+JMJ+
The world is the enemy of the Lord and His people because He lets the world (led by Satan) do as it pleases, and yet He shows through His Providence that this rebellion of the world is for naught.
[BIBLEDRB]John 16:33[/BIBLEDRB]
The world, led by Satan, hates us. And yet we, through Christ, are stronger than this rebellion of the world.
[BIBLEDRB]Romans 8:35-39[/BIBLEDRB]
In the RSV, Romans 8:37 reads: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Love triumphs over all.
But are we to hate this world? Yes and no. It must be both, because if not, then we cannot save it. As G.K. Chesterton said:
Let us suppose we are confronted with a desperate thing – say Pimlico [NOTE: Pimlico is the center of horse racing and betting of London. In Chesterton’s time it also was one of the centers of crime, and was one of the dirtier parts of the city]. If we think what is really best for Pimlico we shall find the thread of thought leads to the throne or the mystic and the arbitrary. It is not enough for a man to disapprove of Pimlico: in that case he will merely cut his throat or move to Chelsea. Nor, certainly, is it enough for a man to approve of Pimlico: for then it will remain Pimlico, which would be awful. The only way out of it seems to be for somebody to love Pimlico: to love it with a transcendental tie and without any earthly reason. If there arose a man who loved Pimlico, then Pimlico would rise into ivory towers and golden pinnacles; Pimlico would attire herself as a woman does when she is loved. For decoration is not given to hide horrible things: but to decorate things already adorable. A mother does not give her child a blue bow because he is so ugly without it. A lover does not give a girl a necklace to hide her neck. If men loved Pimlico as mothers love children, arbitrarily, because it is theirs, Pimlico in a year or two might be fairer than Florence. Some readers will say that this is a mere fantasy. I answer that this is the actual history of mankind. This, as a fact, is how cities did grow great. Go back to the darkest roots of civilization and you will find them knotted round some sacred stone or encircling some sacred well. People first paid honour to a spot and afterwards gained glory for it. Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.
And that what must be our attitude towards the world. We must love the world as it was originally intended by the Lord:
[BIBLEDRB]Genesis 1:31[/BIBLEDRB]
and hate as it has come to be under Satan’s rule. Do you remember what was said in John 3:16?
[BIBLEDRB]John 3:16[/BIBLEDRB]
Under Jesus’ banner, we must fight against the world, for we fight for it.
