A worldly Christianity

(Octavius Winslow)

"Do not be conformed to this world." Romans 12:2

Professor of the gospel! Guard against the world; it is your undoing! Watch against conformity to it . . .
  in your dress,
  in your mode of living,
  in the education of your children,
  in the principles, motives, and policy that govern you.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by . . .
  any known inconsistency of conduct,
  any sinful conformity to the world,
  any inordinate pursuit of . . .
    its wealth,
    its honors,
    its pleasures,
    its friendships,
    its great things.

Pray against the sin of covetousness, that canker-worm that feeds at the root of so many souls!

Pray against the love of dress, that sin that diverts the mind of so many professors from the simplicity of Christ, and takes the eye off from the true adornment!

Pray against a thirst for light and trifling reading, that strange and sinful inconsistency of so many, the certain tendency of which is to starve the life of God in the soul, to engender a distaste for spiritual nourishment for the Word of God, for holy meditation, and for Divine communion and fellowship.

Yes, pray against the spirit of worldly, sinful conformity in everything!

Reader! are you a professing Christian? Then guard against a worldly Christianity-a Christianity that wears a fair exterior, so far as it is composed of church attendance; but which excludes from it the cross of the meek and lowly Lamb of God-a Christianity which loves the world and the things of the world, "makes a fair show in the flesh," speaks well of Christ-and yet betrays Him with a kiss.

Oh, awful state! Oh, fearful deception! Oh, fatal delusion!

The world is the sworn enemy of your Savior; let it not be your friend. No, come out of it and be separate!