Christians Drawn by This Present World's Charms

     By A. W. Tozer

    While they promise them liberty, they themselves
    are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man
    is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
    -2 Peter 2:19

       With the Bible open before us and a long tradition of
    truth behind us, there would seem to be no reason for
    the present tragic failure of Christians to recognize the
    world's deceptive appeal and to stay clear of it. For
    there  must not be any denial of the facts: the church is
    being overwhelmed by the kingdoms of the world and
    the glory of them!

       That world which our Saviour once refused to buy
    at the price of disobedience to God is now wooing His
    professed followers with every sly, deceptive artifice.
    The glory which our Lord once rejected with cold scorn
    is now being admired and sought after by multitudes
    who make a loud profession of accepting the gospel.
    The old trick which our Lord saw through so easily is
    charming His present-day followers into smiling
    acquiescence.

       The devil did not know Christ --- but apparently he
    knows Christians!  The lust of the flesh, the lust of the
    eyes and the pride of life have all been "Christianized"
    (not by the liberal, mind you, but by the evangelicals)
    and are now offered along with Christ to everyone who
    will "believe."  Blind leaders of blind souls now insist
    that Christians should not cut themselves off from the
    pleasures of the world, so the very values that Christ
    scorned are now being used to attract people to the
    gospel.

       We stand in need of warning: in spite of prophetic
    voices that are raised here and there among us,
    present-day believers are being drawn to the world
    with irresistible force!
    _____________________________________________________
    Yours in Christ,

    Paul N. F.