give Himself for you. Why? Because you have an eye on the world.
“For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” 1 Corinthians 11:30.
You know you will go to heaven one day, but don’t you think it is better to live here in the meantime amid the adverse circumstances, than to go to heaven to get rid of them, for there will be no trials there. The test is here and now. Do you realize it, that it is only as we “live” here that we will “live” there? Then let us go in for what is “really life.”
Perhaps you do not frequent picture shows or theaters. But these are not the only evils. You may have companions who are not of the same mind as yourself. In fact, there are countless things that can be done apart from the knowledge of your brethren, and you will still be able to pass muster; but be assured, there is, nothing done in secret which shall not be made manifest. The Lord is jealous of our affections, and either He will remove the hindrance, or He will remove us ourselves, as He did in the case narrated. Have you ever sat down and counted the cost? It is worthwhile. This world—a vast system of sin engineered by the Devil—is very soon going to be “wrapped up as a garment.” God will have done with it forever. But ere that moment the Lord Himself will come and take those redeemed by His precious blood to be forever with Himself. That day will soon be here, and may the Lord so wean us from this “present evil world,” and engage us with Himself, so that we may respond,
“Come, Lord Jesus.”
Tell me of earth no longer,
Tell me of earth no more—
The mighty love of Jesus
Has made my heart run o’er.
O, it is all so wondrous,
It doth my thoughts confound,
I can but bow and worship,
With reverence profound.
Now dim are earth’s attractions,
Now dark are sunlit skies,
All earthly charms and beauties
Must fade before mine eyes.
The mighty love of Jesus,
The ties of earth have riven,
And leads my heart right upward
To Him enthroned in heaven.
Away with every rival,
However dear or fair;
No one but Christ in glory,
My heart, my love shall share.
He loved, He loves, will love me
To all eternity;
O, the mighty love of Jesus
Shall ever, ever be!
The Lord grant we may each be able to say this from the depths of our souls.