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!

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Yours in Christ,

Paul N. F.