King's Business - 1967-04

ship of His sufferings, not the fellowship of His popularity. On one occasion our Lord’s brothers advised Him to go into Judea, get before the public and show Himself to the world. They thought He was not handling His publicity right. The next verse tells us that they did not believe in Him. They were of the world and that is the kind o f advice the world gives. Now this was a test case, a show-down. What did our Lord say: “My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.” This is the world’s time, for it is “man’s day.” Then fol­ lows a statement that ought to clear up forever this matter of popularity: “ The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testify o f it that the works thereof are evil.” Let us put this passage alongside the one we quoted earlier, John 15:18, 19, and what do we have ? To the un­ believing, the Lord says, “The world cannot hate you.” Of Him­ self He said, “But me it hateth.” To His disciples He says, “ The world hateth you.” Again He said, “ I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them be­ cause they are not o f the world even as I am not o f the world” (John 17:14). It is quite true that Christians are often disliked for reasons other than their loyalty to Christ. Often we bring deserved reproach upon ourselves by our un-Christ- likeness. The cause o f our Lord is often shamed by our wrong attitudes and behaviour. We some­ times excuse our lack of friends by saying we bear the reproach of the cross when we do no such thing. Some labour under the no­ tion that everything that is said against us is to be a cause o f re­ joicing. But we are to rejoice only when such accusation is false and for Christ’s sake. Too many things that are said about us may be true! Just the same, no true Chris­ tian can be popular with a world that hates his Lord. The friend of the world is the enemy of God

and if we love the world the love of the Father is not in us . . . and if the world loves us there is ground for real concern. We can­ not travel the way of the cross and the way of the world at the same time. They go in opposite directions. It is surprising that anyone can imagine a Christian being popular with a world that denies all he affirms and affirms all he denies. Of course the idea o f a popular Christianity has been with us ev­ er since the church lost her pil­ grim character and settled down in this world. It was unthinkable until believers lost their blessed hope and began building a reli­ gious empire on earth. There are clever arguments. Lot moves into Sodom to rescue it but Sodom usually ruins Lot. The Scriptures do not teach a holier-than-thou Pharisaism but the alternative is not a popular church living in “ peaceful co-existence” with the world, the flesh and the devil. Right now even evangelical Chris­ tianity is beset with a fashionable tolerance that confuses stretching its conscience with broadening its mind. There are diplomats out to establish good will between Christ and Belial. A new brand o f Chris­ tianity acceptable to this age is part of the devil’s program to break down the wall and subtly erase the line o f demarkation be­ tween the church and the world. About all we are to expect from this world is trouble. “ In the world ye shall have tribulation.” Yet we are not to be long-faced martyrs about it. “ Be o f good cheer, for I have overcome the world.” We are to overcome it too. We are not here to explain it, endure it, enjoy it, but to over­ come it. “ And this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith.” Our Lord said, “ I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them.” We must choose between the WORD and the WORLD. One cannot be loyal to the first and be loved by the second. No true Christian can be popular with this world. HE

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