PLAYING AT RELIGION

By A. W. Tozer

Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.
First John 5:4

     When our faith becomes obedience to our Savior, then
it  is   true  faith,  indeed!   The  difficulty  we  modern
Christians face is not misunderstanding the Bible, but
persuading our untamed hearts to accept its plain
instruction.  Our problem is to get the consent of our
world-loving minds to make Jesus Lord in fact, as well as
in word.  For it is one thing to say, "Lord, Lord," and
quite another thing to obey the Lord's commandments.

    We may sing "Crown Him Lord of all," and rejoice in
the tones of the loud organ and the deep melody in
harmonious voices, but still we have done nothing until
we have left the world and set our faces toward the City
of God in hard practical reality.

  The world's spirit is strong, and it can play at religion
with every appearance of sincerity.  It can have fits of
conscience (particularly during Lent)!  It will contribute
to charitable causes and campaigns on behalf of the poor,
but all with its own condition:  "Let Christ keep His
distance and never assert His Lordship."  This it positively
will not endure!

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Yours in Christ,
Paul N. F.