Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-05-07
CHRISTIAN EHOEAVOR
Prayer Nesting Topic For Week Be-
,.n,inr MAJ II 1o12

Topic.-"Love not the world. IL Johr
ii. 15-25. Edited by Rev. Sherman II
Doyle. D. ID.
The command of the apostle John
Love not the world" must be rightly
understood before it can be properly
obeyed. 1t cannot mean that we are
not to admire the beautiful things in
the physical world which God mas
made. for they speak of His existence
and His glory, nor does 1t mean that
we are not to be interested in the af'
fairs of the world, nor in its people
We are enjoined to be mot slothful in
business" and it is declared that godli
ness has the promise of the life that
now is" as well as of that which is to
come.
1t is the kingdom of the world which
is sinful as opposed to the kingdom of
God. It is the carnal world which
demands supreme love. one that even
excludes love for God and all that is
pure and holy and right. There is a
proper love for the world and false
love for the world IL is against the
latter that John warns all Christians.
We are not to make god Of worldly
pleasure, of worldly ambition, Of
worldly business. and to devote our
lives to any one or all of them TO the ex-
clusion of love for God and love for
humanity.
The "love of the world Is incom-
patible with the love of God. IF any
man love the world the love Of the
Father is not in him" John is the
apostle Of love, and he rightly assumes
that we must and will love something
This is characteristic of the human
heart. But there can only be one SUI
preme love in each heart and life. II
we lore the world supremacy we can
not rightly love God. for He demands
supremacy. Eye cannot serve God
and mammon" No more can you love
God and the world.
The heart surrendered to the foibles
and tinsels of the world Of sin can
have no place in it for love to God.
Yet there should be no question as TO
the location of our affections Can the
love OF worldliness compensate US for
the loss of love TO God. who created
us and loves us and has redeemed us
by the precious blood OF His only be-
gotten Son?
@The love of the world is forbidden
on the ground Of its transformers.
'3The world passeth away and the lust
thereof, but he that doeth the will of
God abideth forever We leave the
world or the world leaves US. 1t is
transitory. but for day. The man who
panders to the lusts of life comes to a
time when they pail upon him.
He becomes stated, and his heart be-
crushed out, deplorable conditional
human heart with no power to love and
no place for love! How different with
love to God 1t increases as life ad-
vances; its blessings ever become
greater, and it abides forever! At
death we cannot take the world with
us. 1t becomes a shadow and a vanity
But at death God takes us to Him. and
in perfect love we abide with Him for
ever. Since we must love God or the
world, there should be no question as
to our choice, since such tremendous
and eternal issues are involved in our
choice. Love not the world" but
'love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, soul, mind and strength"
The young especially must ever be
warned against the seductive infiu-
ences Of worldliness. Many hopeful be.
sfnnings In the Christian life are
marred and blighted by the insidious
influences of the world This warming
Is especially necessary today when the
line of demarkation between the church
and the world is not SO decided as II
once was.
The church is in the world and the
world IN the church as never before
But there is only one course for the
true follower Of Christ Worldlines.
must be avoided, even at the sacrifice
Of seeming pleasure. desirable associ
ates and temporary gain. The Chris
tan cannot afford to compromise will
the world to the slightest extent. els,
he will soon find that he is q worldlinf
and not Christian.