Be not conformed to this world

[Christ4Ever]

"And be not conformed to this world." Romans 12:2


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If a Christian can by possibility be saved while he conforms to this world, at any rate it must be so as by fire. Such a bare salvation is almost as much to be dreaded as desired. Reader, would you wish to leave this world in the darkness of a desponding death bed, and enter heaven as a shipwrecked mariner climbs the rocks of his native country? then be worldly; be mixed up with Mammonites, and refuse to go without the camp bearing Christ's reproach.

But would you have a heaven below as well as a heaven above? Would you comprehend with all saints what are the heights and depths, and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge? Would you receive an abundant entrance into the joy of your Lord?

Then come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing. Would you attain the full assurance of faith? you cannot gain it while you commune with sinners. Would you flame with vehement love? your love will be damped by the drenchings of godless society. You cannot become a great Christian-you may be a babe in grace, but you never can be a perfect man in Christ Jesus while you yield yourself to the worldly maxims and modes of business of men of the world.

It is ill for an heir of heaven to be a great friend with the heirs of hell. It has a bad look when a courtier is too intimate with his king's enemies. Even small inconsistencies are dangerous. Little thorns make great blisters, little moths destroy fine garments, and little frivolities and little rogueries will rob religion of a thousand joys.

O professor, too little separated from sinners, you know not what you lose by your conformity to the world. It cuts the tendons of your strength, and makes you creep where you ought to run. Then, for your own comfort's sake, and for the sake of your growth in grace, if you be a Christian, be a Christian, and be a marked and distinct one.

Charles Spurgeon

 

[Cosmicwaffle]

Hi Christ4Ever,

While I agree the world is not something we should love, being in it or partaking in it does not leave one any less of a Christian than one who lives at church and sleeps on a Bible.

When he says touch not the unclean thing, what does he mean? People? Food? Music? Movies? Anyways, there is real freedom in Jesus, and to impose laws on a believer will sorely hurt their faith. Romans 14 talks a lot about not damaging the one who is weak in faith, and while some people say one day is holy, some count all equally holy. To the pure, all things are pure. Etc. Etc.

He also said something about frivalties robbing religion of its joys. But, is there really any joy in religion? Havn't we established the fact that no man save Jesus ever fulfilled the law? He kept it for us, so there is no point in taking so much effort to avoid frivalties we find don't hurt our love and faith in Jesus. The one who is weak in faith however might have a problem with these.

Jesus didn't preach against the gentiles believe it or not, but he preached against the Pharisees, his own people! Why? Because they thought their works would save them. They lowered God's standard so they could feel righteous, and preached hate and disgust for those of the world.

We need to be in the world, not to have our lives revolve around it or its beliefs, but to be a light to those in it.

I love Charles Spurgeon, but this sermon should be taken as a teaching, not a law, which is how I'm afraid many might see it as.

Idk, just my thoughts. Be salt, and filter my words.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Hi Christ4Ever,

While I agree the world is not something we should love, being in it or partaking in it does not leave one any less of a Christian than one who lives at church and sleeps on a Bible.

When he says touch not the unclean thing, what does he mean? People? Food? Music? Movies? Anyways, there is real freedom in Jesus, and to impose laws on a believer will sorely hurt their faith. Romans 14 talks a lot about not damaging the one who is weak in faith, and while some people say one day is holy, some count all equally holy. To the pure, all things are pure. Etc. Etc.

He also said something about frivalties robbing religion of its joys. But, is there really any joy in religion? Havn't we established the fact that no man save Jesus ever fulfilled the law? He kept it for us, so there is no point in taking so much effort to avoid frivalties we find don't hurt our love and faith in Jesus. The one who is weak in faith however might have a problem with these.

Jesus didn't preach against the gentiles believe it or not, but he preached against the Pharisees, his own people! Why? Because they thought their works would save them. They lowered God's standard so they could feel righteous, and preached hate and disgust for those of the world.

We need to be in the world, not to have our lives revolve around it or its beliefs, but to be a light to those in it.

I love Charles Spurgeon, but this sermon should be taken as a teaching, not a law, which is how I'm afraid many might see it as.

Idk, just my thoughts. Be salt, and filter my words.

Dear Brother,

I do believe the unclean thing had to do with moral thought and life. You can go back to 2 Corinthians 6 to get the context for what Spurgeon is talking about. The definitions of unclean in the Greek and Hebrew though similiar are different. Corinthians was written in the Greek.

Notice the part that Spurgeon talks of "....modes of business of men of the world." The business world doesn't mind twisting the truth, lying if necessary for a gain. Should a Christian comport himself in like fashion? Will he lose his salvation if he does? No. However, you should be able to tell the difference between them. Sadly, this isn't always the case.

As far as being salt I can only use it in limited quantities.

Yet the mention of salt does remind me of a story in the OT. Lot! He chose Sodom & Gomorra and the cities of the plane in which to live. Yet going there as a wealthy man withmuch hope, he left with nothing. He lost it all, yet was saved! Not a prescription I would suggest to anyone who is a believer.

The world is cruel, and has no love for the Lord and the things of the world do not glorify God which you know. Spurgeon is saying that the believer will be saved, but truly if one has a choice, would this be the type entry into heaven we are truly looking for? Is this how we would bring glory to the Lord? Is this all His sacrifice means to us to behave as the world behaves? So Spurgeon is basically saying/asking the same thing of those in his day that we should be asking today.

Love you brother.
YBIC
C4E