There are seasons when the spiritual life of the Church of God in the world is at a very low ebb. We judge this to be one of those seasons. At such a time there is little evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in the awakening of sinners and in building up the people of God in the faith of the Gospel. It is a time of mourning for the true children of God as they feel the absence of the reviving power of God’s Spirit and see the continued backsliding of the visible Church in the world. It is then that they begin to cry with Habakkuk: “O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.”
No doubt many reasons may be given why the spiritual life of the Church is so low today, but one cause seems to stand out above all others, that is, the increasing worldliness which has crept in among professed followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. How opposite is this worldliness to the spirit of Him who said: “Seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink . . . but rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” How strange it should appear to us that those whose citizenship is in heaven should be increasingly taken up with the things of earth. The Apostle, in writing to those who were risen with Christ, exhorted them to “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God,” and “to set their affections on things above, not on things on the earth.” The Saviour left His followers in no doubt as to the cost of discipleship: “Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel’s, the same shall find it.” Surely there is no place for worldliness in such a call!
If the true Church of God in the world is to be a witnessing Church, then it must be separated from the world lying in the wicked one. It must be distinct from the world in its ways, its conversation and in its principles. Where worldliness is given place to by the professed people of God they cease to be a witnessing people, witnessing to the power of God’s grace in them. It is when they become spiritually minded and heavenly minded and walk in love one toward another that it becomes evident to others that they have been with Jesus and have learned of Him.
Because of the darkness of the day in which our lot is cast, the need for a living and lively Church is all the more urgent. If the holy life of a godly man or woman bears such a solemn witness in the conscience of the ungodly, how much more would the witness of a holy Church rebuke an ungodly age. Is the Church of God in the world to fail then at that point in time when its witness is most needed?
Does all this not call us to self-searching to discover what inroads worldliness has made on our own hearts and lives? We fear that we will not have far to seek. May our sad condition bring us low at the feet of Him who is able to root out of our hearts and lives this sin which has brought us so low. Oh, how good it would be to have our minds and hearts lifted from earthly things and set upon Christ Himself in order that we might be swallowed up in Him who is our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification and redemption.