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Volume. XVIII, No. 32 Be Not Conformed To This World"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" (1 John 2: 15-16) The world physically considered, is good and is to be admitted as the word of God and a glass in which His perfection shines. But the world we are referring to in particular this morning, is the world of Satan. The world of Satan promotes and exists independently of God. It consists not only in the obviously evil, immoral and sinful pleasures of the world, but also refers to a spirit of rebellion, resistance or indifference to God. In this age, Satan uses the world's ideas, morality, philosophies, psychology, desires, governments, culture, education, science, art, medicine, music, economic systems, entertainment, mass media, religions, sports, etc to oppose God, His people, His word, and His righteous standards. Satan is the god of the present world system. He controls it with a host of subordinate evil spirits. This world is to be considered on its relation to us now in our corrupted state as it works upon our weakness and instigates and inflames our vile affections. This world intrudes and encroaches upon us with its worldly things thereby making it a party against God. These worldly things of the world that encroach upon us are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. The lust of the flesh - indulging in fleshly pleasures (all the things that excited and inflame the pleasures of the flesh) and material things (luxury). The lust of the eyes - the eyes are delighted with treasures, riches and rish possessions are craved by the extravagant eye; the lust of covetousness. The pride of life - a vain mind that craves all the grandeur and pomp of a vain glorious life. This is ambition and thirst after honour and applause. This is in part, the disease of the ear; it must be flattered with admiration and praise. You and I are living in this world where Satan is the ruler. We are surrounded by the attractions and temptations of this world. In his world Satan uses the distractions, undersirables and the affairs of the world to impede our spiritual growth and our relationship with God. Apart from these material and emotional distractions, Satan also uses all sorts of people to do his work for him. Beware and be reminded that some of these people could be your closest friends, acquaintances, relatives and event your loved ones. To some readers who read this article this morning, this is a very powerful, unthinkable and intrusive statement to put on paper, moreso in the Lively Hope. I might like to reiterate that this is the truth. Anyone or anything that draws us from God or interferes with our value judgement is an agent of Satan. Satan draws the unweary to his side by his agents. Satan is very devious, subtle, deceitful and above all pleasing with is reward of instant gratification. We must be very cautious. Unless we are on the alert at all times he will devour us like a hungry lion. Satan the ruler of this world wants to encourage you to spend less time with God and distract you from your every day walk with God. Satan uses some of your senses to his benefit. To the children of this world, Satan has many things to offer to entice them or to keep them under his bondage. Man craves for material wealth, luxuries and the things that can give him instant reward. Satan is able to entice him with the beautiful things that he sees, reads or listens to. Satan creates in him a desire, a craving and a want. That is how Satan controls him and he will do the most unthinkable thing to satisfy his wants and covetousness. That is the snare of Satan. We, the children of God must be careful and be warned. Do not yield to his temptations and his promptings. That is why you have to be discerning in choosing what you want to watch, what you want to listen to and what you want to read. All these will reflect on what you want in your life. You cannot love the world and love God at the same time. You will love one and hate the other. God does not compromise and neither should we. God wants to know whose side you are on. You are either in the light or in the dark. There is no place for a shade of grey. You cannot love God and the world at the same time. Today, the world is under the domination of Satan. Thus, believers must separate themselves from the world. in this world, you and I are strangers and pilgrims. We must come out of the world, not to be conformed to the world, not to love the world, overcome the world, die to the world and be delievered from the world. Loving the world defiles our fellowship with God and leads to spiritual destruction. To love the world means having intimate fellowship with it and having a devotion to its values, interest, ways and pleasures. It means taking pleasure in or enjoying what is offensive and opposed to God. Using the lures of the world, Satan makes an unceasing effort to destroy the life of Christians. All disciples and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ must be nonconformists to this world. Do not fashion yourselves according to the world. We must not conform to the things of this world. If sinners entice us, we must not consent to them but instead we must witness to them. Man cannot love God and the world. There is no room for both in the heart of man. You must make a choice. The more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God dwindles and decays. I pray that this short writing in the Lively Hope this morning will edify you and enable you to think about where you are heading. In conclusion I would like to quote John 15:19 "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you". Let us thank God for choosing us and for the world that hates us. In His Service, Dn. Tony Law |
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