Conformity to the World.
By APELLES
[Bro. White: The following, under the above caption, from the New York Observer, is so scriptural and to the point that I solicit for it a place in the Review.
S. B. WHITNEY.] Has the character of "this present evil world" changed, or have the injunctions of the divine Word become obsolete? I am led to make these inquiries by looking around and seeing to what an extent the Church has become merged in all the different circles and phases of worldly society, and by the utter impossibility of distinguishing professing Christians from their associations and practice. There are some very plain passages in the word of God on this subject, and if they had not lost their binding force, they ought to have a great influence over the lives of all who call themselves Christians. The beloved disciple, writing by divine inspiration, 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. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Surely there is nothing doubtful in the meaning of these words. Another apostle writes: "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." It would seem from this that Christians are bound to choose between God and the world, and that they cannot be friendly to both, any more than a man can serve two masters at the same time, or take the part of two persons who are directly at variance. The great Apostle also has written: "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Now what do all these plain teachings of the word of God mean? I do not think any two persons can read them and have essentially a different understanding of them. They certainly teach us that this world is a rival of God for the affections and the services of men, of those who are known as Christians as well as others, but that God will not tolerate any acquiescence in this rivalry, on the part of those he calls his own. Every one must choose for himself between the two. And his practice must be conformed to his choice. If he chooses God as his friend and portion, he must show it in his life. He must not court and flatter and dally with God's enemies and his own. He must not act so as to confound Christianity with worldliness. He must come out from the world, and not be governed by its spirit and maxims, and conformed to its ways. There are many faint, half-way Christians, (true, decided Christians have no such difficulties), who are all the time debating in their own minds, and perhaps asking others, how far it is right for them to go in adopting this custom, or indulging in that practice or amusement, without violating the Christian rule. They do not wish to break either with God or Mammon. They wish to enjoy just as much as possible of this world, while they are in it, and yet to make sure of the friendship of God for another world. Ah! what a disappointment awaits those who are thus striving to make a compromise between two objects that are eternally opposite. I have no catalogue to propose of employments and places and amusements that are forbidden to the Christian; but over and underneath all the scenes of this world that draw the heart away from God, and tend to drown serious thought, or to unfit the soul for serious meditation and worship and self-denying Christian duty, or that fritter away precious time, I would simply write these words of the Holy Spirit: "Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
APELLES.