Guard against False Loves (1)

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. -James 4:4
How can I know if I love the world?
What we love will be seen by observing the bent of our heart if it is swayed toward God and his service or toward things below. When two masters are separated, their servants will be known by whom they serve and whom they follow. In these days we enjoy both religion and the world together; but if times of suffering should begin, then it would be known whose servants we truly are. Consider therefore beforehand what you would do. If trouble and persecution should arise, would you stand up for Christ, and let go of liberty, riches, honour, and all in comparison to him?
We must know it is not simply the world that draws our hearts from God, but the love of the world. Worldly things are good in themselves and are given by God to sweeten our passage to heaven. It is your falseness that makes them hurtful, in loving them too much. Use the world as a servant and not as a master, and you will have comfort in this life. It is not the world properly used that hurts us, but our setting our hearts upon it. When God should be in our thoughts, our spirits are drunk with the cares below. Thorns will not prick by themselves, but when they are grasped in a man's hand they prick deep. So this world and the things of the world are all good, and were all made by God for the benefit of his people. Is it not our immoderate affection for them that makes them hurtful? When once a man's heart is set upon the world, how does he shine as a light for God? He breaks with God, his truth, his religion, and his all, to satisfy lust! It is where we place our love that reveals whether we are good or bad. We are not as we know, but as we love. Our affections are the things which declare who we are. If we do not love God and the things of God, it does not matter what we know or how we talk of them.
What we love will be seen by observing the bent of our heart if it is swayed toward God and his service or toward things below. When two masters are separated, their servants will be known by whom they serve and whom they follow. In these days we enjoy both religion and the world together; but if times of suffering should begin, then it would be known whose servants we truly are. Consider therefore beforehand what you would do. If trouble and persecution should arise, would you stand up for Christ, and let go of liberty, riches, honour, and all in comparison to him?
We must know it is not simply the world that draws our hearts from God, but the love of the world. Worldly things are good in themselves and are given by God to sweeten our passage to heaven. It is your falseness that makes them hurtful, in loving them too much. Use the world as a servant and not as a master, and you will have comfort in this life. It is not the world properly used that hurts us, but our setting our hearts upon it. When God should be in our thoughts, our spirits are drunk with the cares below. Thorns will not prick by themselves, but when they are grasped in a man's hand they prick deep. So this world and the things of the world are all good, and were all made by God for the benefit of his people. Is it not our immoderate affection for them that makes them hurtful? When once a man's heart is set upon the world, how does he shine as a light for God? He breaks with God, his truth, his religion, and his all, to satisfy lust! It is where we place our love that reveals whether we are good or bad. We are not as we know, but as we love. Our affections are the things which declare who we are. If we do not love God and the things of God, it does not matter what we know or how we talk of them.
Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Experience Triumphing, Works, vol. 7, pp. 412-13
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
Experience Triumphing, Works, vol. 7, pp. 412-13
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
Categories
Recent
2025
January
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 28'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 29'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 30'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 31
February
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 28
March
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 28'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 29'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 30'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 31
No Comments