May 2 Daily Devotional

The Christian and the world

[In verse 19 (of Matthew 6)] our Lord introduces ... this great question of the Christian living his life in this world in relationship to God as his Father, involved in its affairs and feeling its cares, its strains, and its stresses. It is, in fact, the whole problem of what is so often called in the Bible, "the world"....

Now what do the Scriptures mean by the expression "the world"? It does not mean the physical universe or merely a collection of people; it means an outlook and a mentality; it means a way of looking at things, a way of looking at the whole of life.

One of the most subtle problems with which the Christian ever has to deal is this problem of his relationship to the world. Our Lord frequently emphasizes that it is not an easy thing to be a Christian. He Himself when He was here in this world was tempted of the devil. He was also confronted by the power and subtlety of the world.

The Christian is in precisely the same position. There are attacks which come upon him when he is alone in private. There are others which come when he goes out into the world. You notice our Lord's order [Matthew 6:17]. How significant it is. You prepare yourself in the secrecy of your own chamber. You pray and do various other things—fasting and almsgiving and doing your good deeds unobserved.

But you also have to live your life in the world. That world will do its best to get you down; it will do its utmost to ruin your spiritual life. So you have to be very wary. It is a fight of faith, and you need the whole armor of God because if you have not got it, you will be defeated. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood." It is a stern battle; it is a mighty conflict.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, ii, pp. 78-9

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“Text reproduced from ‘A First Book of Daily Readings’ by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, published by Epworth Press 1970 & 1977 © Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes. Used with permission.”

Comments on D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, A First Book of Daily Readings

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