Dear Reader
"Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4).
It is safe to say that there is nothing more ensnaring and that will ruin the Christian testimony than world-bordering. Think of Lot (Gn. 13:10,11). The world is a system that has no place for God. It starts in Genesis 4. It provides man with every thing from education to innovation, and from occupation to entertainment It has its rules and regulations; it has its religions; it has its god (2 Co. 4:4) and prince (Jn. 12:31); it can not satisfy man’s needs or give him any satisfaction (Jn. 4:13); it is full of darkness; it is unprofitable (Mt.16:26); it is full of violence and corruption (Gn. 6); it hated the Lord Jesus (Jn. 7:7) and His followers, and causes them all kinds of trouble (Jn. 16:33); and it awaits God’s judgments as in the time of Noah and the days of Lot (2 Pe. 2:5-9). Christians are in the world but not of the world (Jn. 17:11). So Christians are to be light in the world (Mt. 5:14); they should not love the world (1 Jn. 2:15-17); though they use the world they must not abuse it (1 Co. 7:31). They should not be governed by its principles, should resist its influence, and should not adopt its ways of thinking. If we walk in the enjoyment of our privileges in Christ and closeness to Him every day, read His word, the Bible, and commune with Him in prayer, faith will give us present victory over the world, and we will overcome the world just as our blessed Lord overcame the world (Jn. 17:33). Then, as overcomers, we will eat from the tree of life and the hidden manna; will be pillars in the temple of God; and will sit with Him in His throne. Christians, it is worth it to not love the world (Rev. 2:3).
May the Lord use this issue of Toward the Mark to help you grow and be established as you read it. Thank you for your e-mails and notes of encouragement. Please keep us in your prayers.
Yours in our soon-coming Lord,
Emil Nashed
Please send your questions and comments to:
Toward the Mark
C/O Wayne Christian Assembly
60 Smith Lane
Wayne, New Jersey 07470
Attention: Emil S. Nashed
